The weather on Friday morning. Damp, dewy, cool.

Still adjusting to the manicure. (Even today, I'm still adjusting to texting with it.)

Trader Joe's for flowers. My plan: buy a bunch of bouquets that were roughly in my color scheme. At Trader Joe's, they are about $3.99 a bouquet. Divide them up. Start anew. My budget: $150. The price we were looking at when we were going to go to a florist: $400-500. Ah, but I worked in a florist shop for years as a teenager. I figured I knew how to arrange some flowers. Despite the best efforts of half of my other vendors, I was not intimidated. (If you're wondering, the final tally was $70. You'll see the results shortly.)

We went to a second Trader Joe's for for variety, and then Meijer for good measure.

The flowers waited in the car while we stopped for breakfast at Hardee's/

My assistant florist had a lot of input about what flowers worked together.

My bouquet, in progress.

Ta-daaa!

My other florist assistant was also helpful.

I made bridesmaid bouquets special for each one. Left to right: my sister's MOH bouquet, Nikki's, Granny's, Renee's.

Nikki's.

Mine.

Katie's.

Granny's.

Katie's.

Nikki's.

Katie's.

They ended up safe and sound in my mom's fridge overnight.

And on to the rehearsal. It was interesting. Rebecca (Julie Andrews) led it, and it was weird and kind of pointless because the room that it was in was nothing like the actual ceremony room, and we went through the beginning, middle, beginning again, end, middle, beginning again...I spent the rest of the night and the next day fielding questions from people that the rehearsal had created. Even I was clearer before it. Everyone left with questions. It was weird, stressful, and confusing. It was supposed to last half an hour. It lasted an hour and a half. Eric's mom was at the community center that we'd rented for the rehearsal dinner setting up and getting very lonely.

Rehearsal dinner.

And back to Granny's after the rehearsal dinner. Stay tuned fooorrrr...wedding day!

Change of plans.

So, a series of events have led to a big change. That wedding that I was planning for 23 months from now? Got moved. To 11 months from now.


Now, at first blush, that may seem to be a while, but if you've ever planned a wedding you know that when you're 11 months out and haven't done anything, you're behind. You can pick your colors and your venue and so forth at any point in your life, in theory, you can figure that stuff out ten years before your wedding sitting on a park bench somewhere. So when the first things on wedding checklists are things like, "Decide on your color scheme," and "Outline a guest list," well, for me anyway, that's the easy part. But right around the year mark you start getting into the hair stuff with specifics: Who's making your boutonnieres? Will your venue allow you to make centerpieces? How much set-up time will your DJ need? You thought you'd DIY your invitations but do you actually have a plan for that? What drink options does your caterer offer? Who cuts your cake? How far in advance do you need to book your bakery for the cake? One answer leads to three more questions, and before you know it "answering e-mails" is a protracted activity that once was something you glanced at every week or two. Answers to those three questions then have to be cross-referenced with other vendors and participants. Hey, DJ, the coordinator says you're in charge of processional music but you say that your job starts at the reception, what gives? It will make your head spin.


I am the the sort of person who likes to think things really through and then not have to worry about it. This approach has pros and cons. On one hand, a thing doesn't have to eat my life as much when I knock out all of the heavy thinking with one fell swoop. I can relax, knowing that I have the decisions made and that until it's time for the next step, I can devote my brain cells to other things, like reading Failbook and looking at Collies online and in the living room. On the other hand, the spurts of Figuring Things Out can be pretty gnarly and consuming.


Today has been about figuring out: the venue (Valle Vista Country Club, which helpfully takes care of several things but half the day has still been spent corresponding with the wedding planner - props to her for being so available and helpful). The DJ (set up a meeting with him in early January, I've seen a couple positive mentions of him on wedding forums but the lack of reviews of any sort that I've found scare me a little). The once-and-for-all down-to-the-cent budget. The bakery (closed Mondays. Carries over 'til tomorrow). The Mars/Venus planning-style drama ("I feel like you don't even caaaare about our weddddiinnng!" I will steer clear of Bridezilla crazies, but even I am subject to standard PMS emo-times, sometimes. At those times, I feel lucky that my future MIL is a social worker with good mediating skills). The catering ("Have you looked at the menu that we picked last month? Is there even a main course here? I can't find one." "There are cold cuts..." "That is not a main course." "It's not?"). The stupid rehearsal dinner (pain in my ass, that's all I'm saying). The workout plan (grueling).


So, things just got cranked up a little. I'm overwhelmed. I'm excited. I'm terrified. (Fortunately, just about the technicalities of getting married. I'm plenty ready to be married.) I'm thrilled. I'm organized. I'm disorganized. I've got this, I'm pretty sure.