Bet you thought that after I got engaged my posts would be full of sappy declarations of love and dreamy visions of my upcoming union. I kind of thought that too. But after only two months of engagement bliss and being mesmerized by the sparkling addition to my left hand, reality has sunk in.
Being engaged means there will be a wedding. Which means we have to plan a wedding. Which means we have to figure out to pay for a wedding. And when you have two large sets of Irish Catholic families anticipating a full and robust bar, a sister who is morally opposed to bridesmaid dresses, and a mother who is a rabid ABBA fan--well, the task of putting together an event that will make everyone happy becomes quite daunting.
We took our tentative first steps a few weeks ago when we went to Barnes & Noble to pick out a wedding planning guide. There were literally hundreds of books and planners promising to deliver the crucial advice needed to achieve the wedding of your dreams on any budget. One particularly unhelpful guide recommended that to save money we should forgo the open bar and just buy a keg. It also suggested choosing an inexpensive yet memorable venue--like the Minneapolis City Zoo!
As I looked at Matt across the stacks of bright pink books full of pictures of happy brides, I could see the rising panic I was feeling reflected in his eyes. If we couldn't t even commit to choosing a book about wedding planning, how were we going to plan an actual wedding?
So this is where you, dear reader, come in. To anyone who's ever planned a wedding, had a wedding or even ever been to a wedding, I'm pleading for any advice or guidance you can give me. In exchange for your assistance, I promise not to turn this blog into a forum for my bridezilla-esque rantings.
Unless, of course, you've long harbored a desire to visit the Minneapolis City Zoo.
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8 comments:
Can't help with the specifics of planning, but, re: the panic - however you end up planning it, it will be a great wedding, because you will be surrounded by friends and family.
I never, ever thought I would say this-- but maybe you guys should consider getting a wedding planner? Someone who won't push your into getting shit that you won't need, but rather someone who understands your budget and will genuinely try to help you out? I feel like this is a really big task, and I'm pretty sure that you don't want to get married in the Minneapolis Zoo with an ABBA cover band. Outside help may not be a horrible thing.
What might help (and I've never done this before...) is setting your budget first, and then from there you can find all the amazing places, caterers, florists, etc. that fit your budget and will work with you. If you start with one simple step--setting a budget and promising to stick to it--the planning will take on more of a form because the limits will be there to help guide you.
Just because you're engaged doesn't mean that you have to rush to get all the details worked out. Take your time. Begin by thinking about the stuff that you're most excited about, and then it'll seem like less of a chore. You may want to try sketching out a project plan with goals such as "have guest list solidified by end of January" and "have venue booked by end of February", etc. Figure out the order in which you need to get stuff done. Although, I tend to be overly planful, so you've gotta choose a method that works for you. Also, I'd be really excited about attending a wedding at the zoo, so I'm not to be trusted.
I've been to the Minneapolis City Zoo. It's great. Other than that, I don't know much about weddings. I hope you stay calm planning it!
You should serve scallops wrapped in bacon. They are a crowd-pleasing Hors d'oeuvre. That's my suggestion...
Um...what does this have to do with "Reality Bites?"
Give the people what they want!
Hi there!
I've been engaged for 11 months and we JUST signed the contract for the location and date. Planning, to me, is stressful! We're getting married at the Denver Botanic Gardens, and I'm glad we finally at least have the date and location. Sorry, I'm not much help!
We're also heading to Minneapolis tomorrow for Thanksgiving, so I'll think of you!
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