A Little More Calm Today

I actually found some venues that are workable in Manhattan, so I can breathe a little bit easier. They're still not cheap since they're in Manhattan, but I'm determined to have our wedding in Manhattan even if it kills me.

Some more questions (yes I already bought the stupid Bridal Bargains book, but I still couldn't find the answers to these!):

1. Is it appropriate to just hand-address invitations? Do I really need to get them done by a calligrapher or printed on? Can I just stick address labels on them?
   
2. What can I decorate with that won't make me sick? (I'm talking "sick" in a literal sense, I'm allergic to flowers.)
   

Some More Questions

I have actually done a lot of planning, not because I want to but because as soon as we pick a venue, I can stop thinking about this whole thing for a few more months and you know, actually enjoy being engaged.

Both my mom and my gay BFF at work had the same reaction when they found out how much I've done - "I'm so proud of you!" I guess this is the only time they can enjoy my girly side.

So now, some questions:

1. What exactly is wedding insurance and do I need it?
2. How do you guesstimate the number of attendees? Isn't it something like a percentage of all invitees?
3. Why do all wedding invitations have an inner envelope? This seems really crazy to me.
4. Is anyone going to frown on me if I laser print my invitations? Because, when I receive yours, I write the details down and then throw it away.

We've Just Set the Date, and I'm Already Behind

According to The Knot, I already have 11 items overdue. While envisioning my daaaay and possibly begin scouting out a gown I guess is important at this stage, I think that the Meeting of the Parents is the most important thing.

And, man, Manhattan is expensive. I am determined to have this whole shindig in New York City (I'm open to Brooklyn sites also) in the cheapest way possible, and I'm already getting a headache. So far I haven't found anything less than $110 per head, and that includes taxes and gratuities.

Keep calm.... keep calm.....

Since I'm Getting Battered For This Information...

I never got a chance to elaborate on the Ring. I love it. I crazily love it.

I originally didn't want a ring because of all the violence and greed associated with diamonds, but since it's inherited I figure I'm okay with that.

I've been trying to get a picture of it, but photographing jewelry is possibly the most difficult thing to do with a digital camera.





It is an antique ring that has been in Dude's family since the 1800's. Dude inherited it from his grandmother, and previously the ring was owned by the Dude's grandfather's great aunt. The center diamond is European cut, which apparently was the predecessor to the brilliant cut, and is very very sparkly. On each side, there are two smaller European cut diamonds. The band is white gold. On death or divorce, it must be returned to Dude's family.

I also have a matching wedding band, which has 5 European cut diamonds about the size of the smaller diamonds on the engagement ring.

I love love LOVE it! It's totally my style, not too flashy, very sentimental, and best of all... FREE!

Things I Hate About This Process

1. Must-have lists
2. Bridal magazines
3. Ugly expensive dresses
   

So Grateful

I am so overwhelmed at the response to our engagement (like, even more so than the last time I said it). In this past week we've had 4 bottles of champagne, one of which led to a really piss poor job of packing for this trip, another of which was sent to our hotel room by my boss. I also got a bamboo plant from my future in laws, sent to my cubicle at work. This is all very crazy to me, and I think the drama of wedding planning is starting... but at least it will have to wait until we get back.

Crazy Wedding Questions, Part 1

1. We live in a non-doorman building in Manhattan. We have a lot of trouble getting packages... usually Fedex and UPS will not even leave a notice on the door, and just send me an email saying they will come back tomorrow until they eventually send packages back or one of us stays at home. Clearly, we can't be sitting around at home waiting for registry gifts. What do we do? Do we get a mailbox at the post office or at Mailboxes Etc.?
2. Do we need a contract to get a photographer to do engagement photos?
3. Do we need contracts for everything?
4. Some of my best friends are my roommates from college, who are all guys. Is it okay to invite them to the bachelorette party, or is it creepy? I feel like not inviting them would be a slight, and they're not great friends with Dude.
   

Wow.

I have to be honest here... I'm very overwhelmed at the response after we announced our engagement. It's not that I'm not grateful or happy, it's just that we've been together for five years, and this was a long time coming. We've had so many discussions on our hypothetical home and nonexistent children that the whole thing is really just a formality at this point. I don't even like weddings, I love going to celebrate the unions of my friends, but I hate the tradition and the hooha surrounding these. I'm also not a planner, I spend so much time running around and planning at work that doing it at home makes me feel ill.

But, I realize that this is an important day that should be shared with all of our family and friends, and to leave them out would just be cruel and selfish, and neither I nor he want to do that.

We are going on vacation this weekend to celebrate our engagement and 5 wonderful years together, and after that we're fully prepared to jump in head first and get this thing going. We need help, in more ways than one.

Hello!

We just got engaged and have no idea what to do, but check back again and hopefully we'll pull it together.