Friday, June 15, 2007
One Week
Did you ever see that movie, Deep Impact? It came out the same year as Armaggeddon and was the same basic story; a massive asteroid is hurtling towards Earth and mankind is trying to defend itself. Well, during Deep Impact, they would occasionally put up on the screen a reminder of how much time was left before humankind was going to be obliterated. Something like:
"August 6: Eight days to impact."
Well, that's kind of how I'm feeling these days. I feel like on a day like today, when I get up in the morning, there's a little digital readout beneath me and it says:
"June 15: One week to impact."
(I suppose it would be obnoxious of me to say something like "One week to detonation." Hee.)
I imagine people get very nostalgic and introspective during the final days and weeks before they get married. But I haven't had much of that. Fact is, I've been so balls-to-the-wall nuttily busy, I can't think about much beyond when I get to sleep next. Work is blowing up like crazy, we have all those typical last-minute craziness details to do, plus we're always in the process of improving my house... so really, I've not had time to think too much about things.
I had to sit down and carefully do my personal vows the other day. I had started them several weeks ago and had to get that wrapped up. And I wanted to make sure it wasn't, like, during a break between to work-related things I was writing. You know, probably wouldn't be the right frame of mind as I rushed through it, making sure to use the writing style the Fremulon Insurance* prefers.
I also think that it's interesting that some people freak out right before they get married. (Or maybe that's just years of TV and movies making me think that.) I mean, if you haven't flipped your shit by this point, why would you once you've got the tux on?
I was talking to a friend about this a while back and I commented on that fact. And how it felt more like a committment when I bought the diamond ring and when I asked her to marry me. From that point on, I felt like we were more "committed" than anything that happens on the actual wedding day. My friend pointed out that, no, I was committed a couple of days earlier when I spoke to her father about his permission. Point taken.
I go to pick up the wedding rings today and that's pretty cool. I love what we designed and am looking forward to us wearing them. Another thing I'm looking forward to? Our honeymoon. Nearly two weeks of fun in the sun, relaxing, snorkeling, eating, drinking, swimming, maybe a little hiking, parasailing, etc... I mean, the idea of going away and NOT having to be concerned with the next step of wedding planning is simply a heavenly thought. It's funny how you get to a point where, even in a short engagement, you simply can't remember your life before you were planning this grand event. I mean, really, our lives must have been so much easier then. They didn't necessarily seem like it, but they do now. Just like when you have kids, you wonder how much simpler your life must have been before them.
We make our final payments to the reception hall on Sunday, along with delivering all the things that have to be at the reception (centerpieces, favors, cameras, etc.). After that, we're actually hoping to be able to take a breath and sort of enjoy the final week. We have a few more payments due but for the most part, we'll have the big things (and most of the small things) squared away.
One of the things we feel like we should do is create at least some semblance of a list for our photographer so that when we're asked what we want pictures of, we don't just stare blankly and say, "Uhhhh, I dunno." So I've been doing some Web searches for wedding photography checklists. Some have been way more than we would need, some have been less. But one is kind of haughty looking and kind of vague in its suggestions, which isn't helpful at all. And then there's this little gem:
The example to the left? Well, go to this link and take a look at the blurry, piece-of-shit picture they use as an example of artsy photography. It's purely awful. And it's kind of funny. Haven't we all known someone who thought they were a lot more artful than they actually were? Well, this Website appears to take it to a higher form. Fun.
Anyway, no matter how much you prepare, you still end up feeling like the host of the event for the entire weekend, making sure people are on time and comfortable and having fun. And I think that's actually normal but we sometimes forget that. I mean, you are, after all, having a reception, which means you're receiving people. So yeah, we are the hosts. And we think it's going to be a hell of a good time.
One more crazy week to go.
*Not the real name of one of my clients.
"August 6: Eight days to impact."
Well, that's kind of how I'm feeling these days. I feel like on a day like today, when I get up in the morning, there's a little digital readout beneath me and it says:
"June 15: One week to impact."
(I suppose it would be obnoxious of me to say something like "One week to detonation." Hee.)
I imagine people get very nostalgic and introspective during the final days and weeks before they get married. But I haven't had much of that. Fact is, I've been so balls-to-the-wall nuttily busy, I can't think about much beyond when I get to sleep next. Work is blowing up like crazy, we have all those typical last-minute craziness details to do, plus we're always in the process of improving my house... so really, I've not had time to think too much about things.
I had to sit down and carefully do my personal vows the other day. I had started them several weeks ago and had to get that wrapped up. And I wanted to make sure it wasn't, like, during a break between to work-related things I was writing. You know, probably wouldn't be the right frame of mind as I rushed through it, making sure to use the writing style the Fremulon Insurance* prefers.
I also think that it's interesting that some people freak out right before they get married. (Or maybe that's just years of TV and movies making me think that.) I mean, if you haven't flipped your shit by this point, why would you once you've got the tux on?
