Plan a very simple, beautiful, and meaningful wedding

was a total success. It was simple, beautiful, and meaningful. Everyone seemed to have a great time, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I’d say this goal was fully accomplished! I will post something more detailed later when I have had more sleep and am feeling up to it.

a herculean effort – more work than I expected. I ended up making some things more complicated than I thought I would, too, but in a way that was, at least, meaningful to me.

The wedding is in 8 days. There is still some execution of details to be done in the next week, but most of the planning is complete. I’m sure it will be simple, beautiful, and meaningful. I am mostly calm and happy… Enjoying this time very much.

We leave in 8 days. We will be married in 15 days.

Holy. Crap.

I’m not that stressed about the wedding. I am stressed about not getting enough work done before we leave to prepare for fall semester, and I’m stressed about leaving my yoga classes. And I feel generally crappy because I haven’t been taking great care of myself. Looking forward to having my life back – with a difference. :)

Today we learned that my fiance’s step dad is very ill. His cancer is beating him again, and he not only will not make it to our wedding, but he may well pass away before we can be married.

I am very, very sad. I don’t know D very well, but I have come to love and respect him. I think C was somewhat prepared for this (and/or he is just being stoic about it in a manly way) but he kind of glossed over how serious things were and I thought D was getting better.

It is giving me a whole new perspective on the wedding. I was getting irritated with people… perhaps with some justification, since C’s entire family is being disorganized and therefore most of them are in doubt as to whether they will be able to attend, and they keep changing plans and several do not have tickets or accommodation even though it is now three weeks away… But I am now realizing that what is important is C and me, getting married. We had originally wanted to elope, and while I’ve put a ton of time into arranging things for the guests and giving them lots of extras, since they’re going to so much expense to get there, the fact is that what has always mattered to us is that we are getting married. And probably our biological parents will all be there and meet, even if no one else makes it. :) And anyway marriage is not just about the good times. It is not about having the “perfect” wedding. It is not about appearances. It is about standing together and supporting each other through tragedy as well as joy, through frustration and disappointment as well as when dreams come true.

That is simple, beautiful, and meaningful. In three weeks, we will get married, probably with both joy and sadness in our hearts. And all is as it should be in the universe.

We are just over 3 weeks out, and four more people cancelled. My fiance’s sister is coming without her hubby and kids. She is also missing the brunch, and two others may as well. The size of our wedding has shrunk immensely!

It’s too bad and we will miss those who can’t come – and also it is difficult because we have planned for rentals, food, shuttles, etc. for twice as many guests as we now have. And we have planned for carpools for fewer people. Also there are still three guests who don’t know if they’re coming…

It is simpler, I suppose. And it will not touch our beautiful and meaningful day _{even though we will miss all these folks who will not be there.}

there is calm. There are still many things to do, but I feel ready and I’m not worried about the completion of these things. They will get done or not. In four weeks, we will be with our families, getting ready to say our vows. I feel really good about it. Even though some things have not gone as we hoped, in particular some of the people who are very important to us who cannot attend, still I believe these words will describe our wedding: very simple, beautiful, and meaningful. I think it will be a wonderful day.

as there are under 6 weeks to go!

Things are starting to come together really well, although there is still quite a lot of uncertainty in some areas.

Figure out what needs to be worked out still with the vendors in terms of food and rentals.

• Sort out details for caterer and rentals, and confirm with vendors
• Make lists of needs for reception decorations, ceremony decorations, favors/ welcome bags, reception entertainment & other items
• Transportation schedule
• Wedding weekend schedule, especially hike
• Work on program and get program stationery
• Get back to crafting – make a list and schedule
• Get liquor license & liability or make arrangements to do so later

today. It went well. I like how the dress is going to look with the alterations and bustle. It is costing too much, but I’ve accepted it.

Afterwards I went to Old Navy and picked up a dress I already own in navy. I got the white one this time. I’m a teensy bit annoyed with myself because I actually would be perfectly happy getting married in this dress from Old Navy, which was on sale and cost me $17. Yes, it was made in a sweat shop, but so was my wedding gown (which cost $350 and then had to be altered for nearly $300 more). Sigh. I just wish a little bit that I’d stuck to my principles and trusted my original instincts about the dress… but the gown is beautiful and now that I have it, can’t be returned, so I might as well get it altered to fit, wear it, and enjoy how beautiful it is on this special occasion. :)