Life update: I’m drowning in wedding information.

Ryan brought me home in the 18-wheeler about two weeks ago after proposing and having one of the best weeks of my entire life. Since then, I’ve been up to my eyes in wedding planning, and let me tell you, it is not for me.

While I always prayed for a husband, I never looked at wedding stuff, and at the moment, I’m not sure if that is good or not. We are trying to plan our wedding around ski season as that is where we would go for a honeymoon, and me and the idea of snow (FINALLY, THE THRIFT STORE SNOW SUIT!) is not budging on that. I always dreamed of certain people being there to witness the marriage I prayed for years, but reality is I cannot invite everyone. I compromised and currently knocked my list down to 30 which is JUST the closest family and friends I have, not including anyone else or their kids! “There is no point in sending invitations because nobody is invited!!”

The stress was getting to me so we even tried an exclusive elopement with a handful of people like my dad and his parents, but the icy conditions would not be wise for travelers and Brent and a best friend would not make it. I’ve researched almost every venue and restaurant and as soon as you add the word wedding it instantly goes up at least $3,000. This rapid changing wedding planning style best describes our relationship and the way it started.

The best friend who would not make it to Colorado told me just because people were there for me on my journey did not mean they had to go to my wedding. Me, with tears: “Yes, it does!”

In two weeks I have grown to hate the wedding industry. I’ve never looked into anything and now that I am in it see how dumb it is! One lady (an angel) I ran into at one of the venues asked what I wanted and I said a destination wedding. Ryan and I are not party people; that is what a wedding ends up being, a party for other people. I do not need a party or any extra stuff, but after going back and forth with ideas, I’d like some people to be there. Everything wedding is either in your backyard or it costs ten million dollars. I have no idea why feeding a group of people is so difficult.

After some thought last Sunday I told Ryan I finally did something I hadn’t been: I asked God what He wanted me to do. I’ve been ripping through idea after idea never consulting Him on His idea for me. I stopped stressing and went to sleep. The next day I went to a sample sale my cousin Emily told me about. A girl she went to high school with owns her bridal shop in Denham Springs called Natasha Marie Bridal which is about two hours away from New Orleans. It was a start, and I don’t know why I chose to see dresses for the first time two hours away. I’ve never really looked at wedding dresses and had no idea what I wanted, but I scrambled to get some pictures for ideas, and all the dresses were different styles and shapes. I brought my dad, and two aunts and FaceTimed Emily. I went through the sale racks and then just grabbed dresses for style and fit to see how they looked on me. I tried on one dress to rule out, thinking it would look awful, and it ended up being my dress. Two of them were very similar and after trying them on about four times repeatedly sent a photo to Brent’s mom, and she helped nail the decision.

I said yes to a dress and am so thankful for getting that out of the way! My aunt and uncle blessed me with the dress (that was NOT on sale) and I was so overwhelmed that everything became a blur, so I do not have any cute souvenir photos to mark the occasion. haha!

I told my family I might visit other shops first just in case, and in unison, they shouted, “NO!”. It’ll be the venue mess all over the place.

I have a phone meeting with a photographer this morning, and on the form, I put the art gallery as the venue. He said he was excited to hear more about it, and I told Ryan I can’t wait to hear more about it! The art museum is a constant theme in our relationship, and it was his idea to look there. However, nothing is booked, and it’s just an idea, but I would love for the guy to document the fiasco of this season in our lives!

Everything will come together in the end, and eloping is still an option. The wedding industry is insane, and I cannot imagine going into debt for one day. Someone said a girl spent $18,000 on decorations ALONE, which did not include the venue’s price or anything else. HOW! WHY?? However, I can see how easy it is to get wrapped up in details that don’t matter Ryan told me he didn’t think I would be so picky, and all of a sudden, “You need blue curtains!” haha! It is a snowball effect. I want to add I am enjoying this exercise in our relationship because there has been no arguing or real disagreements. We are both on the same page that we are getting married and do not want it in a garage, but also do not need the “fluff”. I do not need or want to stay up at night stressing about table decor. We have been discussing ideas and not being crazy.

Marriage is not about one day, and I know that. But, it is an important day, and I would love to share it with the people who mean the most to me and have been there for me for the last few years. I have a huge family, so keeping it small is ideal. That way, nobody is excluded because everyone is. That is the hardest part for me. The other (good) problem is I have many friends, which was a tough decision too! After getting my dress, I realized I wanted to marry Ryan and could not wait to walk toward him no matter where we were and start the next chapter of our lives. I get to spend the rest of my life with not only my best friend, but my heart’s desire. Before it gets too sappy…

MEANWHILE I have been consumed by wedding stuff finally decided to take a break and finish the cabinet I found in the trash the day I stepped on the rusty nail. I LOVE it, and Ryan’s dad offered to make a drawer for it.

I have an ingrown toenail and stepped on a rusty nail. Life is going well.

What a garbage find cabinet taught me about failing

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28

Proposal and Engagement photos: Forever Embellished Texas Wedding Photographers
Wedding Dress: Natasha Marie Bridal

I will eventually describe the process of this cabinet once I figure out where the photographer is showing up to my wedding.