I was talking to a friend about this a while back and I commented on that fact. And how it felt more like a committment when I bought the diamond ring and when I asked her to marry me. From that point on, I felt like we were more "committed" than anything that happens on the actual wedding day. My friend pointed out that, no, I was committed a couple of days earlier when I spoke to her father about his permission. Point taken.
I go to pick up the wedding rings today and that's pretty cool. I love what we designed and am looking forward to us wearing them. Another thing I'm looking forward to? Our honeymoon. Nearly two weeks of fun in the sun, relaxing, snorkeling, eating, drinking, swimming, maybe a little hiking, parasailing, etc... I mean, the idea of going away and NOT having to be concerned with the next step of wedding planning is simply a heavenly thought. It's funny how you get to a point where, even in a short engagement, you simply can't remember your life before you were planning this grand event. I mean, really, our lives must have been so much easier then. They didn't necessarily seem like it, but they do now. Just like when you have kids, you wonder how much simpler your life must have been before them.
We make our final payments to the reception hall on Sunday, along with delivering all the things that have to be at the reception (centerpieces, favors, cameras, etc.). After that, we're actually hoping to be able to take a breath and sort of enjoy the final week. We have a few more payments due but for the most part, we'll have the big things (and most of the small things) squared away.
One of the things we feel like we should do is create at least some semblance of a list for our photographer so that when we're asked what we want pictures of, we don't just stare blankly and say, "Uhhhh, I dunno." So I've been doing some Web searches for wedding photography checklists. Some have been way more than we would need, some have been less. But one is kind of haughty looking and kind of vague in its suggestions, which isn't helpful at all. And then there's this little gem:
Tip: Ask your photographer to take some shots using a slow-shutter speed so the
movement blurs the image a little. See the example to the left.
The example to the left? Well, go to this link and take a look at the blurry, piece-of-shit picture they use as an example of artsy photography. It's purely awful. And it's kind of funny. Haven't we all known someone who thought they were a lot more artful than they actually were? Well, this Website appears to take it to a higher form. Fun.
Anyway, no matter how much you prepare, you still end up feeling like the host of the event for the entire weekend, making sure people are on time and comfortable and having fun. And I think that's actually normal but we sometimes forget that. I mean, you are, after all, having a reception, which means you're receiving people. So yeah, we are the hosts. And we think it's going to be a hell of a good time.
One more crazy week to go.
*Not the real name of one of my clients.
Labels: obliteration of mankind, wedding
Monday, June 04, 2007
Red Zone -- Under Three Weeks
You know how people often joke about eloping? Well, they're probably not joking.Now, don't get me wrong -- I want a real wedding. I want all the fun that goes with it. But I also completely understand right now why so many couples who are getting married get to that "let's get this over with" stage long before their wedding day actually arrives.
Something I would advise people not to do is think about what you could be spending your money on if you weren't putting on a massive party and buying dinner for 200 people. Because, really, it's kind of not fun to think about how much cash you spend.
Yet there you are, making budgets and trying to keep a handle on everything so you don't go completely out of control. And then you've got parents offering to help out and so you really do have to figure out exactly what everything is costing. And, just like buying a house, eventually you become numb to it.
"Oh, that's $2,000? Oh, okay, let me write you a check."
Also like buying a house, I feel like this becomes a full-time job in and of itself. You have things like booking a reception hall, booking a church, finding a photography location, finding a photographer, finding a DJ, finding a videographer, locking in a block of hotel rooms, making dozens upon dozens of phone calls, managing budgets, determining centerpieces, determining bouquets, making pocket squares, making favors, making invitations, making invite lists (for engagement parties, showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsals, weddings, etc.), monitoring those invite lists, following up with people who don't reply, registering for gifts, tracking who sent what, sending thank-yous, returning gifts you registered for but once you have them wondered why you ever wanted them in the first place, deciding on rehearsal dinner location, deciding on engagement party location, deciding on consummation location, finding a dress for the bride, finding dresses for the bridesmaids, finding tuxedos for the groomsmen, making sure the groomsmen get measured (for their tuxes, that is), finding the bride a place for hair and makeup, agreeing on a honeymoon, planning a honeymoon, designing wedding rings, ordering wedding rings, deciding what gets engraved in wedding rings, deciding on menus, deciding on cocktail food, deciding on dinner food, deciding on song lists, getting the stupid marriage license that you can only do on weekdays and with a birth certificate, making a seating chart, filling out placecards.... and well, plenty of other things.
It's actually been a fun process and we can't believe we're now under three weeks to go. Of course, we're now into the mission critical stage where we really are out of weekends to say, "We'll get to that..." The truth is, most of this has to be done by next weekend because the weekend after that it all has to be delivered to the reception hall and final payments need to be made. Hooray. Then it's a fun week leading to the wedding (stressless, I'm sure), then the wedding and then off to Hawaii to do nothing for almost two weeks.
I'm not sure we'll know how to cope with not planning this blessed event once we're done. Not that it's over at that point since we'll have all those thank-yous to write. I guess we'll need something to do on the ten-hour flight. Besides join the mile-high club, that is.
Labels: going insane, money, wedding
