Eeek! Yay! Ack! Yay!

[Rube]

So after reading the "Are you freaking out" post, I can''t help but suddenly feel overwhelmed! I am very very excited for our wedding (less than two weeks!) but FI and I have been delightfully out of the country for the previous two weeks- and all of the sudden we are back, adjusting to daily life and realizing we didn''t really do all that much planning before we left.

Today we noticed our car insurance went up while we were gone, because we didn''t send in our new driver''s license numbers, we haven''t picked out flowers, we haven''t thought about a program, my mom is still trying to figure out who in her family is going to make it out here, I have no idea how I am going to wear my hair, I have not decided if I will wear my wedding dress to the reception (or find another dress), we need to get our marriage license (which I don''t have a Social Security card to prove I''m a citizen... but I think I can make it down to the Social Security office before Friday...), we don''t have any favors, and we don''t have any mini-moon plans!

pfew. I feel better now. At least I have a list made!

Thanks for listening. And njc, how are you doing??

 

[Tybee]

Oh Rube!
I hope it all works out. We are here for you for all venting purposes!!
I do like that you ended your rants with a "yah!" very positive!

 

[njc]

Oh man... if i had just been out of the country for 2 weeks, i wouldnt have anything done either because my motivation would be gone! Our honeymoon is the carrot dangling in front of my face to finish!

Things are going decently well. FI still has a lot to do, but ive made up my mind that I AM NOT worrying about it. The poor groomsmen just wont have presents.

Its just the little things left... printing the program, finalizing seating chart, printing favor tags, wrapping presents. We met with our officiant again last night to double check everything. Just got off the phone with the photographer to confirm times.

We still have some non-responders, but we are working on them. Im almost to the point of saying if you havent responded by now, you must not be coming and if you do... NO COOKIE FOR YOU! (thats our favor)

Maybe it will teach them to respond!

I have had a lot of people who have offered to help, and ive taken them up on it! Like Mrs. JC said... DELEGATE, DELEGATE, DELEGATE!

We didnt have to show anything for our marriage license. We were supposed to show our drivers licenses, but they never asked. You may want to check to see just want kind of ID they will take... maybe you wont need your SS card.

Flowers are fairly easy. Do you just need to order them or do you need to pick them out too? Roses are always a nice pick.

Programs are pretty easy too. If you dont have a lot of info to include, you could just do single sheets of paper. Take a regular letter size paper, turn it so it goes long ways, print out 2 copies of your program at once, cut in half. Youll have two 5.5 wide x 8.5 tall sheets of paper.

And if you cant come up with some favors, i wouldnt worry about it. Ive been to weddings before that didnt have favors and i never missed them!

Wow... i went on a bit huh? 11 and 12 days... i cant wait!

 

[Rube]

You guys are so supportive I can''t believe it!

I am finally begining to check things off the list:

-Flowers, DONE!
Just got back from a terribly fancy florist (

) but I didn''t need much! I ordered a bouquet, three boutineers and two wrist corsages. I am very excited; I''ll attach a picture of what the basic bouquet is. Mostly it''s wild, smelly herbs and flowers with some random white seasonal flowers thrown in! Perfect for our botanical gardens wedding... Hope the FI likes his weed boutineer.

-Hairstyle, um, almost!
My mom e-mailed me some pictures of me in my dress so I can at least take them to the hairdresser this weekend and have her work out some ideas with me.

-Social Security #, DONE!
I still have no idea where the original card is, but I found my old driver''s license with my SS# on it. The website for the state says this is perfectly acceptable!

-Guests, DONE!
I think I know everyone who is coming now...

-Favors, DONE!
I forgot I already made plans for this: we are donating some money for each guest to my SIL''s "Run for Life" cancer event the week after the wedding, in honor of FI''s father.

-Car Insurance, DONE!
All the mucky stuff straightened out.


Soooo.... I guess just loose ends now! And a program.

It''s getting so close now! Yay!

 

[Rube]

By the way, FI and I also got to meet up with my future SIL and see pictures of the sample "Tikal" cake, and it is really fun!

 

[njc]

Date: 7/27/2005 3:04:38 PM
Author: Rube

Hope the FI likes his weed boutineer.

HA! Did you tell him that?

I love your bouquet... i think its perfect! I forgot you have the crazy cake! So cant wait to see pics!

 

[Rube]

Who me? Tell him? Nah. My dad went with me today, and he asked if the boutineers were edible...

I think FI is more open minded though. He said he trusted me to pick out something a little different, and I think he said something about wild flowers.

