I love my man...

[anchor31]

J was here Friday and Saturday, and we had such a great time! He’d been here for barely five minutes on Friday and he looked at me and said “8 days”. I stared at him for about two seconds and then I almost went berserk on him!! Like I didn’t know there were 8 days left before June 24th, the Quebec national holiday before which Marcel (our jeweler) assured us the ring would be done… Argh! He said he doesn’t have insurance to cover it between the time he picks it up and he gives it to me (I’ll have it insured with my other personal possessions), so he’ll go pay it once he has the extra 630$ he has to save up and go see it, then he''ll go back later to pick it up once it''s time for the proposal. But he doesn’t want me to see it.

I told him I hope he doesn’t make me wait to long and he said something about no “nice dates” before August 31st. I reminded him that he had his holiday week in mid-July too, but that he can plan his thing as he likes. I have to let go of all this…

I told him about my mother’s offer to throw us an engagement party, and since he intended to invite our immediate families to the restaurant to ask for my parents’ blessing and re-propose in front of everyone after the private proposal, he said he’d plan something with both our mothers. At first we would probably have planned our engagement dinner together, but since my mom wants to be involved, J wants me out of the loop for that too.

I was naughty last week and I bought myself a bridal mag. I showed it to him and he laughed at me. He flipped through it and found Marcel André’s advertisement page (who says I’m the only one of us who likes sparklies?

). He commented on an engraved two-tone men’s w-band he thought was really cool, and on an intricate e-ring setting he said was nice for someone who wanted something original. I agreed, but said that mine was prettier, and he looked at me and said that none of those “little things” compared to my beautiful ring…

We also started talking wedding, about dates and venues and stuff. I got enough credits with my school transfer to finish school in two years as first planned, so he agreed that we can book our venues and set a date next year to get married in summer/fall 2008!! YAY! I’m so happy…

We’re both nature lovers and would love to get married outside, but we’re both Catholics and although we’re not regular church-goers, we believe in God and he told me he really really wants a Catholic priest to marry us… Unfortunately, I read in one of my mags that Catholic weddings can only take place inside a church, so I very much doubt a Catholic priest would agree to do it outside. I’m a bit bummed because I had this dream garden wedding vision where we could have the ceremony and reception at the same venue, and I’d found such a lovely place! But I do love my pretty little childhood church, and I guess maybe we could have our reception at this venue I like. And I am glad that this means we’ll have pre-marital counseling, because the church requires it. My dear FF is a very traditionalist person, so I guess I should have expected as much. I just hope he’ll still agree to find ways to make it our wedding, you know? I wouldn’t want tradition to dictate everything to the point where we get to have a wedding that’s pretty much just like “everyone else’s”. I don’t think we’ll ask for a full mass though; I’d really like to have a “short and sweet” ceremony.

So, we’re booking the church next spring! And since we’ll have an indoor wedding, I think I’d like to have it in the fall. I love fall with all the autumn colours we have here, and having the summer to finish the planning after my graduation might help. I’m so excited to start planning next year… I can’t wait to go dress shopping!

Oh, and we talked about the “cake in the face” thing (see the BWW forum for details). He thinks it’s stupid. That’s good, because so do I!

Anyway, with all this I’ve got engagements and weddings on my mind pretty much and I had three engagement and wedding-related dreams last night!

No bid news for now, but I thought I’d share the progress with you ladies… I’m so thrilled!

 

[allycat0303]

Anchor...Heehee... I think you''re going to be married before I am. Counting down until the ring. Funny enough I actually called your jeweler last week to ask for a quote on the setting. Very reasonable actually, and he was very nice.

 

[anchor31]

Hey ally!

How are you now that exams are over? I''m starting a new summer job in my field of study (yay! I don''t exactly like my cashier job...) in Montreal at the Eco-quartier Pointe-aux-Prairies on June 27th, so it''d be nice if we could go to dinner sometime!

I agree, the setting''s price is very reasonable... As J puts it, it''s the rock that''s expensive!

Oooh... I can''t wait to see it done! If you don''t mind my asking, are you thinking about changing your setting?

