I stood in front of the wedding section at Barnes and Noble today and just felt silly. There were shelves and shelves of books -- wedding planning, wedding etiquette, wedding flowers, destination weddings, weddings for dummies, and how-to guides for bridesmaids, grooms, groomsmen, mothers, and yes, even ringbearers!!!
I got two books, one of which I think I'm going to return. It's pink. It's supposed to be a planner, with pockets for business cards and receipts. But it's pink, and there are silly questionnaires and grids for planning table settings and I just can't bear it. I swear, these books could cause me more stress, even just as I read them in the store, than I can imagine they will save us over the next six months. But I like this one: Bridal Bargains: Secrets to throwing a fantastic wedding on a realistic budget.
And yet, I confess, obsessing over some of the details is fun, too. Presently, I'm obsessing over wedding cake. Adam and I actually don't even LIKE cake, and yet, I have always liked the idea of a coconut wedding cake. Maybe we could have coconut sheet cakes, since those are cheaper and match our picnic theme better than some towering sculpture of ganache and hazelnuts. But we might also just have pies. Or a dessert table... cupcakes, brownies, lemon bars, etc.
I have been noticing my own prejudice about wedding excess. But I'm having fun pondering over "how can we save?" "how could we get around that?" It feels like a game or a puzzle. And it's wonderful to get help from friends and family. My friend Monica is making our invitations, and Adam's extended family is catering the whole thing! Whew! My mother still can't believe this, but they do it all the time, apparently. Again, the picnic theme saves the day!
Stay tuned for further wedding ramblings as the months go by... oh, and we've set our date: August 30, 2008! Tick tick tick...
remember, love, it's YOUR day (your's and Adam's) and whatever feels right to you will be fine with those of us honored to be invited to share it..."that's an interesting idea/concept"..."I'll have to discuss that with Adam (Heidi) but thanks so much for the suggestion/idea"...you'll be fine...you'll be lovely...it will be wonderful and God-filled...
ReplyDeleteAugust is a most splendid month in which to marry! ;)
ReplyDeleteI recommend two things -
ReplyDelete1) throw out any and all wedding magazines you have around the house. They make everyone feel inadequate.
2) Have you seen the book "what no one tells the bride?" It's not really about weddings but more about the reality of marriage. It was the best thing I read about weddings/marriage while I was engaged, especially as I was trying to find ways to fit my modern, feminist understanding of marriage with my parents' and in-laws traditional expectations. This may not be an issue for you but it was an interesting read.