A Thing or Two to Do

As of today we have officially been engaged for one month! Let me give you an idea of our wedding planning progress thus far. First, here is what we "should have done" up to this point (courtesy of http://www.utahweddings.com/)

-Select rings and order engravings
-Set wedding date and time
-Consider hiring a wedding coordinator
-Determine budget
-Decide on formality, size, and location of the wedding
-Make arrangements for wedding ceremony
-Select and order wedding gown, veil, accessories, and bridesmaids' dresses
-Select and reserve location for reception
-Select caterer; plan menu
-Plan reception, including color scheme and music
-Arrange for any necessary equipment and decorations
-Arrange for photographer, videographer, and flowers
-Book musicians and/or entertainers
-Register for gifts
-Order invitations and thank you cards
-Draw up guest list (including addresses)
-Have mothers choose and coordinate their dresses
-Have engagement pictures taken
-Make final arrangements for reception; pay deposits and sign contract
-Order cake and candies
-Make appointment with doctor for complete physical
-Enlist people to help at the reception
-Make arrangements for transportation
-Plan how to handle traffic and parking at reception
-Plan honeymoon; make travel arrangements
-Address invitations and announcements (these are different???)
-Plan accommodations for out-of-town guests
-Arrange for time off from work
-Begin apartment or house hunting

Now, here's what we have done:
-Set wedding date
-Arranged for ceremony
-Planned honeymoon
-Found photographer
-Registered for gifts
-Determined budget
-Started apartment hunting

Yep, that's about it. We haven't even decided if we're going to do a reception or not, for Pete sake! (Although we have a location should we choose to have one). See, I told you I'm the lamest bride to be ever. Truth be told all I care about is having the ceremony, pictures, a honeymoon, and ok- I'll be honest- some gifts. So at least I've got the stuff I care about covered, right... RIGHT???

Poor Reception

This afternoon a friend and I went to look at a couple reception sites. Both were garden wedding venues. Stone walk ways, colorful flowers, and luscious greenery adorned both sites. Both were absolutely lovely. So then why, oh why does planning my reception seem about as fun as figuring out my taxes?

While most brides-to-be would be picturing her majestic cake under the exquisite ivy archway, I was picturing my adorable four year old cousin picking the bright pink and orange flowers to, "make her own bouquet." I'm hearing the deafening crash of that beautiful garden statue as the little boys accidentally knock it over playing freeze tag. Don't get me wrong, I cannot even imagine having a reception without kids. I would even trade out some of the adults I want to invite before I'd eliminate the kids. I've just attended too many family reunions with 40+ kids to be naive about what happens when parents are chatting and breakables are around.

Then there were the things not included. Neither included a caterer, meaning coordinating the food is up to me. Pass the aspirin right now, please. And the one that didn't include linens- well, I almost eliminated it on the spot.

However, I've come to a realization. No one is going to remember 90% of the details of my reception. What they'll remember is some sort of signature feature. You know- a photo booth, a particularly entertaining DJ, an out-of-this-world cake... something like that. So what I need is a signature feature! Any ideas??? Seeing as how I'm the lamest bride-to-be ever, I'm very much open to suggestions.

P.S. Yes, I know- I shouldn't get bogged down in the frivolity of it all. It's about the people at the reception who are there to celebrate the happiest day of my life with me; the people who helped me get to this point in my life. Believe me, that is the ONLY reason I am doing a reception in the first place!

Can You Keep a Secret?

I am perhaps the LAMEST bride-to-be EVER. No, really. I never ran around with a pillowcase on my head in a veil-like fashion as a little girl. I never day dreamed about arriving to my reception in a horse drawn carriage with people wiping a joyful tear as we, the perfect couple, arrive. Even in recent years as countless friends have been bit by the marriage bug, and I listened as they told me (sometimes in more detail than I cared to hear... I was just politely asking) their wedding plans, I'd apply what they said to my own future wedding to about the same degree I'd apply organic chemistry to my own life.

So now I'm lost- drowning in a world of linens, color swatches, and cake fondant. However, I'm engaged to the most incredible man ever, so I'm happy... so very happy.

P.S. I plan on updating this blog as I fumble my way through this whole engagement thing... so stick around! It's going to be a bumpy ride!