I know, I know, where I have been lately? Well, in case you haven't experienced it all yourself, when planning a wedding, you barely have time to breathe near the end of the planning period! But, I don't want to horribly neglect my job of informing you loyal readers about all the fun that has been going on! My goal is to post a blog a day until the wedding! It may not be lengthy, but it will help build the excitement!
And, when it is all said and done, the secrets I've kept all this time are going to finally be revealed as I will continue to write about our wedding experiences to share with friends and family who were unable to be with us on our special day. It will be a great medium to recap the major events of the weekend. I also think I'd go through some major blogging withdrawal if I just quit cold turkey.
So what have I been doing? Anxiously awaiting the final packages of supplies and decorations to arrive at our doorstep. Doing art projects. Organizing timelines, drivers, gifts, bridal necessities, honeymoon luggage. Dealing with "normal" life throwing us curve balls, like my car key falling apart, or our sprinklers springing leaks. Answering so many e-mails that I try to not open Gmail until I am mentally prepared. Working out. Buying new clothes that fit my slender new figure. Trying not to run out of funds!
Are you excited? Can you believe that this journey is nearing its climactic peak? I am getting teary with anticipation and nostalgia all at the same time.
<a href="http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5751029/Erica%27s_wedding" title="Wordle: Erica's wedding"><img src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/5751029/Erica%27s_wedding" alt="Wordle: Erica's wedding" style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd"></a>
Showing posts with label anxiety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anxiety. Show all posts
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
When it gets hard
I recently read a post on WeddingBee.com about how to convey sensitive information about your wedding. I was intrigued, but as I read over the "sensitive information", I couldn't help but feel a little jilted. The "sensitive info" included registry information, or asking for no kids at the wedding, but what about the MORE sensitive information.
Hoping that I don't offend anyone here, but I was hoping for advice on the REAL issues that I've encountered, not just the etiquette from the Southern handbook on proper wedding invitations. I want advice on how to convince your groomsmen that paying $150 to rent a chocolate brown tux is totally worth it. I want advice on how to politely ask bridesmaids to have an updo for wedding pictures so neither wind nor rain can tarnish them. How about not offending family members, who have a much more conservative attitude than your friends, when your pictures include obscene gestures. I need advice on keeping Jack Daniels away from Kyle, and my brother, for 24 hours surrounding the wedding. Someone please tell me what to pack for a surprise honeymoon, what a good mother-son dance song is, and how in the world we can fit all we need to do on the day of the wedding in 8 hours!
I have felt this cycle of love/hate for wedding planning throughout the entire course of our engagement, but recently the hate has been growing with the stress of going back to work, the disappointment that I cannot do it all, and the financial woes of clearing the bank account with down payments and supply purchases. I hope that I can continue to write to help alleviate this anxiety, and to keep an eye on the final goal.
My advice: learn from your friends and what they went through for their weddings, don't expect it to all be fun, and when it gets to be too much, take a break from the wedding and focus on each other! I hope I can find time and money to fit that into our schedule!
Hoping that I don't offend anyone here, but I was hoping for advice on the REAL issues that I've encountered, not just the etiquette from the Southern handbook on proper wedding invitations. I want advice on how to convince your groomsmen that paying $150 to rent a chocolate brown tux is totally worth it. I want advice on how to politely ask bridesmaids to have an updo for wedding pictures so neither wind nor rain can tarnish them. How about not offending family members, who have a much more conservative attitude than your friends, when your pictures include obscene gestures. I need advice on keeping Jack Daniels away from Kyle, and my brother, for 24 hours surrounding the wedding. Someone please tell me what to pack for a surprise honeymoon, what a good mother-son dance song is, and how in the world we can fit all we need to do on the day of the wedding in 8 hours!
I have felt this cycle of love/hate for wedding planning throughout the entire course of our engagement, but recently the hate has been growing with the stress of going back to work, the disappointment that I cannot do it all, and the financial woes of clearing the bank account with down payments and supply purchases. I hope that I can continue to write to help alleviate this anxiety, and to keep an eye on the final goal.
My advice: learn from your friends and what they went through for their weddings, don't expect it to all be fun, and when it gets to be too much, take a break from the wedding and focus on each other! I hope I can find time and money to fit that into our schedule!
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| Sometimes I just want to escape from it all... |
Monday, November 28, 2011
The Never-ending Guest List
Disclaimer: Even if you or the group you are involved with seems to be alluded to in this post, it is not you, per say, but the concept that I am discussing. Do not take this personally.
Ok brides, I need some advice.
What in the world do you do to corral your never-ending guest list?!
When we first met with vendors, we quoted "about 100" as our tally of guests. We figured we really didn't have that big of families, we are having a destination wedding, and let's face it, we're really not that popular.
But now, it is getting out of control. Problem #1- Everyone we know has children. Problem #2- We know everyone. Problem #3- We can't say no to a Friday night dinner date (or 2, or 4, on the same night). Problem #4- We've attended nearly 20 weddings together already. That is 20 couples to invite. Problem #5- Colorado is freaking beautiful.
We are party people, the more the merrier, right?
Or am I wrong. Totally, utterly, wrong. I am truthfully considering inviting ONLY family at this point.
(But let's face it, that wedding would seriously lack some Jack Daniels shots and inappropriate dance moves).
So, now we are in a conundrum. We truly love all our friends and family and want to share our day, a day we've been waiting for over 6 years now, with everyone we love. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that the list is nearing 200 if you count all the children. The main issue with this is the budget, being blown out of the water with an extra 50 or so unanticipated guests. A second problem is the size of our venue. Seating for 98 at the ceremony site might just lead to some uncomfortable and unhappy guests.
