Day 7 - A Rolling Ring Gathers No Moss!

WHOA! What a productive day. It seems the moment I knew my colors would work I moved on. Almost like it was a big speed bump and once past I could just fly! Today started conversation with a friend who would be honored to marry us. What followed was a message to the photographer, conversations with the DJ and planning the venue. Even planning the events of the day so they would work. It is all coming together and we still have so many months to go! 604 days to be precise!

So what did we figure out today? Well to start, it's sounding very reasonable to have our friend marry us which is super exciting. That will make the day that much more personal. The venue is still a bit of a juggle but I feel when we actually go check places out it'll be more final. We may even have our ceremony and reception at one place and simply have it set up while we have our photos taken and then return for the reception. That would make sense right?! Would certainly cost less ;)

I then tracked down the photographer and assuming he does work in my city we have our photographer for a lovely $1200-$1500 (I giggle because Single Ladies - Beyonce just came on my track. The song he was singing all month) My only question and concern for the photographer is does he also do videography? I assume not... but one should never assume. Really though, how can you expect him to be taking photographs of you walking down the aisle if he's manning a video camera? So who will we get to do that?! *STRESSER* I really desire a video of my wedding day, the wedding and our first dance. Some other bits but those are the most important videos I want. We plan on having a special dance for our first dance (it's a surprise) so a videographer is a MUST! :) But I'll figure it out. 604 days left ;)

I sent my old DJ a message and he has expressed he is available to me within our budget. I then asked if he'd mind doing the ceremony as well. We have special songs selected that are not standard piano played songs. He hasn't objected so that'll be grand :)

The colors seemed to be my writers block and now the book is just flying! Honestly, if it weren't for our financial situation we could EASILY send out wedding invitations for this summer. But I want to do this right as it's the only wedding I'm ever going to have! :)

Feel the excitement people!

The only additional things my bombarded fiancée and I have discussed are things like:

• Photographer sharing - I would like the photographer be there when the girls and I are getting ready. Yet I also want photographic memories of his day. The solution? Simple, assuming we are still living in this building I will get ready with the girls in our apartment and he will use another tenants apartment. We are fortunate enough to have a very tight knit community in this building and I am sure the tenants would be more than thrilled to share their dwelling for the day. That way the photographer could simply run back and forth between us which would be no different than going to a room down the hall in a big house! :) We'd have the maid of honors and the best men ensuring that neither bride nor groom exited at the same time. As much as we will likely spend the night together the night before the wedding we will not be seeing each other all dressed up before the wedding.
  
• Soundtrack - Music means a lot to us and it's something we're being very selective of. We have unique entrance music for the wedding party as well as mine. Our exit music and then the entrance to the reception. All of it is planned out :)
  
• Goofy is the new Happy - Just that he's loving how goofy happy I am and I'm loving how quietly full of smiles he's been.
  
• The Groom will not wear pink - "Honey what about this wedding is important to you?" D- "You're happiness. As long as you don't make me look like a complete Jack ass!" I later tested this and with a very serious tone I said, "Honey, I was thinking a Yellow Tux with pink stripes and then a hot pink vest." D - "Excuse me?!" Me - "Yes, I figure if we had a lemon yellow tux with vertical powder pink stripes and then a hot pink vest - " D - "I am not wearing pink!" Me - "Just making sure you'd draw a line! *smiles* Oh by the way, you're wearing a wine colored vest." 

Well I wasn't planning on posting today but it was too productive not to talk about. Now to lose 50lbs in a year! *stress* Hippie Bride

Day 5 - Conversations with "The man"

Ever since we became engaged I've noticed he seems happier. That isn't what you would necessarily expect in these situations, yet he has been smiling every day this week. This is also a little unusual because usually he is down in the dumps this time of year. I'm not complaining, in fact if anything I am touched. If he has become happier based on his being engaged to me I'm flattered!

That's where the surprise ends, lighter spirit or not he's still a man and doesn't care about color samples, wedding party lists, guest lists, dates, venues. As long as I'm happy and don't put him in a ridiculous suit in front of a lot of people he's happy.


Me - "Honey, what do you think of these two colors?" *holding up toenail color next to fingernail color*
Him - *grunts* "they're fine." *returns to what he was doing*
Me - "I'm serious.
Him - "I know you are."
Me - "I like the wine color with the light pink. But what would the men wear?
Him - *shrugs*
Me - "Well, obviously they'd wear the dark one...but then they would all be wearing the same. I don't want to put them in the light pink. What could we do to distinguish the best men from the ushers? Cause you are getting 2 best men you know cause I can't pick between my two maid of honors! It's absolutely not happening!"
Him - *laughing* "I really don't care, whatever makes you happy."
Me - "I'm going to continue to ask you these questions. I don't expect you to get giddy over napkins, calligraphy or invitation samples but I'm going to continue to ask you."
Him - *laughs* "I figured as much."

Me - "So who do you want to be your best man?"
Him - *shrugs*
Me - *makes a few obvious suggestions*
Him - *shrugs*
Me - "Well you have to pick your own best men! I'm not picking your best men, they're yours to abuse! Oh and who do you want to marry us?"
Him - *confused* "Who?!"
Me - "Yeah, it's more personal and would save us money if we had a friend marry us. It's not that hard to become an officiant as far as I know and if we had say Jer marry us I'm sure he wouldn't charge us hundreds of dollars for his services."
Him - "True"
Me - "Then it'd be personal, affordable and non-denominational. Besides, some officiants want you to get married at a specific spot and take couples counseling."
Him - *eye roll*
Me - "So rather than have a stranger marry us I think it'd be sweet to have a friend do it. Any ideas?"
Him - *shrugs*
Me - "I'm going to go do laundry now..."
Him - "k."

Me - "What do you think, assuming it didn't cost too much and it was completely possible, if we got married *insert secret location here*?"
Him - *shows genuine interest* "That would be cool."
Me - "The only thing is that's a public place and I don't know if you can rent it out and if you could how many thousands of dollars would it be. And then it's outside too so if it were to rain we'd have to have tents rented.
Him - *no interest* "true."
Me - "But that's only a couple hundred dollars."
Him - *not listening, just nodding* "It's possible."
Me - "Are you listening any more?"
Him - "Sounds fine."

Poor man, what was he thinking?!

On the positive side for him he's considered a complete romantic at work now, I think that's grand that he's finally recognized for his roots ;)

Well, aside from glancing at colors and trying to wiggle a few wedding party names out of him I've done little towards my wedding today. Oh I lie, I had him take a few photos of me with my ring and the flowers he gave me the day he proposed.

 

Tomorrow is another day, until then, goodnight.