93 Days to be exact...
Guys, it doesn't really seem real.
I was talking stressing out to Patrick about some task I felt had to be done already and he said "Relax, we're fine. Everything's done." While this is only semi-true, it did lead me to the revelation that really, we are very prepared and have been mostly on top of the ball. There are a few things that I am slightly nervy about, but on the whole, we are looking good!
But I do find that my wedding-fever is waxing as the days until our wedding are waning. (See what I did there). At this point, although it is getting quite close, it still feels as if it is a dream day that will never come. My flippant Bride Brain keeps going from project to project (unfortunately not fully completing them. Ex: Completed 1 of 2 pomanders for the flower girls, Ex: Completed 4 of 14 table numbers (we're not sure how many tables yet). But all that craziness is currently being funneled into one thing...
The Wedding Invitations!
(insert thunder clash here)
Well, they aren't all that bad! Actually, I really LOVE the design that Patrick did. It's perfect. It marries his love of modern with my love of classic (which can be tricky sometimes). Of course, I must withhold revealing them until a little after I send them. I know some guests may read this blog, and I'd like it to be a surprise. So, that design coupled with a few crafty flourishes provided by myself completes our invite. This makes it even more special to us, but at the same time, a little more lengthy in the time it takes to prepare them to send off. Ah well, it's worth it!
I am appreciative that I have this giant wedding project to subdue the craziness of my Bride's Brain. It is helping me focus, keeping me calm and feeling productive. And have I mentioned I LOVE how they came out. I love how they came out. Wee!
So, what's left to do for you Below-100-Days-to-go-Brides? Are you freaking out or is it smooth sailing for you? What's stressing you out? What's keeping you calm?
Hello everyone! I am going to apologize again for being a delinquint blogger. I've been quite busy with a new theatre company putting up our first show! (Where have you heard that before? ;-) ).
Unlike before when I would become a delinquint blogger, Patrick and I have actually kicked our wedding butts in gear and accomplished a lot! Realizing that there's only 106 days left, we kind of had to! (Also, now whenever I talk about the wedding date with someone, they'll invariable say "Oh. That's coming up." I'm like "I KNOW! No PRESSURE!!!!")
Here's some of the projects/tasks we've gotten done of late:
Booked a DJ
Booked a Florist
Found a string quartet for the ceremony
Almost completed our premarital counciling sessions with our officiant!
Decided which tuxes Patrick and the boys will wear
I completed one of two pomanders for the flower girls (later post)
Ordered proofs of our invites (being shipped now!!!)
Booked honeymoon accomodations (another post)!
Begun work on our table numbers (I know early, but I am obsessed!)
Had my first dress fitting and scheduled another (with a hair trial before it! EEE!)
Found a dress for one flower girl (need to find one more, and a junior bridesmaid dress)
5 out of 7 bridesmaids ordered their dresses!
Decided on our cupcake baker and flavors (definitely another post)
And that's not even it! Of course there are a TON of things that I feel behind on (ordering the tuxes, working on the invites, preparing passports and booking flights for the honeymoon) but I need to breathe and enjoy this time! Too many times lately, have I run in with stress bouts from wedding planning. We have a little over three months left (eep!), and we are doing pretty well. I will endeavor to enjoy the rest of our time as an engaged couple!
I was reading Weddingbee this morning, (which is totally out of the ordinary a normal beginning to my work day) when I came across the lovely Miss Ladyfingers' post on Bride Brain! It seems this is an issue that most brides face at varying points in wedding planning. I love the post and just wanted to share the Urban Dictionary definition she feature as a supplement to my previous BB post.
Bride Brain [’ˈbrīd’-’ˈbrān’]: A less invasive, but more expensive version of a frontal lobotomy. Experienced by most brides, as they enter a catatonic state which renders them incapable of sustaining any thought or conversation that does not involve cake, caterers, flowers, wedding dress designers, Chinese wedding dress knock-off designers, updos, hair pieces, color schemes, wedding themes, and personalized M&M’s.
Bride Brain symptoms include, but are not limited to, driving erratically because they can’t stop staring at their shiny diamond ring; being amused by the resentment of all their single girlfriends, rewinding songs several hundred times while imagining themselves walking down the aisle, and starvation induced bitchiness which is generally followed by late night binging at a Dairy Queen. (Note that this can only occur outside of the bride’s native geographic area, where they can’t possibly run into anyone they know.)
Symptoms are ordinarily well controlled with valium, alcohol and endless hours of watching youtube “first dance” videos.
