The Countdown…Planning in Gear

The big day is exactly six months away, and I’m starting to feel anxiety and butterflies. Thoughts of what I need to get done go through my head before I go to bed and when I wake up. I’m trying to avoid stress by getting as much done as possible. My mom and sister joked that I’ll be done with everything by the end of the year. I really doubt that but I have a good start. So far, I’ve covered the venue, photographer, videographer, DJ, florist, bridesmaids’ dresses, mothers’ dresses, my wedding gown and I am working on invitations.

In my last entry, I mentioned revisiting the venue with Bobby and our mothers. We went for a tasting which started off with a tour of the grounds. They all loved it! After the tour, we were seated in one of the banquet rooms where our orders for a four-course meal were taken. We made sure to order different meals to cover the meat options. The food was great! The cakes were exceptional; however, one stood out from the rest and we chose it for our wedding cake. Before leaving, we confirmed our reservation with the manager; he thanked us and notified us that our contract would be sent via mail.

Once the venue was booked and confirmed, I was on a hunt for dresses. The search wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be, since I had in mind what I wanted. When I first saw the gown I chose for myself, I knew it was the one I envisioned wearing. Though I searched for and tried on a couple others, I kept going back to the same dress. The reaction, from both my mom and sister, was a confirmation that this was the dress for me. On top of that, a total stranger walked by and commented on how great it looked on me. Of course, it was a done deal! My dress is strapless, so I wanted the bridesmaids’ dresses to be strapless, also. I took my sister, who’s also my matron of honor, and my niece, who I’ve asked to be a bridesmaid, to help select and try on dresses. We narrowed our selection to two dresses and had each of them try on one. The vote for the dress my niece tried on was unanimous. I loved the way it fit in all the right places, yet gathered in the middle to camouflage any vices. I picked a color and shared a picture with the other bridesmaids.

Selecting a photographer was easy, since I loved the person my sister used for her wedding. I booked with him and his associate videographer. As for the DJ, the moment I started planning, I knew I wanted to use a guy who I’ve known since elementary school. I’ve heard him at a couple of functions and I like the way he works. He also knows Bobby from high school, which will make his presence at our wedding even more significant.

Until I post again…Happy Holidays!