 

[kaschmir]

hi rube,

your bouquet is wonderful. it is so special and beautiful... really extraodinary yet very sensual and delicate... great pick.

i am right there with you as far as the wedding stress goes - less than four weeks until THE day and still so many things to do like

- decide how to wear my hair, schedule trial appointment at salon for next weekend
- veil - to wear or not to wear

- find shoes for civil cermony (for some reason turns out to be extremely difficult)
- should i do my own make up and if so - how
- start must- and must-not-playlist for dj
- decide on first dance song (does anyone know a nice, classy song for a waltz apart from 'moon river'?)
- find inexpensive pashmina or shawl for dress in case it gets more chilly than expected
- find out how many vegetarians we have among our guests
- prepare for the pre-ceremony meeting (i.e., talk with FI about a 'theme' or a 'symbol' we could suggest, choose songs...)
- write and design ceremony program
- decide on car to take bride and groom to church (separately of course

)
- find gifts for my girlfriends to give them on my 'hen night' (next friday!!! yyyyiiikes!)
- have our names/date of wedding engraved (is that the right english word? excuse the german girl

) in wedding bands
- arrange for light snack to keep guests from getting tipsy during the champagne toasts

(--> usually the guests toast the couple right after the ceremony and before the reception for the first time)
- schedule manicure / pedicure / massage for FI and me
- figure out last name (MAJOR issue.

in germany, you can chose either the bride's or the groom's last name OR have a combination of both names like mr. smith and mrs. ryder-smith... - or even mr. smith-ryder and mrs. ryder... - usually a BIG topic of discussion among the couples...)
- etc. etc. etc.

maybe that doesn't sound too bad... it feels like a LOT to me done, though - and i'm sure i forgot tons of stuff. at times, i have difficulties falling asleep and since weeks the first thought in the morning is always the stuff that has not been done yet.

my remedy is to re-read that one article by 'sulla' ( i think it is called 'sullatips') and i think i have seen it on the knot. it is basically about how you should not forget that a wedding is about the feelings instead of decoration/flowers/arrangements and if you are to make it richer, you should make it richer in feelings, not in stuff. and that most guests will not notice the little 'flaws' or 'mishaps' and whether or not the MIL's shoe laces match the color of the centerpieces

as long as they can celebrate with a couple that is happy and at ease. this helps a little.

after reading this article - especially the aspect of the happy and at ease couple - , i have decided to get everything done at least by sunday before the wedding. otherwise i will be freaking out with all these decisions, errands, etc. and will be too exhausted to celebrate and enjoy the wedding. and i intend to savor every minute of it!!!

regards,
kaschmir

 

[njc]

5 and 6 days!

You still hanging in there good?

 

[Rube]

kaschmir- I think having everything done the Sunday before is a great idea! What a way to lower any last minute stress. Today is the Monday before for me, and I think everything is pretty well wrapped up, except a last minute confirmation of how many people are coming to the receptions, etc. (one the night before and one after the ceremony.)

And, FI and I just decided on the name thing last Friday.

I also love that you and you fiance are having the manicure/pedicure/massage thing done together. How relaxing!

njc- I''m hanging in! I seriously need to make a list though. I feel like everything is done, and I''m just sure it''s not!

How is it for you??

 

[kaschmir]

rube - it will all work out smoothly.

making a list is a very good idea. i know that uncomfortable feeling that there might still be things i keep forgetting about. this is the WORST. i find that once everything is written down, i feel better instantly, because i know what to do and there are no more annoying ''surprises'' to fear.

as i said, i am shooting for having everything done by august 28th - wait and see

. on the other hand, i hardly have any other choice since i know that otherwise i will freak out the days before and will be totally stressed during the wedding. this would be too bad. so i''d rather hang in there now and let go of my perfectionism as of week 34

. btw: please remind me should i still be hanging around here, stressing out then

just a couple of days for you and njc left now... you two must be sooo excited.

regards,
kaschmir

 

[Rockchick]

Almost there Rube and njc!!!!

I''m so excited for you!!

 

[njc]

Im hanging in there... sort of!

I feel like my list is growing instead of getting smaller, but things are getting done. The real stress for me has been work honestly, but today is my last day and i go home tomorrow to a ton of family and friends ready to help with all the last minute details!

kaschmir - I think its great that you want to have everything done so early. You really will be so stress-free and relaxed! That was my goal, but it really didnt happen... the nerve of work getting busy before my wedding!

 

[Rube]

njc- it will be nice to be off work a few days before the wedding! Looking forward to seeing smiling bride pictures when you return.

 

[Rube]

Alright, my fiance is the best.

He calls me during lunch, and I start listing off the things I accomplished for the wedding this weekend- which is why I assumed he called.

So I blabber on and on, and he pauses and says that he just called to say he missed me.

 

[njc]

Awww! How cute!!!

 

[kaschmir]

this is very cute indeed!

we have less than four weeks left and tons of stuff to do. so i was asking FI the other day how excited he was on a scale from 1 to 10 (with 1 being hardly exited and ten being... well obvious... i am rather at 13 or something

). his answer was "well, i'd have to say a two, maybe".

rofl !!!

njc, i am sorry to hear that you are so wrapped up in work right now. this is definitely a bummer and i hope you don't feel too overwhelmed. i am glad to hear you will have a couple of days off beforehand and friends and family to help you get the last things done. will keep my fingers crossed that you can relax a little as well.

regards,
kaschmir

 

[Rube]

njc- I like the gold star. I feel like I should buy him a sticker or something!

kashmir- in two more weeks, you''ll be at 20!

I''ll catch up with you all later, I am wrapping up the work week today and tomorrow, then all my attention goes to the out of town guests and last minute things!

Through the miracle of digital cameras, I hope to have some pictures for you all next week.

Congrats to njc, and happy planning to everyone else!

Rube

 

[njc]

Well, after wrapping up work and getting home, the stress level has dropped down to almost none. There is still plenty to do, but we have all day tomorrow and some of friday if i really need it!

Congratulations to you too Rube! Hope things continue to run smoothly!

Cant wait to see pics!