May 2, 2004
The Wedding Planner…
Well, I'm no JO LO, as my butt is way, way bigger - but boy could I give her a run for her money! In the month that I've been engaged, I am SO READY!!
Our engagement wasn't even official 8 hours and we had the date (Dec-04-2004) we wanted. We asked our bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers and my Aisle Walkers - my favorite Uncle A and my nephew R are going to have double duty and share the responsibility.
After we checked to make sure the date was ok with our families (sorry and a shout out to all the Iowa folk that aren't too happy as it's the start of deer hunting season) we planned for the next big step - the church. So on Monday, a mere 2 days into being engaged, the church was secured and a deposit was issued. Throughout the week, I phoned and got information on 8 hotels for the reception. We narrowed it down and visited 2. The following Monday we made a decision and by that Thursday, had the reception planned and the deposit done at the hotel of our choice.
I exported my address book from Outlook into an Excel spreadsheet, did the same with Tim's and merged them. Over Easter weekend, we sat at his mom's dining room table and in the matter of an hour, had the address to every one of his relatives typed securely into the spreadsheet on my laptop. So by April 12, a mere 10 days into being engaged, our invitation list was done. I will admit that the invitation list was the hardest. Not in the sense of making it, but in the sense of who makes the list! But that's another essay waiting to be written. So...from the invitation list, I created several more worksheets and started the seating arrangements for people I knew without a shadow of a doubt would be there. I also created codes for everything possible we'd need, from hotel rooms to smokers access to beer of choice (we're having Busch Light brought in special for the Iowa Clan!)
Later that week I designed our SAVE THE DATE cards and bought all materials for them. By the next week all were printed, labeled and mailed. Then I designed & created the formal wedding invitations and started working on the programs for the church.
I've already made the reservations for the dogs to go into the kennel the week of our honeymoon, gotten names of makeup artists and hairdressers and picked out and priced the material for my dress. I designed my dress (not hard at all, since I'm modeling it after a few other dresses I've had and loved, with just some minor "bridal like" changes - but no worries - it's not fru-fru in the least!) and put the word out to look for a seamstress. I was going to sew it myself, but my mother and CC are VERY against it. They feel I should leave it to an expert. My friend and coworker B found me my shoes, thus leading me to the new phrase, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and something BO is in charge of!
My bridesmaids are going to wear any simple black dress that they want that flatters them. T, the groomsmen and users will get their tux's from a neighborhood place that T's been going to for years.
This past weekend we took a trip back to Iowa for T's brothers 30th birthday. We stopped at a paper goods store and there I picked up the formal invitations I'll be making (AND at an almost 50% price savings from Chicago!). All I have to do is print them and then I'll be mailing them by October 1.
I've designed what I want our favors and place settings to be and secured the necessary help in making said favors. All it's going to cost me is a few bottles of wine and a meal or two! Thank goodness there's a lot of "Martha's" in my collection of family and friends.
Finally in the next few weeks we'll be meeting with DJ's and photographers. Then I think aside from the small stuff, we're smooth sailing.
I'm sorry - who said this stuff is hard?
You hear all these horror stories about people planning their weddings. It amazes me that there are actually people out there that PAY another person incredibly ridiculous sums of money to do this stuff.
But honestly, this has all fallen into place so wonderfully easily that it does appear odd. Being an extremely anal person though, the planning has come rather naturally, so I shouldn't be too surprised.
T and I seem to have a lucky shamrock floating above us - I just hope it stays right where it is.
So once this is over for me, if ANYONE wants me to do it for you and the price is right...consider it done.
Main Essay Pages: Once a Fizgig, always a Fizgig Touchstones and Other ties that bind Family Ties
The Fitness Chronicles Men and Other Useless Creatures Love Adventures Politics as Usual