 

[RoseAngel04]

YAY Congrats Anchor! You're a lucky girl! I/I'll have no idea when or if the ring is purchased or what it will look like. Granted we have gone ring shopping several times and he def knows my style, but I won't know anything really until the moment he "pops the question." Personally for us this is better bc we are both BIG surprise people so....

I bet you can't wait! I just realized that our anniversaries with our FF are very close to one anothers..not the same year I don't think but same month. Our is August 13, 2002!

Congratulations again and I hope the time flies by for you!

 

[bee*]

how exciting to have that talk! Today was the first day that D and I went to look at rings and I am so happy. We are not planning to get engaged until next summer but he has been mentioning getting engaged lots and how he is looking forward to it and he was saying about dates next year that we might get engaged-so exciting! Our seven year anniversary is in 3 weeks and he is busy planning a trip for that-maybe Amsterdam-so I am generally in a great happy mood too

 

[anchor31]

Thanks RoseAngel04, Virginia and bee*. I''m so excited!

I just told my mother that we''re going to have a Catholic wedding after all and she''s thrilled! She even thought we were going to meet with the priest to set the date this summer...

I can''t tell you how amazing it feels that my mom is excited about J and I getting engaged and married; I''d been so worried she''d freak out and tell us to wait!

Rose - Our anniversary in August 31st 2003, so it''s going to be our third this year. We met on January 3rd and saw each other for 8 months before officially starting to date. We''ve been long-distance at different degrees (1 hour for 1½ years, 5 hours for the other 1½ year) all this time, but we''re finally going to live in neighbouring towns in September, and then move in together next summer.

 

[sumbride]

Anchor -

I have a friend who was actually able to find a priest that allowed him to have a Catholic wedding outside... it took him a lot of work to find him, but he was able to and they were married outside. Of course, this was in Maryland, so I can''t really give you a referral.... I always wondered why Catholic weddings must be indoors... I''m not Catholic but I don''t think you can get much closer to god than being outside. Rules are rules, but check around. You MIGHT be able to find somebody.

good luck!
sum

 

[anchor31]

THANK YOU so much, sum!! Thank you, this really gives me hope. Because I''m in total agreement with you, nature to us in God''s greatest creation and marrying out of doors would be the most wonderful way to honour Him... I''ll definitely look around and not stick to my parish priest if he says no.

I knew a "younger" (he''s probably in his fourties now) priest in a neighbouring parish who does have a more open mindset and he preached at my High School when I attended... I wonder if he still does it. Anyway, I went to play the trumpet once at his service, and I''d never seen so many teens at mass before! He really knew how to reach everyone. So I''ll definitely be giving him a call (if he''s still there of course); he might just be the one we''re looking for.

 

[sunkist]

That is so exciting, Anchor!

Eeee! Those talks with your BF are the best, and I think they will only be topped by the actual proposal

have fun!

 

[diamondfan]

Congrats and good luck. I would think it would be possible to find just one priest willing to do the ceremony outside...as you said, nature is God''s creation and so stunning, and I would think (not being Christian so forgive the ignorance) that it would be reasonable to incorporate nature and the greatness of being outside into your day...I hope it works for you! Hope to hear more and see the ring and hear the proposal story!

 

[allycat0303]

Anchor: No setting change, my ring is still being held and hasn''t returned yet. I was looking for a custom setting for my mom. They gave us a price of $500 which was the by far the lowest price we got. However, my mom fell in love with another ring, so I have to get it for her, although the setting is much more expensive.

No, I won''t be getting a setting change, because the setting was much too expensive ( very close to the price of the stone!). If anything we have endlessly talked about an totally new stone. Our only issue is what we would do with this ring...my boyfriend is attached to it and wants to keep it. I think it''s a horrible waste of money and we should trade it in. And I can''t stomach the price of a new stone if we aren''t trading this one in. Basically I''m totally unhappy with the situation.