Thanks, Miss Ladyfingers! Any brides out there dealing with some BB lately? Unfortunately, I don't have any DQs next to me, but I have my trusty cupcake bakery to deal with the symptoms (I may or may not have brought a half dozen home from work with me yesterday).
I'm totally stealing borrowing the adorable Fiance-Warning icon from the Bees at Weddingbee to bring you this post (and other posts I want to share but DON'T want my man to read for the sake of surprise on our day! (We're not even doing a "First Look" so I need to be super careful about what I post where)). So you may see the icon of our cute kitty again. (Oh, I also will not post an actual picture of me in the dress or the dress on this post, just to be safe...I know, I'm being ridiculous, but he READS this blog, guys!!!)
For some reason, maybe its the fact that we are currently 286 days---but who's counting?---out that I decided two weeks ago that I had enough of shopping, browsing and lusting over dresses and it is high time I got me mine. I had been looking at dresses ever since we got engaged in January, had tried on my mother's GORGEOUS gown and had gone out twice to David's Bridal (hereafter referred to as DB) to actually try things on. After trying on a whopping nine, yup 9, dresses, I knew I found the one. Here's what happened...
Patrick, FOR SERIOUS, do NOT read this!!!
I went with my mother, and my sister and MOH (Maid of Honor) to DB in March; bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready to see what style I liked. I didn't know that I would find my dress that day. I had thought I would want a classic A-line gown, I'm not into pick-ups or giant ball room skirts or anything like that. After slipping into a few gorgeous numbers, I found that my original idea of what I wanted for myself was not doing much for me. I thought, "OK...here's your first experience, and it's totally fine that you still have no idea what you want." But then, sudden twist of FATE! My mom spied something lovely that another bride had tried on that was hanging on a rack. She quickly asked our consultant to grab it and put it in my dressing room. I tried it on and....I was still indecisive about it. Mom loved it, my sister loved it, I also loved it, but I questioned, is this really theone???? I left that day without a firm decision, but I was OK with that.
In the months between that visit and my second return to DB, I found myself dreaming about our big day, with me in that one dress. The one my mom picked out, which means so much to me. The one that all the people in the store, consultants, families and other brides around me said I "came alive " in. I accepted that this was probably a good sign that I had either found my dress, or narrowed my search down to it's style. But there was only one way to find out...one way I could know for sure...
Because of my summer theater program I attended this summer, there were a few weeks between the end of my contract day job and the first days of classes when I had nothing to do in the day time. This. Killed. Me. I got so bored staying at home, and since a few months had passed I thought it would be smart to head back to DB and revisit the dress I couldn't stop thinking about. (Jeez--the way I'm writing, this sounds like an epic love story). I grabbed one of my best friends, and bridesmaid Erica, and we headed over one dark, stormy May day. Erica is wonderful, gracious and beyond supportive, and made this appointment in the wedding dress search fest both a joy and an emotional experience. I tried on The Dress, as well as my close second (totally different from The Dress, but I digress), and a few of the gorgeous Vera Wang pieces (just for funzies). BUT when I put on The Dress, Erica and my consultant confirmed what I knew all along. This is it. This is the dress I'd marry Patrick in.
Now, I did not cry, mind you. And I thought this was weird, because normally I am an emotional hurricane when it comes to love and romance, and now especially weddings (I cry when I listen to Glee's version of "Marry You" by Bruno Mars).
But before I let my Bride Brain take over ("Why did I not cry?" "Aren't I supposed to cry?" "Does this mean I won't have a "bridal moment", or do I not care enough?") I realized, I am having my own "bridal moment." Every time I stepped into that dress, I became giddy and smiley. I blushed. I got emotional and lovey. I did NOT want to take it off, and I knew Patrick would love it. All my friends liked it, and my mother picked it out, which made it extra special for me. There was no question in my mind. That day I decided that it was MY DRESS! Why did I not buy it then and there you ask? Well, there were a few reasons, the main one being that I didn't yet have a permanent job in place, nor would I for at least three months, the others being I had over a year to wait to wear it, and I also wanted to make doubly sure that it was The Dress.
Fast forward to now. I just accepted an offer for a permanent job! (Working with one of my best friends and bridesmaid Abbie! EEE!) Now, I could go get the dress! I had never stopped thinking about it when thinking about our day, had never stopped picturing myself in it, picturing the memories I'd be making in it, and hoping for that look in P's eyes when I came down the aisle. Last week, I decided; I'm doing this now.
