Bride-to-be Blogger Stephanie: T-Minus 36 Days! And the List Goes On …

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36 days and counting!

The thought of it is both utterly thrilling and completely terrifying. I desperately wish I could focus on the thrilling part. Every once in a while, I let myself drift into a daydream of how beautiful the day is going to be—except it’s not the hazy fantasy of my college years when I first realized I wanted to marry Pat. It’s so much more defined, as it’s going to become a reality in just over a month! I smile and am truly instantly consumed with happiness. But then the terrifying part—the how-on-earth-are-we-going-to-get-everything-done panic—quickly sets in.

The list never ends! It just keeps getting longer and more specific. I’m getting calls everyday asking for important decisions needed ASAP, and I’m usually scrambling for the answers. I’m writing emails to my vendors at the 3:00 in the morning. I’m doing unity candle, guest book, and gift research during my lunch break. I’m packing in appointments before and after work. My workouts usually finish past midnight on most days. I’m trying so hard to be devoted to this program I’m doing: Insanity (anyone seen the infomercials? The name is beyond appropriate and perhaps fitting for my midnight exercise sessions). And amidst all that, we’re still in a very active house hunt in D.C.

We made a ton of progress on the ceremony over the weekend—selecting readings, choosing readers, picking processional and recessional songs, determining the order in which the bridesmaids and groomsmen will walk, wording the ring exchange. But we still have to write our vows, figure out the logistics of who’s standing where and when, what happens in the event of rain and Plan B. Speaking of rain, the deluge of this past week has me particularly uneasy. I wouldn’t say a monsoon is characteristic of Philly in June, so I’m anxious to see what July brings—with forecasters calling for one of the worst hurricane seasons ever. Fingers-crossed and lots of prayers. And yes, I know it’s futile to worry about this. I can’t control the weather, so I should stop dwelling on it. But I can’t help it.

On the upside, we were able to make final decisions on the place cards and menu cards and nearly-final decision on the programs. That’s a pretty big weight off my shoulders. And perhaps most exciting, in that it really feels like a completed task, is that after three three-plus hour meetings with Rhoads Garden, our florals are about 98-percent finalized. We met last night and went through every single detail fathomable. The centerpieces were the easy part—well, not easy, but an expected, planned-out decision. The florals for the sideboards and in the bathroom and the cake table and the cocktail rounds and the back of the aisle—they were the more unexpected, harder to determine details. But we made them! We added some new flowers and introduced some new shades based on feedback from our last appointment. We figured out every boutoineer, bouquet, posy (what a weird word), and we finalized all the details of the ceremony space.

So we’re certainly making progress, but it just seems like when one item is crossed off the list, another is added. Still so much left to do! It’s overwhelming and stress-inducing. But that daydream, that smile, the all-consuming happiness is so very, very close. I can’t wait until it’s here.

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