All Planned In A Week

I'm engaged!! This has been a whirlwind week! I am going to use this blog as a journal of the year I planned my wedding. The planning process has already taken place and I have only been engaged a week. You see, I am the only girl in my family. The last of four children. My mom has been waiting for my wedding since the moment she heard, "It's a girl!" As you can imagine we are both very excited for this day. But first, let me break down the timeline of planning thus far!

So, I get engaged on Thursday night. Finish my school year on Friday. Movers come to pack up my house on Saturday. By Sunday I am living in Philadelphia. Due to the chaos of the weekend, and my mother having house guests, we were unable to talk about the details of the wedding. Sunday night I get settled into our temporary home (which is a glorified hotel suite). I call my mom to talk about our trip up to PA. The conversation went from leisurely questions about traffic and boxes, to the nitty gritty of the wedding. It started with, "I've been dying to talk to you about this, but these goddamn house guests have been here all weekend. So, tell me, where were you thinking of having the wedding?"

"Oh, um... I was imagining in NC."

"Oooohh! Where exactly in NC?"

"Um, at your house in Wilmington? Is that okay?" (As if I would say Winston Salem.)

"Of course, of course! Well, how many guests are you going to invite?" "I am thinking around 120. Ideally, around 100.”

“Ohhhh…what I anticipated. Okay. Okay.”

As the conversation goes on I talk about some possible venues for the ceremony and reception. Mention I would like an April or May wedding, but I don't think I will be able to book that because it’s almost June. Some more ideas were shared. Lots of laughing and innocence. We end the night on a blissful note.

Exactly 12 hours later my phone rings. At this point its 8:30am. I send it to voicemail as it’s my first day of vacation. The phone rings again at 8:50. Then again at 9:10. I listen to my voicemail. My mother’s voice comes rushing through with a slight tone of panic and confusion asking me to call her back. In a groggy voice, still lying in bed, I call her. "Hello?" a panicked voice on the other end says.

"Hey, it’s me. You called?"

"Yes, um were you sleeping?"

"Yeah, it’s my first day of vacati... "

"Great, um do you want to get married April 16th or May 28th? I booked the chapel and the reception hall for both dates."

My bed headed body shoots straight up in bed. "What??? Umm, Umm, Umm...ah, I, I don't know? I guess April 16th cause the 28th is too close to my birthday?? Right?! I mean, I don't know." At this point my bee covered pj's are drenched in sweat as every emotion comes through my body. "April 16th is better. I do not want to plan a wedding during Memorial Day weekend. Great, let me go drive over a deposit. I'll call you in a few."

Click.

I spent the next 20 minutes staring at the wall. Dazed and confused. When the phone rings again. "Yes, mom?" "Hey, what time do you want to get married? I completely forgot to ask you?"

"I don't know. What time do people usually get married?"

"4 o'clock. But really it’s up to you. I'll just book it for the entire day and when you come to visit we will lock a time."

"Umm, okay? Thanks!"

"Of course, of course. Oh, and do you want a violinist? I already have some one lined up. If that’s okay?"

And at that moment the planning took a life of its own! ;)