I scheduled this Sunday, today, for me, my mom, my sister and my future-mother-in-law to go to DB (lucky visit #3) knowing full well that I would be purchasing the dress, and hopefully narrowing down some bmaid dresses. I am proud to say that we did both. (Bridesmaid dresses deserve a post of their own, so hang tight!) After my sister, who looks AH.MAY.ZING in any and all dresses decided on three that we liked, she had to jet. I gleefully hopped into my newly acquired wedding shoes and into my dress. My dreams were confirmed, and I was standing in my wedding dress. My FMIL teared, as well as my mother, and I got super giddy and pranced around for as long as they let me. I picked out a matching veil and a crinoline, and headed straight for the cash register. Here is the link to My Dress(not for you, P, stay away!!!) and I apologize for not posting actual pictures, I am so LAME!
SWOON.
I am so lucky!!!! It was a beautiful day hanging with my mom and future-mother-in-law and sister. I felt special, and so full of love. Not only because I purchased my dream dress, but because I was surrounded by love and support. As you can tell, I am excited and happy! You know how you just know some things are meant to be? Well, I just knew that this was The Dress that brought out my beauty and myself. And I want to be myself when I marry Patrick. I want to look like me at my very best, and I am absolutely certain I have found the right dress! I feel beautiful, confident, bridal and romantic and yes, blessed when I wear the gown. I can't wait til it comes in (15 weeks, UGH) and I can put it on again! And beyond that, I can't wait to take a deep breath on July 14th, 2012 and step into it for real to meet Patrick to be wed.
EEEEEEEE!!!! What about you ladies? Did anyone else not cry?
Best,
Micah
P.S. Sorry this is such a long post, but it's about THE DRESS! It HASSSS to beeee!!!
P.S.S. Also, not only did we get my dress and narrow bridesmaids and junior bridesmaids and flowergirl dresses today, we decided on a caterer, whom I hope to call and book TOMORROW!
Last week was my birthday, with family time on Monday, Patrick being the sweetest, most giving person that I know gave me such a wonderful homemade dinner on Wednesday and planned a backyard BBQ with all of our friends on Sunday. Not to mention a surprise mini vacation to VERMONT this weekend. But all this is meant for a completely separate post. I have to write this post because I have been having some serious BB lately. BB, you ask? Bride Brain.
I have been so focused all this summer on my gig with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, and then right after, a few of us from the apprenticeship began our own theater company(which I will also talk about later)!! We ended the apprenticeship and I have since been temp-ing everyday and interviewing for a full time job at least twice a week. Not only that but I began to get stressed about all the wedding planning that I had slacked off on during the summer. Unfortunately, I didn't see that my stress/BB took over and I think I got a little naggy. I wanted to book the photographer, I wanted to book the caterer, I wanted my dress, and I needed it done yesterday. I was so anxious about not being able to book the right vendors that I made three separate checklists to complete to achieve this. This post is basically a reckoning for me. Remember when I heard that unhappy newlywed on the bus? It took Patrick telling me to realize I was headed in that awful direction. I think my swift kick in the tush to myself may have been too much.
This is not me complaining about how stressed I felt or how overbooked I am at the moment. It's a realization, and a submission of gratitude. An apology. And a sigh of relief.
Patrick pointed out that I had started to lose some of the romance in our wedding plans these past few weeks. I had become too militant in our discussions and plans. And guys, I shut him out. I realized he was absolutely right. I had allowed myself to become too nervous that things would not get done that I failed to take my own advice I gave in that post. This is why Patrick is my best and greatest friend. This is why he is my soul mate and why he is my partner. He is always able to see me. He always, always understands. And he is more than busy, lately. He is working a full time job as the Global HR Coordinator while devoting the remainder his time to his passion: composing music.
Our conversation last night was in no way confrontational. He just brought me back again to what this is all about: Us. Our love. And I am so glad we are able to talk about things together, and remain strong. We are a team.
I could not be more grateful to have someone who is always there for me, even when I have Bride Brain. Even when I have tunnel vision toward one thing. Even when I seem ungrateful for the wonderful things that I have. I feel like I am awake again, and the BB is under control. I am again not nervous about planning, and looking forward to our Marriage, which is what this is about. Patrick and I are so excited that now we are starting to move forward in the planning process and are getting closer to being husband and wife. I couldn't be more grateful, happy and in love with the man who sees me for who I am, who can be strong for me even though he too is burning the candle at both ends, and can bring me back from Bride Brain/disconnected zombie oblivion. I feel like myself again.
Thank you, and I am sorry for not realizing sooner.*
Best,
Micah
P.S. Sorry (I'm not sorry) this was kind of a mushy post. :)
