Wedding planning in high gear

Since Friday marked the official 3 month mark for T and I before our wedding, things have definitely picked up in the wedding planning process. This weekend particularly, I was hit with a realization that "oh this is coming up pretty fast!" For the past year, we've been planning this wedding, and it's always been in the distance, something coming up but hasn't quite been real yet. Well, correct that, it was pretty real when I bought my wedding dress but that was some time ago, too. But now it's really hitting both of us. It's really exciting, but overwhelming at the same time. All the things I thought were in the distant future are now here, and I've hit the "oh shit" mode.


This weekend I started the daunting task of addressing invitations. Now I'm not normally an organized person when it comes to my personal life (only work stuff...you should see my home filing cabinet!) so I took a cue from one of my friends who has already gone through the wedding planning thing and made a spreadsheet of every one's names and addresses. I tried to also list the formal names I'd put on the outside envelope to make the process easier. However, I think I underestimated how much is really put into writing out invitations. First you have about four different things to put correctly into an envelope. You have to know each person's formal name and their spouse's formal name. I didn't realize I had so many friends and families who went by a nickname instead of their actual formal name. And then there's about ten different ways to spell each formal name. Then you have to make sure they haven't moved in the last year, which many of them have. And then I have to write on the RSVP card their names and how many seats are reserved for them. And then comes the question...how old do I reserve a seat for a relative who has a kid? Two years old, shouldn't they have an actual seat? They don't get charged for food, but surely their parents can't keep them in their lap all night! Before I knew it I was officially overwhelmed. I got through about 25 invitations so far, and I have about 50 more to do.

And my handwriting? Wow...when did it get so bad? I've become one of those professionals I used to make fun of. I have a doctor's signature. My cursive is more of a hybrid between cursive and print, and I quickly realized that I had forgotten how to do certain capital letters in cursive. Like a cursive S. I tried to be so careful with this one invitation that it ended up looking like a cursive G instead. Thank God for the extra invitations we ordered! I just hope I don't go through them all!

We also went dress shopping with my sister this weekend. I have two bridal showers coming up in July, and I thought I could probably just wear whatever I had to them. But no. My sister quickly educated me that I was the bride, which meant my picture was going to be taken many times that day, and I'm supposed to look good. And bridal. I'm not sure how to pull that off, but luckily I had her with me to pick out a few dresses. I walked away with two new dresses for the two parties. Apparently I have a lot to learn!

Which brings me to the surreal feeling T and I are having right now. I know I said this in my 100 days post a few weeks ago, but I honestly have never pictured myself doing this, getting married. I've been a bridesmaid many times, so I've always gone to my friend's showers but have never pictured myself having one. This feels weird. I'm so not good at being the center of attention. Not in the slightest. But we better get used to it and quickly because on September 18th, we will be doing just exactly that.

Another reminder of the reality of how soon all of this will be happening...we got home yesterday and saw a big brown package on our front porch. A few days ago, we ordered our unity candle and the groomsmen presents at Things Remembered. I wanted to spend a little extra and get a really nice unity candle because, to us, that is an important symbol of our love and of the day we are united as one. We got one where the main candle holder could be engraved with our names and dates. It came in this large white satiny box to hold all of the pieces to the set. I'm so glad we spent that extra amount, because the final result was beautiful. We both sat there just staring at our names and September 18, 2010, engraved on that candle holder and it hit. This is really happening. And soon. And I can't wait, and I know T feels the same. The day we been planning for almost a year is almost here!

Until then you will find me at our dining room table, meticulously addressing wedding invitations....