Wedding Plans

So WOW - it has been a busy recent! Thankfully, wedding arrangements are coming together well and are almost complete (at least the major things). Our wedding day will be a neat example of the church truly working as a body - so many of the brethren have offered their gifts and time.

We're having the ceremony at a larger church so that everyone who would like to come, may. AND it sweetly has a center-aisle; I wouldn't have objected to a side one, obviously, but I like that it will be traditional this way. Just a bonus.

My grandmother (mom's mom) is going to make my dress. I brought her the pattern yesterday when we went to visit, and she is really glad to have a part this way. I'm excited, too - it will be special. We'll start that process at the end of May. It's so good to have family and friends involved in the details! So joyful.

A friend from church will make the cake for us (her husband volunteered her. :) I'll ask her about it today.

Beautifully simple and elegant is the feel we're going for. Nothing extravagant or distracting.

My mom will take the photographs, and we'll hire an assistant for her (possibly a student from the Art Institute) . I'm excited to have her be there for those moments - and also because I am completely comfortable with her. And she is a really beautiful photographer.

Wayne will hopefully drive us in his antique car. He hasn't found out yet if work will want to send him on assignment then, or if he will be home. I pray he is home. I can't imagine him not being at my wedding. The Lord's will be done.

Bridal Party...
My bridesmaids: Karissa is my Maid of Honor (yay!); Derek's two sisters: Sarah (20) and Nicole (25); sister-in-law Jessica (31); my two sisters Hannah (14) and Kari-Lynn (23).
Groomsmen: Derek's brother Jon is his best man (Jessica's husband); our good friend from church Evan (28?); my brother Heath (25); D's cousing Mike (30-something); friend from growing up Billy (25); and possibly cousin Matty (30-something).

We're having fun arranging seating plans - the goal is to mingle both families, as well as believers and unbelievers. We're not serving alcohol because we both have family members that will get out of control, so we want to take the opportunity to have a party that's fun without having to be drinking. Derek and I can easily dance without any intoxication - and we have friends and family that dance feely, too - so hopefully those that would normally need a relaxant will let their guards down and be silly without it.

D's cousin Mike is having one of his guys DJ for us - and he'll step in himself just because he loves doing it. I'm so looking forward to hearing the fun stories and whatever words shared from our guests. We'll probably watch the video years down the road and laugh our heads off. :)

We've booked a hall. Originally we were going to rent an Elk's Club function room and coordinate the food and servers and linen/table setting rentals... but I was frazzled and totally stressing about it, so we decided it would be worth the extra money to not have to worry about it at all. So the hall is taking care of all that, and the charge is far below the others we'd looked at.

So really what's left is to find bridesmaids' dresses, make invitations, register for house stuff, figure out centerpieces for the tables... Finish the seating plan (as much as it can be finished until everyone RSVP's). Plan and book our honeymoon. And find a home. That is a fun process. We were supposed to go look at a handful yesterday with our realator, but she had a death in the family. So we'll go next Saturday. We have a list to look at that are in the area, in our price range, and have the basics we're looking for. The Lord will provide exactly what we need. So we're having fun discovering what that is.

I'm marrying a sweetheart - sometimes I just can't even believe I get to marry him. :) It's so good. Thank You, Lord.