Weddingy De Ja Vu

Since I am asked the same wedding-related questions over and over (and over) again, and I'm quite frankly sick n freakin' tired of answering them, here's the general run-down of how the wedding plans are coming, what we're doing, and what to expect. It'll be way easier for me to cut & paste a link to this post, than to address these questions directly, in depth, every time. I'll be less cranky-pants, too, which is good for everyone. My intent is not to be abrasive with this post, just efficient!

We can't do much in the way of planning until April, which is when our chosen venue (for both the ceremony & reception)  is available for reservation. No, that still hasn't changed. There is no "advanced registration," waiting list, or call-back list to be put on. We've already asked. Until April, our "planning" stage is on hold. We can't even get inside to take measurements, find out how many tables & chairs are available, or whether or not the kitchen will be fully functioning.  No idea on seating arrangements, no clue as to what kind of table cloths, chair covers, or wall decor I will be needing/wanting, if any.  Until April, we have no solid address for the ceremony or reception, and until reservations are confirmed, we have no schedule for the day. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

I am not wearing a white dress. It will not be long. I will not have a veil. I will be making my own jewelry. There will be no special "wedding shoes" to decorate the bottoms of. No, there will not be a flower girl, ring boy, or traditional wedding party, and no one will be giving me away. We won't have "his & her" sides of the aisle. I don't even know if we'll have an aisle. Yes,we will see each other before the wedding, and no, we don't care that it's "bad luck" to do so.

 There is no "theme" and we do not have "colors," though there is a general idea and organization behind it all. This will be a child-free wedding, and no, we will not make exceptions.  Doing so would be totally unfair to everyone else with children. If, for whatever reason your children will be flying out with you, we may be able to help you find a local nanny for the day. Maybe. We will not have specific mother/son or father/daughter dances. There will be NO "Chicken Dance," no money dance, no live band, and no DJ (other than our awesome selves).

 We are catering the wedding ourselves. If you would like to lend a hand with providing a dish, or helping with prep work, we would be most grateful.  There will not be an "open bar," though we will have some alcohol available. If you're feeling charitable and would like something specific available, guests are welcome to bring & share liquor. We may even be able to help get a potential discount on said liquor.

 We do not have a registry, because all we really want is to share our wedding with the people we love. Your presence is all we ask; and maybe a little help with the details along the way. We'll never turn down a gift, though. We like gifts.

Hotel rooms & transportation will not be paid for, though we may be able to help with reserving cabins and  arranging a carpool. Maybe. We're still working out those details.

This will not be a formal affair, but it is still a wedding, so dress to impress. Think 50's picnic, tea garden-party wear, not spring-break-in-Cancun wear. Yes, it's going to be warm outside. The reception venue has AC. Cut-off shorts & tenny tank tops are not appropriate. Conservative, religious older family will be in attendance, so please make an attempt to be vaguely respectful around them. They'll probably leave the party first. After that, by all means, let yer freak-flag-fly.

A good friend will be our photographer. Guests are encouraged to bring their own cameras & snap photos all night long, but please, let our photog do her thing and stay out of her way while she's working. We also kindly ask that cell-phones be left on silent, if not turned off completely. We'd love to see your face, not your head looking down at a cell phone all night. Likewise, we kindly ask that all cell phones & cameras be off for the ceremony. The ceremony will be short, promise.

We are not going into debt for the wedding, nor do we have much we can spend on it. Seriously. Read that sentence again. We will not have custom letter-pressed invitations, because they are pricey. There are no save-the-dates, RSVP cards, or meal cards to check. Instead, there is a website with ALL relevant wedding-related info, including an RSVP page. It's all very interactive. There's a list of local accommodations and attractions, guest book, food survey, several places to leave notes/suggestions, a photo gallery, and even crews you can sign up for, via the website, if you would like to help. If you have specific concerns, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

This will probably be different from other weddings you've attended, and that is exactly what we want. Instead of doing something "because it's tradition," we will be doing what makes sense for us.  We will do what feels right for us as fairly liberal leaning, modern-thinking people. Our goal is to hold a lovely event that reflects us, as a couple and as individuals. Personally, I will be trying to incorporate as many nerdy things as possible, while R tries to talk my crazy down to a more manageable level.

We wish the wedding-weekend to be a time to spend with our friends & family. A time for you to take a break from the chaos of life and relax, laugh, and enjoy each other. If you're invited, you're family. All we want, really, is to enjoy our family.

Shorty

I haven't been busy, really.  More like...easily distracted? Consistently preoccupied? Unusually productive? Okay, really, I'm spending a great deal of time watching Doctor Who, eating popcorn, and using R's chest as a pillow. He makes a splendid pillow. 

I have been doing loads of projects.  Mostly wedding-y in nature, or plodding out in the yard. Also known as the mostly bare dirt patch surrounded by mostly dead lawn and a growing army of unnervingly long-rooted dandelions. 

I hate renting. 

Anyway, our poor desolate backyard is slowly coming back to life,with great success! Once I locate the camera, I can actually share photos of the small garden successes, and loads of half-completed projects I have been spending too much time on.