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Sunday, March 14, 2010

Better Inspiration

So, I found a website that makes it easy to make inspiration boards, particularly for weddings.
And, as evidenced below, I suck at trying to do it on my own.
Thus, I have spent more time than I should working on the below:

Colors

Feel

The first one is just meant to give a better sense of the overall colors I want, and the second is intended to be more like general inspiration.

I love the idea of something rustic, shabby-chic, with interest, and kind of modern, with surprising and delightful details.

Thoughts?

Comments?

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Engagement Party...Parties?

I haven't mentioned much about Chris and his plans as yet, but it has become clear that Chris will be completing the Pacific Crest Trail - a 5-6 month hike from Mexico into Canada - during this summer. He plans to leave for this adventure in early May, as soon after his birthday (May 1st) as possible.
This had led us to deciding to adjust the date for our formal, official, big engagement party from Memorial Day weekend, and want to have it earlier in May.
While no one has had a problem with this proposition, they have brought up some good points and some convincing arguments for having the party when Chris returns from the hike, which would be in early October, most likely.
On the one hand, if we waited until October, it would be warmer than early May (possibly), the addition on my dad's house (where the party will be held) will be finished and the yard re-planted following the construction, and it allows more time for possible out-of-towners to join us.
On the other hand, May is much, much sooner and we have been engaged for almost a year already, I'm not really sure that it will be warmer in October, many friends may be moving away from the area and thus unable to attend in October, and I feel like having the engagement party in October and then getting married the following May feels kind of scrunched.

So.
A suggestion appears:
Have a birthday/going-away party for Chris on May 1st AND call it also an engagement party - for Chris' and my friends, particularly - and then have a SECOND engagement party when Chris returns and invite a larger group of people to that party.

Again, a weighing of options ensues.
One hand - I have already had a pseudo-engagement party immediately following the engagement itself and I feel like having three engagement parties (thrown by the same people, no less) is a bit greedy and tacky.
But I do like parties.
Even more, I like parties in my honor.
But still....greedy.
Right?
AND
I kind of want the "real" party sooner.
But I don't know.


Even better?
I definitely need to decide soon because the closer we get to the potential party date, the more quickly I need to make a decision.

I have NO idea what I should do.

Anyone want to offer suggestions?

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Scratch That

Well, apparently I, once again, have spoken (and I use the term loosely here) too soon.
Chris and I had settled on what I thought were dates that were agreeable to the most important people (read: immediate family and wedding party).
Wrong.

This is an excellent example of why people are so fond of saying that weddings are stressful.
Chris and I have a very narrow window of time in which we can get married based on our own lives and what we would like.
Once we factor in other important information - for example, my best friend's wedding, which will be occurring right at the end of the time frame in which Chris and I have been considering dates - we had narrowed ourselves down to no more than 6 possible dates...a few of which are undesirable for their own reasons.
We picked the one that we liked best, believing that we had gotten all the necessary information.
We were wrong.

And.
Well.
Some of the aforementioned important people were polite about voicing their conflicts...while others were not.
Right now, I wish to not stir up more trouble because I really do care for these people a great deal...but I also wish to be honest. Thus, no names, and I'll be as vague as I can to protect people. I will also say that, if you think you are one of the people to whom I am referring and you don't like what's being said or you're worried about our relationship, know this: I will or have already voiced this to you and/or worked through it on my own (with Chris, of course) and it will be ok...but I was (and still am) upset about it.

Done.
It just hurts to feel like what should be one of the happiest days of my life is beginning to turn into a battleground and an avenue through which others may work out their problems.
The bulk of the fallout happened yesterday, Saturday.
In the last 36 hours I have probably cried for a solid 6 (and yeah, ok, I do cry - when things upset me I definitely cry).
And it sucks.
I want to make sure the important people are there and it saddens me that others don't trust me enough to be mature about bringing up their concerns directly to me in a thoughtful, empathic, mature way. Is that so much to ask?
Maybe it is...

The parties in question were aware of the possibility of us choosing the date we had and did not voice any concern prior to yesterday.
Also, we chose that date specifically, with purpose, and no one thought to ask us about that.
Bothersome.

I want our wedding to be beautiful and joyous and fun.
I do not want to look at the date and think about the subterfuge that occurred in choosing it.

I want this not to happen again.

Just...happiness...and understanding would be great.

Oh yeah!
And please forgive my rant -- it's needed, maybe it'll help me avoid more tears.



On the positive side of things, having this happen has definitely required me and Chris to make sure that we are on the same team, on the same side, with the same goals. That wasn't necessarily simple for a variety of reasons, but we're there.

Now we just have to move forward with our plan in figuring out what the actual wedding date will be.



(Also, we're probably changing the date for the engagement party, but that's not drama....yet anyways.)