Welcome to

MIKE AND MARY'S WEDDING PAGE!

This site is for the use of our friends and families, and is intended to provide information about our wedding and reception. Mary and I met on June 10, 1999 in Dublin, Ireland, on a study-abroad program through Indiana University. The rest, as they say, is history! We both graduated from IU in Bloomington this past May, and have recently moved to Boston. Mary is spending a year working as an AmeriCorps volunteer at Generations, Inc., a non-profit organization that pairs elderly volunteers with elementary-aged children; I am a first-year law student at Boston College.We're very excited about the wedding, which is scheduled for December 29, 2001, in Bloomington, at Beck Chapel.

This page will tell you, our guests, about how to get to Bloomington and get around within the city, options for accommodation if you intend to stay over, and things to do while you're here. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me or e-mail Mary.

Beck Chapel is a quaint, very cozy little sanctuary located on the IU campus (directions below). It looks beautiful in the winter, especially if snow has fallen. The perfect place for a wedding!

1. Directions to Bloomington, and directions within Bloomington

For a printable map of Bloomington, click here.

• Take SR 37 south from I-465 in Indianapolis approximately 55 miles
• N. Walnut St. exit; N. Walnut approximately 7 miles to bypass of SR 45 and 46
• Continue south (N. Walnut becomes College Ave.) to 7th st.
• Left (East) on 7th; east for roughly 1/2 mile
• After passing Indiana Ave, the IU Union will be on your right, and you can park in its lot at the eastern end.
• Beck Chapel is approximately 100 feet south of the parking lot. (see map linked above)

Bloomington is located approximately 65 miles southwest of Indianapolis, which houses the nearest major airport. For those coming from or through Indianapolis, the freeway that encircles the city is I-465. On the south side of this ring, Indiana State Road 37 exits toward Bloomington. It is roughly a one-hour drive from 465 to Bloomington. For those coming from the east, State Road 46 offers access via I-65; from the west, State Road 45 or 48 will work. From the south, take State Road 37. The following directions explain Bloomington for those coming from the north, as most guests will be coming from either Indianapolis or the Chicago area.

Take the N. Walnut St. exit, and stay on that road (the name changes to College Ave.) until you come to 6th St. You are now in the heart of downtown Bloomington, "the square," as identified by the large, dome-topped courthouse. (For those who orient themselves by north/south/east/west, the downtown area is west of the IU campus. Numbered streets--5th St., 6th St., etc--proceed north to south; in other words, 6th St. is one block north of 5th St., and one block south of 7th St.) Along the south side of the square (Kirkwood Ave.) is the location for the reception, the Fountain Square Ballroom. (Parking is located south of the ballroom in the garage on the south side of 4th St.; a walkway connects this garage with the Fountain Square Mall, where the ballroom is located.)

If you continue traveling south on College Ave. one street past 6th to Kirkwood Ave. (which is where 5th St. would be if there were a 5th St.) and turn left, you find yourself on the main drag of downtown Bloomington. There are many local shops, bars and restaraunts, which will be detailed further in the "what to do" section. The eastern terminus of Kirkwood Ave. finds you at the attractive Sample Gates of Indiana University. Beck Chapel and the Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) Hotel are located due east of the Sample Gates by some 200-400 yards, and may be accessed by car: at the Sample Gates (junction of Kirkwood and Indiana Ave.) turn left or north onto Indiana, and then right or east onto 7th St. The IMU is the gigantic building on the south side of 7th, and parking is available at its eastern end, approx. 150 yards from Indiana Ave. Beck Chapel is just south of the IMU parking lot.

2. Accommodations in Bloomington

There are a number of places to stay in Bloomington. Space for guests has been reserved at the Indiana Memorial Union Hotel, which is literally a one-minute walk from Beck Chapel. Another nice hotel in the area is the Courtyard Marriott of Bloomington, which offers easy access to the downtown area. For more moderate fares, check out the link to the visitor's center in the "What to see and do" section below; at that site, go to the "hotels and vacation ideas section." The Day's Inn and Motel 6--University both have rooms for under $50.

Also, The Grant Street Inn is a very attractive Bed and Breakfast. It has some 25 rooms to offer, and is a little more expensive than the hotels ($119 - 149). Though neither Mary or I have stayed there, word is that it is excellent. It is also very conventient to the downtown area.

3. What to see and do in Bloomington

Bloomington is great, and has a lot to offer in terms of culture and entertainment. For information on things to do, there is a visitor's center on North Walnut, which you pass on your way into the city. My own recommendations: Kirkwood Ave. has many little shops and eateries which capture the "college town" atmosphere of Bloomington. IU is a beautiful campus, especially in winter, and is worth a walking tour. Visit the IU Art Museum which boasts excellent modern and cultural art exhibits, or the Lilly Library, which has an impressive historical collection. For the connoisseur, the Oliver Winery is a lovely place to spend an afternoon; it is approximately seven miles north of Bloomington on SR 37.

There is a shopping mall located south-east of the IU campus (which is contained by 10th St. to the north, 3rd St. to the south, Indiana Ave. to the west, and Union St. to the east). The mall occupies the south-east corner of 3rd st. and College Mall road. For a map of this location, click here.

As far as local eateries...

• The Scholar's Inn is arguably the best restaraunt in town, and offers an excellent mid- to upper- price range dining experience. Save room for dessert!
• For pizza and local color, Bear's Place is a hangout for students, located on the south side of campus, on 3rd St. just west of Jordan Ave.
• One of Mary and my favorites is the Irish Lion, a great place for a hot toddy to take the chill off, and a little pub grub if you fancy (try the "Blarney Puff Balls"). It is just west of the square on the north side of Kirkwood Ave.
• If you like Mexican, a wonderful family-run restaurant located east of campus, just south of the shopping mall mentioned above, is La Torre, at 1155 S. College Mall Road. It's excellent, cheap, and the food gets to your table in less than five minutes.
• For vegetarians, nothing beats the bohemian Laughing Planet Cafe, which offers huge burritos and homemade salsas from entirely natural products. It is on the southwest corner of Kirkwood and Grant, downtown.
• For breads, pastries, sandwiches, and breakfast foods, try The Bakehouse, located on the southwest corner of 6th and College, on the square. Vegetarian friendly.

Beyond that, just about anything that looks interesting downtown is worth trying; there are lots of great ethnic restaurants and bars, especially on Kirkwood and on 4th St. Enjoy!