My Wedding Hindsights

Recently, I have been asked by a local paper from my husband's hometown to contribute some ideas about my experience with the wedding planning process. We were married just under a year ago and the article asked for my thoughts on several areas of planning and what I might have done differently in hindsight. It was a short questionnaire and one that was pretty basic, but I figured why not post my thoughts here and let you all see a snip-it of my thoughts - before they get edited by the paper!

1. What did you learn about the planning process that you wish you'd known earlier?
There are lots of ways to cut costs and still have a beautiful wedding. Finances can be very stressful during the planning process, and it can be overwhelming to think of doing things yourself, but by enlisting the help of knowledgeable friends and family you can really make some gorgeous DIY pieces for your wedding. For example, rather than buying flower centerpieces for tables, grow your own seeds and flowers in a backyard garden and make your own arrangements, create your own programs using a local office supply printing store, write a thank you note to your guests in place of a favor (use pretty paper!), have someone sew a garter for you instead of buying a new one, or rather than purchasing colored table linens from a caterer, go to a discount fabric store and buy yards of fabric in your wedding color; a quick hem on the sides will make beautiful runners to jazz up a plain white tablecloth. Oh - and spray paint always works to make a quick change on a basket or flowerpot that you may already have in storage. Instead of immediately buying, consider how you can make each aspect of what you want...you'll be surprised how easy some of it can be.

A few of the DIY projects we did - programs, favors, goodie bags, and cake toppers.

My mom grew all the plants for our reception centerpieces and turned our porch into a greenhouse!

2. What was the best way to get the groom involved in the planning?
Have a quick conversation and ask him to list the things he cares the most about. Likely it will be the menu, music, honeymoon, and possibly his attire, but you may be surprised at what he wants to provide input about. If he shows a strong desire to help on one particular thing, say, the Save the Date options, let him do it. Even if he's happy with one small part, his overall attitude will be much easier to work with and he'll feel like he can lay claim to something HE did for the wedding. And a quick tip - don't hound him for advice on something he clearly has no interest in; serisouly, he doesn't care and you should just roll with it!

3. How did you stay calm and balanced during the whole stressful process?
I just reminded myself over and over that of course, if something can go wrong, it will. And it did. At the end of the day, if dirt was on my dress, my nails chipped, the flowers wilted - or whatever - I was still getting married to the man I love more than anything in the world, and that's all that actually matters. The rest are just minor details that most people won't even notice or remember. My favorite quote of the wedding week - "I'm too blessed to be stressed."

4. If you had to plan your wedding all over again, what's one thing you would try not to worry about as much?
I wouldn't ask for so many opinions from people about my "non-traditional" ideas. I worried about what people would think about doing things slightly different than usual - such as wearing colored heels and multiple necklaces with my dress or having two flower girls who were both 23 years old! I loved both of those aspects of my wedding and wouldn't have had it any other way, but I was so worried other people would think I was crazy...oh well!

5. Is there anything you forgot to do, or chose not to do, that you wish you did?
In hindsight - I wish I would have cut my guest list when I had the chance. One by one the guest list would grow bigger and bigger to the point where we were so stressed out a week before the wedding that our reception site would be too small to handle the guests. I wanted our 200 guest wedding to be a little smaller and more intimate, but I was too worried about hurting other people's feelings that I let it get a little out of control.

6. What's the one best piece of advice you have for soon-to-be newlyweds?

Seriously consider signing up for marriage counseling before the wedding. Although we were a little skeptical about doing it, we actually had a great time once we got there. It provides a platform for discussion topics that you might not address on your own and you'll likely learn something about your fiance that you didn't already know. I highly recommend it!

Around the Country in 30 days

Being unemployed certainly has it's advantages. You can sleep in late, wear your pajamas all day if you want to, watch trashy tv at odd hours and catch up on the little things you always swore you'd get to one day. But possibly the best part about the freedom that comes with the lazy days, is the ability to travel.

I began my travels nearly a month ago and have had the pleasure of spending my days with some of my favorite groups of people from all walks of life. To kick start my May adventures, JJ and I boarded an AMTRAK train at DC's Union Station and roared into Penn Station in New York City, NY. It was JJ's first time there and my third visit, and the city was alive and buzzing just as you'd expect. Our hotel was right along 44th and 7th (or somewhere near there) and we were steps away from Times Square and the heartbeat of the tourist attractions. And tourists we were as we drug our tired feet up and down the city avenues in search of Ray's Pizza, the ESPN Zone, Central Park, Chinatown, Little Italy, the WTC Memorial, and a million tiny stops in between.

