Simbarel- Wedding Plans About This Page:

[mrsmaup]

Rachel,

I just wondered how your wedding plans were coming along. Sort all the plans out. Everything falling into place.....

Just wanted you to know that I was thinking of you. I know how stressful this time can be; especially if you have alot of people chattering in your ear about what you should be doing.

Take care...

[simbarel]

Thanks for asking!

The planning is....overwhelming. I'm ready to get it done and overwith, because then the stress'll be gone. I think I'd feel differently if I didn't have school on top of work....but that's the way I planned it. Once we got engaged I just wanted to be married, I didn't want to wait longer than the church would make us. Now I think that was a mistake. There have been some bumps (some people think they know everything ) but for the most part I've been able to remain in control.

I've always found safety in numbers, and I love hearing other "big wedding" tales...because I gotta admit...I'm kind of embarrassed about my own wedding. I've never been comfortable being the center of visual attention...so I have no idea why I would have planned this type of wedding(aside from the fact I've always wanted to get married at this particular church.) I feel like it's all "look at me, look at me, ME ME ME." Watching Trista and Ryan's wedding made me feel a little more humble.

I still have weight to lose. =(
My aunt is coming in January to construct my MoH gown, attach plaid to my dress, and make plaid vests (hopefully) for DF and his Best Man.

I decided against the bagpiper (too showy) and the Hawaii/WDW honeymoon (too much $$$, and too much school to be missed.) I think instead we'll go to Carnaval in Quebec City. It's been quite a rigamarole over my tiara (out of stock styles, out-of-order webmasters) but I think I finally got the right one (waiting for it in the mail.) Believe it or not, but we'll be ordering these for our wedding bands (watch out cat-dislikers!) They're just perfect for us: Celtic, trinity knots, silver, and cats!

I have no shoes.

I go under the knife on January 5 to get major dental work done so I can start whitening my teeth professionally (I'm really psyched about this...and I have my aunt to thank.) DF is footing the bill to get my tattoo fixed (I've hated it since I was 16, so it's about time. I love him so much!)

Hmmmm...what else? I've got two great friends reading at the ceremony. Most of the invitations have been mailed. I'd say that we're about 1/2 way through---there's a long, giant, uphill road ahead of us. Again, that's so sweet of you to ask. Wish us luck!

[mrsmaup]

Sounds like things are going along well! I encourage you to ENJOY this time of being the center of attention. I know it is difficult when you dont like that kind of thing, but people love you and want to see you happy. This is your (and your dh) big day. Let folks pamper you. Married life is hard enough, so enjoy the one day of feeling like a Queen!LOL!!

My daughter likes your rings! I am of the McComas clan(although McComas is part of a bigger clan which now escapes my memory), so I get all the bagpipes and clad desires!LOL!!

Deep breaths and remember that it is YOUR day. dont let well meaning friends and relatives take over and change the tone you want for your wedding.

Im very pleased for you! You will be a beautiful bride im sure!

[simbarel]

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My daughter likes your rings!

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Haha...yeah, they don't exactly scream "adult" but you didn't find me on a Disney board on accident.



I try to hide my fear and anxieties from my family, friends, and fiance, so I thank you for your encouragement--it really means a lot. Luckily, DF is in general a much more confident person than I am. He's raring to go! If anyone else wants to send along some encouragement/well-wishes/silly stories(nudge nudge ) I'd really appreciate it. I need to feel better about my wedding, I really do. (It would be nice to take a break from waking up each night fearing all the eyeballs on me.)

[ProChristo]

Rachel, you know I've always got your back when you need a "big wedding" story. Ours had so many great oppurtunities to take a disasterous turn, but it never did.

I was soooo blessed to meet my DH at church. He had been the youth pastor there for 3 years before I met him, and was basically single the whole time. (He had a thing for a girl back home in PA, but once he met moi, she was toast!) Bachelors employed by the church intrinsically attract mothering from that great institution known as the Church Ladies. It was the Church Ladies, as well as the youth group kids that decided (read: told D.B.) that we should hook up, so when we did there was much rejoicing in the church. They immediately stepped up to do all sorts of things for the wedding. One lady cooked our entire rehearsal dinner while another two decorated it for us in the church basement. Another lady decorated the sanctuary for the ceremony, yet another took over planning the reception. Although I was quite grateful for all the help, I honestly didn't have a clue what was happening in my own wedding!

That in itself wouldn't be too bad, but add in the family factor and it got a little crazy. My family was still figuring out how to "be" a broken family, my folks had only been divorced a little over a year, and there was LOTS of anger and resentment. My younger sisters took on the referee jobs (and did so quite well). DSis Betsy actually said "You are both going to be in this picture and smile or I'm gonna kick your butts!" They believed her and I have the pic to prove it.

Dad lost the church and showed up 2 hours late for the rehearsal, and flubbed his line in the ceremony, but the Minister covered for him beautifully.

Mom was set to pick up the crinoline (a rental) for my dress the morning of the ceremony, which I had already paid for, but they lost the paperwork, and Mom had to pay for another one, but I hadn't been fitted in this one and my dress was a smidge too long (working wonders for my falling down the aisle fears).

The florist forgot the aisle runner and brought it in after the ceremony was in full swing (but we did get refunded for it)

My soon-to-be in-laws came to town two weeks before the ceremony and lived with yours truly the whole time. We had only met one time before. They are really wonderful folks, but we were virtual strangers living in a small apartment during the most stressful 2 weeks of my life. I felt like I couldn't really wig out in front of them, you know? Still trying to make a good impression. I was taking their only baby from them, after all. I so wanted them to really enjoy the festivities, but two weeks is a looooong time! Luckily D.B. was over a lot and kept them occupied.

Two weeks prior to the ceremony, none of the bridesmaids dresses were even started (hired a "professional" seamstress to make them due to varying shapes and sizes among the bridal party) They lost the pattern I had given them 6 months ago and tried to tell me it was my fault. They found it, and I had 7 fully dressed bridesmaids and 2 fully dressed candlelighters just in the nick of time.

The lady we hired to make the cake called the day before the ceremony because she forgot which flavors we had chosen for each of the layers. My poor mother in law took the call and called me at work in a panic. Got it straightened out and it all went just fine. The cake was beautiful and literally the best I've ever had, and I still get compliments on it 4 years later!

Our photographer (a relatively un-involved member of the church and in reality, chosen because his rates were dirt cheap) turned out to be a bit of a pervert, saying lewd things to get us to smile for the camera. It was pretty sickening, and he stopped when asked, and the pictures somehow turned out great anyway. The grace of God in action!

1 week before the ceremony, the dress maker called to say she didn't have time to dye the shoes too, so I'd have to do it. So I did. Rit dye to the rescue. I did it myself and saved a bundle for my girls.

My mother, MIL, Grandmother, GMIL, My Great Aunt, and DH's aunt all went to my bachelorette party. All the corresponding male relatives went to DH's bachelor party. Nuff said!

So you see, Rachel. Even in the stupidest of situations (80 year old women at a bachelorette party?????) Weddings can still be carried off quite beautifully. All this stuff was just fluff compared to the Covenant D.B. and I made with each other, and with God. Like I've said before, as long as you end up hitched at the end of the day, nothing else really matters. I'm sure your day will be everything you've always dreamed it would be. Just relax and be open to change.

[DebiDebiDebi]

Rachel, I just hope you have better luck than we did...Mt St Helen's errupted 1 week before our wedding, dumping her nasty ash all over the town we lived in...we surmounted huge odds to get that wedding over and done with!