But blah. I think the Jardin de Botanique is an awesome place to have a wedding, but these churches in Quebec are gorgeous, gorgeous, so I don''t see how you can go wrong. My boy and I went through this, we had plans (we wanted April 27) for our 12 year anniversary together, and then went crazy picking out a venue with lots of flowers in the gardens, only to realize that there AREN''T any flowers in April. And I think the premarital conselling is a really good thing. What city is your little church in? When we went church hunting, we looked at nearly all of them. If you could do a reception in the Jardin Botanique, that would rock. I think it''s an unusual venue...in any case, I don''t know anyone that''s ever had it there.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Yay! Things are getting closer even still! How exciting that he''s so excited that he''s counting down the days, too. Cuteness! I''m glad you had an awesome weekend with him. Yay!

 

[anchor31]

sunkist, diamondfan and fisher - Thanks! Have I told you how much I''m excited yet?

ally - Ack, I''m sorry you''re unhappy with your ring situation... I really hope you can resolve it and both be happy.

Yes, the Jardin Botanique would be a beautiful place to get married! I live in the Laurentians, in a small town called Prévost, and we have a very pretty church.

Church exterior

Church interior (sorry the pictures are so dark... it''s much prettier in person!)

The dream venue I found in Mont-Gabriel... It''s gorgeous and very close to where I live. I love those trees and those mountains, I was brought up with them so they mean a lot to me.

Ceremony

Reception

I love the warm country house feeling... I''d love to have the reception there even if we have the ceremony in my church!

 

[caligal]

Anchor- I was smiling ear to ear reading your post this morning! YAY for you two!!

How exciting it is so close now!

 

[allycat0303]

Anchor,

Love the gorgeous church. I found my dream church except it''s protestant so SCRATCH that one! I didn''t know you had changed your dream place to Mount Gabriel. I can''t off the top of my head remember where that is.....I''ve heard of it, but I don''t think I''ve ever been there. I remember you saying you''re going to have about 50 guests? It sounds sweet,...although I''d have a nervous breakdown over weather. We had rain, rain, and now this blazing, crazy heat! My boy fell in love with St Hilaire, with a place by the water. I pretty much nod to whatever he says, because honestly, I''m lazy, don''t want to plan and I''m just not that into it.

Aren''t you gettng your ring this weekend????? I remember you saying that you would have it by St Jean Baptiste Day. Hopefully, he will propose ASAP so you don''t have to wait. It''s all so exciting, I swear I get more worked up over other people''s plans etc., then my own. As for the ring situation, well I honestly don''t think I can ever be happy with the situation, but I''m starting to brew ideas in my head

. We''ll see if I find the situation intolerable enough to act.

 

[anchor31]

Oops, sorry, it''s Mont St-Gabriel. It''s one of the ski resort mountains near St-Sauveur. I love the Jardin Botanique, but this place is much closer to home and I''m very attached to the Laurentians, so when I found it I fell in love!

No, I''m certainly not getting my ring next week-end. Marcel assured us it''ll be ready by the 24th, but J has a bit of extra money to save up because we went a little over our budget. He said he''ll go pay for it and see it as soon as he has the money (I''m guessing in less than a month), and then I don''t think he intends to propose before August 31st ("no nice dates before that", he said), so I probably have another 10 weeks and 3 days to wait. 10 weeks... I''m starting to wonder if I can survive that! Unless he decides that he can''t wait to give it to me once if sees it (crossing fingers and toes!

) and gives it to me once he''s on holiday. We''ve been talking about going somewhere on a little getaway on July 21-23, so maybe... Oy, I''m going mad, here!

 

[allycat0303]

10 weeks!!!! Oh I WOULD DIE. I didn''t think it would be that long. I''m probably not helping you here. Well at least you have the PS ''ers to keep you sane.

 

[anchor31]

I''ve been doing okay so far... But once he sees it he probably won''t be able to keep his mouth shut and it''ll be torture! I''m really, really, really, hoping he''ll propose sooner!! If we do go on a 3-days getaway in five weeks (yikes, we should book a room right now!), it''d be really nice.

 

[sk8rjen]

Anchor -- LOVE all 3 places you posted, but cannot get over how BEAUTIFUL the outdoor site is! I hope you find your outdoor priest -- I''ve never heard of a catholic priest doing a ceremony outdoors before, but hopefully times have changed a bit...

