Pictures and Flowers and DJs-Oh My!

I am getting married.  I have a website that counts down the days (157, if you're curious).  Getting married sounds like a lot of fun.  I certainly am excited to marry Blake.  I really and truly cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with him.  And have lots of babies with him.  Or just the two he says I can have before he cuts me off.  Whatever.

Anyway, getting married sounds like fun.

Planning a wedding is not.

First off, let me start by saying I don't want a traditional wedding.  I am not one of those girls who grew up dreaming about her wedding day and planning it and scrapbooking it and stop me now before I puke.  Not that there is anything wrong with that-I'm just not that kind of girl.  I didn't think that would be such a problem-in fact I was heavily leaning towards a small elopement, except for the fact that I can't pass up a big ole party where there's wine, beer, and my favorite people.  Throw in a pretty dress, a diamond ring, and the man of my dreams-well pretty much it's a no brainer.  And hell, it's a wedding, aren't people supposed to bend over backwards to make all your wishes come true?

(Insert evil laugh)

Turns out people have pretty strong opinions regarding weddings.  Not just mothers and mother-in-laws and friends and family.  Nooooooooo.  All those wedding vendors you're going to shell out big bucks to?  They have pretty strong opinions too, and they're not afraid to voice them.  At almost every turn where I've requested something unique or out of the ordinary, the vendor in question has raised an eyebrow and less than gently tried to steer my opinion back to the road more traveled.

As if I need anyone telling me what MY wedding should be.  Bridezillas suddenly seems to deserve a little more sympathy.

It hasn't been all bad.  I found a fantastic photographer who today relieved some of my wedding stress by sending us our engagement photos.  Looking through them I fell in love with Blake all over again.  And I remembered why I was going through all this (drinks, diamonds, man of my dreams...).

So as long as Blake is waiting for me at the end of that aisle, and says "I Do", then it won't matter what I'm wearing, what color the cake is, or if it's pouring rain. And really, that's what it's all about.

(Yes, I quoted the Hokey Pokey.  I think it's pretty deep stuff.  Better be prepared to dance it at my wedding.  With no complaints.  Thank you very much.)