I don't want to compete.

So around the time I got engaged a girl I knew from my past also starting planning her wedding. So every few weeks I hear from her asking who I am using for the and that. I am not planning the wedding at this point because as many of you know I am in school over load. Without any contribution or control I feel I have been catapulted into an all out wedding competition. I did not sign up for a TLC show! I will not say yes to the dress. Please go have a mega wedding and point me to the court house.

Chair Sashes...Yep this is a real thing!

I have a confession. I love bows. I love ribbons and bows. My Mother will be so proud. When I was a child she would dress me in cute dresses with matching socks for Sunday School. The socks had bows on them and she always had a matching hair bow. Unfortunately, the moment she turned her head I would destroy the bows so I did not have to wear them! My poor Sunday school teachers tried to keep the outfit together, but I was relentless. I have had to grow into the love of bows. So now when the thought of chair dressings came about I immediately thought of my poor Mother and Sunday school teacher. So to pay homage to them I am getting chair sashes to add to the decor of the wedding and reception.
So as a constant theme of the wedding planning is the cost. Chair covers and sashes are $3.95 a piece. So 125 chairs... you do the math. I love bows and my Mother, but I am considering just having my bridesmaids wear big sashes and bows instead. Bridesmaids any thoughts?? It could be worse you could have to wear socks with matching lace and bows!

The dirty "F" word

Everyone reading this has said this word. It's in our faces everywhere. Even Wal-mart sells it! While it is meant to be a thing a beauty it has ironically became a "thorn" in my side. Flowers! Flowers for a wedding are crazy expensive. Basically I have found in my research that I could sell an unneeded organ on the black market to have a mediocre floral arrangements at our ceremony.
Then just to make sure you are going into full cardiac arrest the Florists wants to talk centerpieces! What flowers are in season and what's not is a big factor in a wedding. So there is an alternative, silk flowers which can be pretty but not a huge money saver. So we are at a crossroads, do we highjack a floral wholesalers truck or spring the cash for a dozen rose bouqet? I think I may go price black ski masks just in case.

Every Princess Deserves a Palace

So I have been told the first thing to do after announcing the engagement is to find a venue. The venue sets the theme of the wedding and the couple, blah, blah, blah. I am a realist so the only magical experience I want is finding a good deal!

I would get married in a Walmart parking lot under an OU tail gate tent if that was the deal of the week. I am not a Bridezilla by any means of the word, but I do have standards. So to amuse my Mother I shopped around the metro to find the perfect venue. I knew that we wanted to have a big party style reception to celebrate the union so a church was ruled out. So I have to apologize to the Southern Baptist church I grew up attending, but the gym/ fellowship hall would not approve of what I was planning.

I saw banquet halls, parks, pubs, and chapels. All were rejected for either being too white or too cheesy! We are not wanting a traditional look so being located in the bible belt this was a hard thing to accomplish. Just as I was about to throw in the towel and head to happy hour I stumbled across the venue. This venue had been decorated in European antiques and non traditional colors. It was romantic and chic at the same time. And so it was on that day I gave The Palace Event Center a deposit and booked our December wedding.

Well it's official I am a "B" word...

So I am writing a blog for a class at MACU to complete my honor studies. When thinking of what I could write about I thought about writing about major figures in Literature or timeless classics of the American cannon. No offense English connoisseurs of the world, but that's not fun! So on a vacation to Mexico my life changed and I knew then what I could research extensively and write a blog about. That's right I acquired a gorgeous ring and a memorable proposal to officially make me the "B" word.

Bride. I am a bride. So those of you who think profanity was going to take place in this blog you were wrong! Well at least not in this post. This blog will be about the planning and executing the wedding of my fiance and my dreams. As we are finding out a lot goes into this magical event. From the dress, the tuxes, the venue, food, adult beverages (this is non negotiable), to the centerpieces and bridesmaid it is sure to be a hysterical wild ride. As you can see from the possible Save the Date picture above we are all about having a good time. So settle in and enjoy the torture of tulle and constant chatter of wedding wedding wedding!