You should definitely take a little 3 day vacation in July

That''s all my upcoming weekend trip is, but we took a cruise last year and plan to be married in Hawaii next year, so between those and the ring being way way overbudget, we have no $ for playing! So we are only going to Tunica, Mississippi -- a place best known for its casinos, but it''s also on the Mississippi river so there''s riverboat tours, etc.... Anyway, I''ve never been there, so it''s new to me, and I''m totally happy being able to go ANYWHERE this year, even for a few days. It also presents a nice opportunity for a proposal

So I think you should totally go for it

jen

 

[akw94]

Anchor,
How exciting! You really are very close now, although i''m sure each day is still tough. I''m glad everything is working itself out for you. I hope you can find a way to have the ceremony outdoors like you prefer. The pic''s are very pretty of the locations.

Good luck!!

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Both look like GREAT places, Anchor. I like that both mean a lot to you, due to history and all that. Cute! And is that a stone fireplace I saw? I''m such a sucker for stone! Wow girl, you''re going to be a mrs-to-be in no time flat! Whoo Hoo! Yay for you and J!!!

 

[laine]

Date: 6/18/2006 11:20:19 PM
Author: sumbride
I have a friend who was actually able to find a priest that allowed him to have a Catholic wedding outside... it took him a lot of work to find him, but he was able to and they were married outside. Of course, this was in Maryland...
sum

Sumbride--
Where in MD was this? Do you have anymore information about the priest? I''m looking to get married in my parents backyard in MD, and would love to have the ceremony done by a Catholic priest. Feel free to email me rather than hijack: lob105(at)psu(dot)edu
Thanks!

 

[sumbride]

Date: 6/19/2006 5:48:20 PM
Author: laine

Date: 6/18/2006 11:20:19 PM

Where in MD was this? Do you have anymore information about the priest? I''m looking to get married in my parents backyard in MD, and would love to have the ceremony done by a Catholic priest. Feel free to email me rather than hijack: lob105(at)psu(dot)edu

Thanks!

Laine- I''ll email you. I''ll have to ask him who it was because I hadn''t met him yet when it happened (my boyfriend''s best friend) but we were talking about it just a few weeks ago.

and Anchor - That garden site with the mountains... wow, that''s worth a search for someone "openminded"! Good luck!

Sum

 

[laine]

Anchor--
I just looked at your pictures, that reception site is beautiful! I love the combo of the rustic with the big windows/sunlight. My vote would be for the outdoor ceremony too, but the church looks pretty too if it can''t happen.

Good luck searching for an open minded priest. I wonder if someone would do it if you told them you don''t want the full catholic mass, just a priest officiating your ceremony (which is exactly what I want when the time comes; BF and I were both raised catholic, but arent really practicing, so I''d feel funny with a full mass, but I know it would mean alot to both families to have a priest as the officiant).

Anyway, good luck!

 

[anchor31]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, everyone!

I am coming to terms with the idea of getting married in my little church, but I will definitely be doing a lot of research to have a priest marry us at Mont St-Gabriel! I really adore the place.

And I booked a 3-day camping getaway for us at the Mont-Tremblant National Park July 21-23!! I love camping; my family and I used to go on those trips where we''d take the canoe across to an island in the middle of a lake and camp there for a few days... Just us, the trees and the stars. Did I say I''m a big nature lover?

J''s looking forward to it to; although he''s never done primitive camping, he does loves camping and nature too. I think it''s hilarious that "camping sauvage" in French translates to "primitive camping" in English... Anyway, it''s very close to a beautiful lake for canoe and swimming, great hicking trails, so there might be awesome places for a proposal!

I shoudn''t get my hopes up though... He''s been saying for months that he wouldn''t pick up the ring before late July (he first intended to ask the jeweler to make it by that date), and I really think that he''s pretty set on August 31st... But you never know, don''t you? He did tell me that he''s getting his overtime pay at the end of this month and that he''d go pay and see the ring as soon as he has the extra money he has... And I did plant the "proposal-during-his-summer-holidays-week" idea in his head on Saturday. So... we''ll see.