...Long, Beautiful Hair...

I currently have crazy long hair. So much so that I feel like it's getting in my way. If I maintain its currently insane lengths, I can consider any of the above hairstyles. Clearly, we're looking at either a half up half down pulled back wavy number, or a low sleek bun-like thing with a flower. I'm leaning more towards the half up pulled back look. It's kind of messy sleek and not some kind of anti-gravity architectural feat that has to be pinned and sprayed into the stratosphere. The bun, however, does take me back to my ballerina days. Decisions, decisions...

All pictures from The Knot

A theme?! It's not prom!

Some wise words from my good friend Linda.

I never really got the idea of a theme. Unless you're really doing it up, like a pirate wedding or a Disney wedding, I just never got into it. Thinking about a cohesive theme that has to flow through the whole freaking event with coordinating colors and chachkis to match and elevate gives me a headache. It really does make me think of prom, and we all know how those turn out.
A while ago I got sick of thinking about it and told people my theme was going to be "Shit That I Like." I think it's a good idea. I think just incorporating shit that you like into your wedding will automatically make it personal, meaningful, fun, and beautiful. Take this picture from the Knot. Whoever posted this was so surprised that a wedding without a color scheme could actually *gasp* work. I love it because it falls into the shit I like category, as in "I don't care if it's periwinkle or cerise, just get some color in there." I think it's inviting, fun, and not formal or stuffy at all, which I care about.
Picture from The Knot

Andrew and I bought a Power Ball ticket today and were daydreaming about what we'd do if we won upwards of 200 million dollars. We talked about buying a house, paying off our student loans, making sure our families were financially secure, and taking month-long vacations. It wasn't until about an hour later that he said, "And we could get married!"
We laughed about how this was our final thought about what to do with a billion dollars, but then I thought maybe that was a bad thing.
Obviously to think of it dead last indicates that it's not as important as these other life goals and family, which means that our priorities are inthe right place. I don't think it means we don't care about getting married because we do, but not that much will change. It's not like we have to get used to living with eachother because we've been doing it for over 3 years. We already feel like we're living the way we would be if we were already married. Some days I just want to be married already and plan a party instead. Andrew talked me out of eloping a long time ago, but I still think about it.

Flower Alternatives and Additions

Thanks again, Young House Love, for having such great taste.

I love the color, airiness, and arrangement of these flowers, but what I love even more is the lovely jeweled flowers hiding in the middle. If you held these all in your hand or tied them together with a ribbon, wouldn't it make a stunning bouquet? The creator of this arrangement uses vintage pins, attaches them to wooden skewers or dowels with green floral wire, and wraps the whole "stem" with green floral tape. Here's a really easy DIY to do by yourself or with a group that doesn't require much time or the pressure of creativity, and the results are so beautiful. I'm also loving the reduce, reuse, recycle aspect of the whole thing. I'll have to remember this...

Weddings are Tree Killers

Photo via Regretsy.com

So, clearly I have a bias against stationary. It is very pretty and can help set the tone of the wedding, but I personally feel like Big Paper is cashing in on the purported need for menus, programs, the complicated package of 5 cards you get with every wedding invitation, seating arrangement cards (I don't even know what they're called), and all the other paper crap we are made to think we need because it's tradition. I hate thinking of all that wasted paper that will end up in a landfill.

One cool option that's been around for a while are those invitations made with seeds in the paper. Stick it in the ground to reduce, reuse, and recycle. I will be looking for ways to reduce the amount of paper I use, and probably investing in a wedding website of some sort to use for RSVP's.

In Praise of Being Engaged

This is a post I've been meaning to write for some time, but I've been collecting my thoughts until now. Seeing as how I've gotten a temporary reprieve from school work, here are my mojito-fueled thoughts about a long engagement, wedding planning during the engagement process, and stopping to smell the roses.
I am completely enjoying my long engagement. I am in grad school and working full time, and I can't begin to imagine how I would plan a wedding right now. I have to structure all my free time in order to get all my reading done as it is. Thinking about adding cake and food testings, DIY projects, touring venues, writing vows, etc to that makes me tired and it would suck all the joy out of the process. I am enjoying being an engaged person and everything that comes with it rather than someone planning a wedding. Most people I've seen get married in recent years follow the 8-10 month rule (as in 8-10 moths after the engagement there will be a wedding) and I'm sure this is by necessity in some cases. If I were in the throws of planning right now there would be a lot of ideas I would miss because of the time crunch, I would miss the opportunity to deliberate and think about what I really want, and worst of all I would miss being engaged! My missing sense of urgency contributes to my high level of comfort with our long engagement too. I am in no rush for any reason. I'm lucky in that respect.

I didn't think joining the world of engaged people would feel different, but it does. After a four year relationship and 3 years living together, I thought the only palpable difference would be having a ring on all the time. I don't know about you, but I felt immediately different in an excited and deliriously happy kind of way. Everything we had talked about was suddenly happening: lifetime committment, a public and legal expression of love/joining of our families, and building a life together. It's not that these things don't exist if you decide to start wedding planning right away, they totally do, I just think I would be missing out on this time with my intended to enjoy this moment in time and these wonderful feelings of anticipation, deep love, and comfort that I'm having. I have never been like this. I am always thinking 5 steps ahead, so jumping into planning would have been totally natural. I am not usually an in-the-moment kind of gal, so this is new for me...but nice.

I was finally spurred into action to write this post because of this video on Offbeat Bride. While there is definitely some good advice in there for the perpetually anxiety ridden bride, Ariel does say that this can be caused by a long engagement. I agree that having a year or more to mull over what people will think, are these linen colors right, do I have enough food, can drive you mad with worry. I think one answer to this dilemma is know thyself. If you are a worrier and can swing it, get married sooner rather than later. If you want time to think and collect information give yourself that time. That all sounds a little cut and dry, but starting from a point where you know you limits and can work around issues that will drive you crazy is probably a great place to start. Woulda, shoulda, coulda, right? I'm really determined to follow this "make a decision and stick to it" thing, which will also serve you well no matter what your personality is.
I am personally loving all this time I have to deliberate and just be. Anyone else love the long engagement?