[Insert panic attack here]

Wedding Plan Introduction
I'm trying to plan our wedding.  I have some great support in planning this, but I've already thrown my hands up twice.  Let's  give a little bit of background on this, or some funny interpretations of what I take seriously, but have to laugh at so I don't crack.  Due to my scatter brain syndrome with the overload of information and thoughts on this topic, I have put headings for each.  You know, to help you out.

The Food

I signed on to this wedding site in order to help me.  It's a popular site that gives a ton of great advice.  Except when it comes to budget.  There really should be some options.  Do I really need to spend $235364546 on food if I am deciding to do a buffet rather than a sit down meal?  What if I decide to go extremely cheap and ask people to make it pot luck.  There are some people that are on the invite list that are phenomenal cooks.  My friend Sara makes a dip to die for.  My mom makes my favorite 'meal' for my birthday every year.  Spaghetti pizza. [Yeah, I said Spaghetti pizza.  That will be another blog, including recipe.]  Would it be fair to ask people to bring food rather than gifts?  I think it would be kind of hilarious, actually.  I did read that someone did it though, had a potluck dinner.  Personally, I think it's a great idea.  However my dad has offered to do the food [cook yes, maybe buy too!  I haven't asked. Oh, hi Dad! if you're reading this.] On my buffet menu I have macaroni and cheese and chicken fingers.  There will be kids there, and I'll be there.  My dad makes the best mac and cheese I've ever tasted.  No matter how I try, I cannot replicate it.  So he better start taking infinite life potions.  Rich was just talking about getting a mortar and pestle to put on our registry, I think he better get it sooner rather than later to start conjuring these potions for my dad.  So food is a big issue, I don't know what to put on a buffet, because I want it to be affordable.  Secretly, I would rather make a bunch of pizzas [put pineapple on mine please], or serve chips and dip. [My dad would love that!] 

Food is a huge part of the 'budget'.  So big that it has left me with $5 to buy a dress.  Not literally, but sort of.

The Budget

I have talked to all the vendors that I would like to sign on to 'my special day', all are on board.  I've picked my dress, Rich knows what he is wearing.  We know what Richie is wearing.  We have everything set, just in case we become millionaires over night to be able to afford this shindig.  Seriously, I did just make an expense sheet, and I'm ready to cancel the entire thing. And it isn't even that much.  Most people, I think, spend on average $10K on their wedding.  I want to do it in less than $5K.  Why?  Because that's what we average in taxes.  Silly, to plan a wedding on such a tight budget, but I'm such a frugal person that I need to make it as inexpensive as I can.  Can I clip coupons for my wedding?  The only vendor at this moment that requires a deposit is my DJ, and I've upped my package.  All my other vendors, [I'm talking locations, photography and etc] require payment the week of, practically.  All those funds will be paid when our taxes come in.  Then it will all be paid off.  It's do-able.  I'm just seeing the bottom line and it's making me extremely nervous.

The Wedding Channel

 Almost two weeks ago I had foot surgery.  Unrelated to the wedding.  However, I might be able to wear heels, but I won't wear heels because I'm taller than Rich.  I don't want him to be sad on "my special day".  Anyhow, while I was laying in bed one day I came across a wedding channel. I thought to myself "Oh yippie yay! A Wedding channel!"  It might have been a good opportunity to get ideas.  Secretly, I had hoped Martha Stewart had a program on there to give me some DIY ideas.  I think Martha Stewart is a genius, and if she contacted me tomorrow and said, "I want to do your wedding favors FOR FREE!" I would say "Martha, you do whatever you want!"  Sadly, I was stuck with these shows about the dreaded "Bridezilla".  Are they really serious?  I was so turned off, I turned off the channel and haven't turned it on since.  Last week [a week after surgery, actually] I ventured in to David's Bridal.

David's Bridal

I had ventured in to their store, unannounced, just to browse.  I had my perfect dress in mind.  I even had a seamstress that would build it for me!  Since I told Rich what my plan was, I'll just tell you too.  Our wedding is going to be a replica of Princess Peach's dress.  My intention was to try on the same sort of style to make sure it would look good on me.  So walking in there, or hobbling really, with my two Maids of Honor, a close friend of the family, and my mom after she picked up my Smoochy Poo from school, we started to browse.  Within ten minutes one of the ladies came up to me to ask a bunch of questions.  Then she asked me what I was afraid to hear. "Would you like to try on dresses?"  Panic.  Okay, but I don't know what to do after that. She signed me up with a consultant who picked out dresses for me.  Asked me my size, waited patiently for my mom to arrive, talked to me about my plans for my perfect special day.  Remember, I was at this point a week out of surgery.  Wrapped from my toes to my knee, on crutches.  They patiently waited on my every whim it seemed, and tried to get me to sit down and stay off my foot.  Helped me in and out of everywhere.  I tried on five dresses, which I won't describe due to Rich reading. [He's bound to read my blog, maybe because he's interested in what I have to write, or just in case I ask if he read it.]  I stuck with the first dress I tried on because I fell in love with it.  Enough said.  I had a talk to the consultant about Bridezillas, and inquired if she had ever come across one.  of course, she had.  She told me a thousands times in our three hour session how sweet I was, and how much of a pleasure I was to work with.  Must be my sunny disposition, the fact that I was not barking orders, my patients, or maybe it was the percocet.  Either way, I am pretty pleasant and decent to work with.  Except if you ask Rich, he will tell you I'm none of those things, because he hates to agree.  I even had my one MOH in tears all dolled up with the veil, the headpiece and the bouquet.  I can write that because she told me. Haha.  I think my mom might have gotten teary eyed.  The store manager came over and helped also, she had ideas, told me how beautiful I looked, helped wrap me up in the dress. [Which, by the way is two sizes smaller than what I wear.  How is that?!]  The other consultants all gave opinions on the dress also.  It was an extremely pleasant experience, and I would recommend them.  Especially after all the horrible things I've read and heard.  But, maybe I had a good experience because I was so easy going.  Who knows.  Either way, I'm getting my dress from them, and not having it hand made.

The End

How do I end a blog here?  Simple.  I just do.  I have to keep you on your toes waiting for more.

The Freakout

Was over the budget and the money.  While it's possible, it still feels impossible and it is making me very nervous.  Next week I will probably get ready to throw my binder away again.