Two highlights of the trip for our memories (but not for our wallets) were our big nights out. On the first night, we took the subway up to the new Yankee Stadium for JJ's pick where we saw the first ever Yankees vs. Red Sox game under the lights of the new facility. It was an historical game, albeit was devoured by a rainy onslought of downpours and delays which cumlinated in a two hour delay and a 1am closing pitch. But the $20 ponchos and the $8 hot dogs were worth it as we sat bundled together in the rain making a memory as a young, crazy couple out in the big city ready for anything. The second night - was my night.

I was dying to see a Broadway play and although there are many options to choose from, WICKED jumped out to the both of us as something we couldn't leave NYC without seeing. So we bought our tickets and tredged through the rain to see what all the fuss was about. It was the time of our life. It was fantastic, magical, and so worth the money. From the stage design and songs to the monogrammed sippy cups we drank our cocktails out of, it was one of the most incredible experiences I've had and I can officially say, I am now hooked on Broadway. Stick a fork in me...I'm done. I can never go back to anything less.

When our final day in the city had passed, JJ boarded his train back to Washington, DC and I hopped on a plane bound for Atlanta to meet up with my college girls for a Cinco de Mayo reunion at Lake Hartwell. It's a tradition we've relished in for the past few years and one we may not have again as the ring leader of the trip, Spacey, is off to a new adventure in her life - a move to the great state of Alaska. It was a bittersweet vacation, as of course it was filled with gossip and laughs but it was a going away party for Spacey and a tribute to how much we're all changing post college.

There is an unexplainable bond that we share that possibly only the lake understands. We nag and pick each other apart and laugh when we have shortcomings and we are big fans of the "call-out" move to call each other's bluff. But we hug each other even harder, we cry with each other's pain, and we are one another's biggest fans. Our memories keep us together, and our ambitions keep us moving forward. Reunion weekends help remind us why we're the best of friends, and they always stand to make the investment of time and money worth it all.

After nearly a week away I was excited to return home, see my puppy and JJ, and crawl in my own bed. But it was short-lived as we were bound for the road yet one more time. After two long years of working toward my MBA, my graduation had finally arrived and it was time for me to receive my hood in my cap and gown. My parents drove in, my in-laws and friends came, and my husband was by my side - all cheering me on for this accomplishment and milestone in my life. I must admit; I was proud. I was excited, nervous, and glowing with a sense of completion that I had acheived a goal in my life that I always thought I might reach.

To cap off the weekend, I drove another 200 miles to Myrtle Beach, SC to place another stamp on a defining moment in a friend's life - a bachelorette party. Now, much of the details I will omit to keep those involved innocent, but it was a great time of fun, sun, and lots of laughs as we let loose at the beach and toasted to a good friend taking the long walk down the aisle. Heath deserved it...every minute of it! And it was exactly the type of "going away" party you would expect for her single days. From the bottom of my heart I love you, Heath, and wouldn't have missed it for the world! Cheers to you, and the new Mr. and Mrs. Love.

So now here I rest, back home in the comforts of my dorm...eh, apartment, only to find that yet again we have a few busy weeks to come. As the details unfold, be assured you can read it all here, but as a preview, our summer looks to be filled with sports camps, job discoveries, weddings, vacations, our first anniversary, and a new place to call home.

Big doors will open as we close a few small windows, but we're happy, hopeful, and wide-eyed - ready for anything. It's good to be us, good to be breathing. Over and Out.

Falling Off the Blog Wagon

The month of May seems to have passed me by faster than my skinny fingers can blog of all the experiences I've been having...(shocking, I know). But the truth is just that. I could have been spotted in five different states, planes, trains, cars, and lakes, rivers, and quads all in the last 18 or so days. I have finished graduate school, had a college reunion, been to NYC, played in the river with my dog, and will now be venturing off to the great state of South Carolina in Myrtle Beach for a bachelorette party weekend with my high school besties.

I literally can't keep up with myself, much less my blog. So yes, as I have disappointed my mother by not posting more information about my travels thus far, I promise to provide a full re-cap upon my Memorial Weekend return. Sorry, blogosphere...please forgive Nook Fiction.

Stay Tuned!

Exhausted and Thrilled

I've been having an amazing time in New York City with JJ! We've done so much in our short three day trip to the Big Apple and have loved every second....(well minus a tiny mishap at H&H Bagels). We've seen The Yankees, Broadway, Ray's Pizza, and lots of crazy people. This trip has certainly lived up to our expectations!

I'm leaving for Atlanta tomorrow morning and plan to write all about our experiences when I return to Virginia next week. Stay tuned for our wild tales from the streets of New York to the lakehouse dock in the sun.

Can't wait to tell you all about it!