In truth, I have a feeling all will work out in the end, and I hope that this issue is resolved like the other snafus we've hit, like practically breaking up for good after I was still sans ring when the 6-year landmark hit. :) But at this point, I am open to suggestions. I am also offering this word of advice: for future brides- try to come up with a guest list before choosing a venue or getting quotes from vendors.
Ok brides, I need some advice.
What in the world do you do to corral your never-ending guest list?!
When we first met with vendors, we quoted "about 100" as our tally of guests. We figured we really didn't have that big of families, we are having a destination wedding, and let's face it, we're really not that popular.
But now, it is getting out of control. Problem #1- Everyone we know has children. Problem #2- We know everyone. Problem #3- We can't say no to a Friday night dinner date (or 2, or 4, on the same night). Problem #4- We've attended nearly 20 weddings together already. That is 20 couples to invite. Problem #5- Colorado is freaking beautiful.
We are party people, the more the merrier, right?
Or am I wrong. Totally, utterly, wrong. I am truthfully considering inviting ONLY family at this point.
(But let's face it, that wedding would seriously lack some Jack Daniels shots and inappropriate dance moves).
So, now we are in a conundrum. We truly love all our friends and family and want to share our day, a day we've been waiting for over 6 years now, with everyone we love. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that the list is nearing 200 if you count all the children. The main issue with this is the budget, being blown out of the water with an extra 50 or so unanticipated guests. A second problem is the size of our venue. Seating for 98 at the ceremony site might just lead to some uncomfortable and unhappy guests.
In truth, I have a feeling all will work out in the end, and I hope that this issue is resolved like the other snafus we've hit, like practically breaking up for good after I was still sans ring when the 6-year landmark hit. :) But at this point, I am open to suggestions. I am also offering this word of advice: for future brides- try to come up with a guest list before choosing a venue or getting quotes from vendors.
 |
| Whatever shall we do? In a quagmire. |
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Wedding Location Cold Feet
So maybe literally getting married in Colorado will make all my guests, wedding party and family freeze their tootsies off. But what I am talking about here is the issue of second guessing myself over what I originally thought was the PERFECT plan for my wedding. And this post is for Kyle who says I am just going crazy right now and that I should just blog about it to feel better.
I will admit, getting married on the mountainside in Colorado may be a little self-indulgent. Besides going to summer camp in the mountains for 5 summers, attending Colorado College for 4 years, and traveling back and forth from the Rockies a minimum of 4 times a year (average for the past 7 years), what tie to I have to Colorado besides just being in love with the mountains?!
Darn you, Kyle, now that I write it, yes, I sound ridiculous.
I think that it is a very common issue that brides have, second guessing themselves when trying to set the details for the MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF YOUR LIFE (for now). I am finding myself completely caught up on the details of what my friends, family, and other guests of diverse backgrounds, economic situations, and interests would want at my wedding. I don't want to let anyone down, after all they have been waiting for 6 years for this to happen, and above all I want to make sure I am not let down on the day because I made a decision that prevented others from being there, having fun, or enjoying the day as much I enjoyed all their weddings. Above everyone else, I am worried that I cannot please my parents with my decisions.
Most of this anxiety is coming from, what Kyle calls, other peoples' "helpful advice" about what I should be doing. Like my previous post, the wedding magazines give so many contradictory options that I find myself spinning in circles. Like the mags, the event planners, caterers, venues, family, and friends all have something they want to suggest for my wedding. I love that they seem to care about helping make my day perfect, but what it starts to feel like is that I won't ever please anyone.
After another weekend away in the woods, and with a trip to Colorado coming up in just 4 short days, I feel like I am a little calmer and not as worried about my decision to get married in the mountains. But I still think that I will feel like I am letting everyone else down at times during this process, and that I cannot possibly be the only bride who feels this anxiety while planning. I'll just have to keep blogging about it so I can let that anxiety go a little bit at a time, and hopefully I will eventually get rid of it and replace it with the pure excitement of getting married to the man I love.
I will admit, getting married on the mountainside in Colorado may be a little self-indulgent. Besides going to summer camp in the mountains for 5 summers, attending Colorado College for 4 years, and traveling back and forth from the Rockies a minimum of 4 times a year (average for the past 7 years), what tie to I have to Colorado besides just being in love with the mountains?!
Darn you, Kyle, now that I write it, yes, I sound ridiculous.
I think that it is a very common issue that brides have, second guessing themselves when trying to set the details for the MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF YOUR LIFE (for now). I am finding myself completely caught up on the details of what my friends, family, and other guests of diverse backgrounds, economic situations, and interests would want at my wedding. I don't want to let anyone down, after all they have been waiting for 6 years for this to happen, and above all I want to make sure I am not let down on the day because I made a decision that prevented others from being there, having fun, or enjoying the day as much I enjoyed all their weddings. Above everyone else, I am worried that I cannot please my parents with my decisions.
Most of this anxiety is coming from, what Kyle calls, other peoples' "helpful advice" about what I should be doing. Like my previous post, the wedding magazines give so many contradictory options that I find myself spinning in circles. Like the mags, the event planners, caterers, venues, family, and friends all have something they want to suggest for my wedding. I love that they seem to care about helping make my day perfect, but what it starts to feel like is that I won't ever please anyone.
After another weekend away in the woods, and with a trip to Colorado coming up in just 4 short days, I feel like I am a little calmer and not as worried about my decision to get married in the mountains. But I still think that I will feel like I am letting everyone else down at times during this process, and that I cannot possibly be the only bride who feels this anxiety while planning. I'll just have to keep blogging about it so I can let that anxiety go a little bit at a time, and hopefully I will eventually get rid of it and replace it with the pure excitement of getting married to the man I love.
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