Months of planning, a long engagement and a 10 year courtship makes me know that everyone is ready.....physically, mentally, and emotionally.
I have learned a lot from planning a wedding. I have learned that time is measured differently. Everything in your life is measured in only two ways: 'until the wedding' and 'after the wedding!'
I have learned that it doesn't matter that you can't get into any of your bedrooms. You are simply happy to have the space. Right now we have a wedding craft room, a wedding gift room and a wedding supply room. I am not kidding! I haven't had uncluttered bedrooms in months.
I have learned that no matter how accurate and organized you think you are....you aren't.
I was wondering why the napkins I ordered hadn't arrived. I called the company. They couldn't find my order. So, I went online to the website where I had placed the order, and guess what? The order was still in my shopping cart. I never clicked 'submit order.'
I have learned that you have to not only hire vendors, you have to keep after them because it is harder to get service after the sale.
I have also learned that planning a wedding causes excitement. It is fun to see other people get caught up in your excitement and joy.
I have learned that while wedding planning, the notepads and sticky notes that are ever present and utilized in my life are getting a workout!
I have learned that not everyone knows the art of sending back RSVP cards in a timely manner. I have also learned that this is a good time to practice that art of not sweating the small stuff.
I have found that most things wedding either make you smile or tear up.
I have learned that seeing your daughter twirl around in her wedding dress is truly a moment ever etched upon your brain.
I have learned that creativity and artistic endeavors rise to the surface with inexplicable speed.
I have learned that watching your husband and future son-in-law practice dancing with their daughter/future wife are moments that will never be forgotten.
I have learned that the beauty of flowers and a decorated cake, invitations and party favors are extraordinary and should never be taken for granted.
I have learned the power of music is something that is momentous and so moving in certain moments.
I have learned that appointments for beauty and vanity are really not so vain. Rather they are a testament to the honorees that you really do care and want to look your best on their special day. Those photographs will last forever, so why not go the extra mile to look good in them? After all, memories are made of this.
I have learned that you can't put a price tag on what normally would seem extravagant when you know it is making a lasting and impactful memory that can never be taken away or forgotten.
I have learned that even stressful planning and difference of opinions don't matter with families. It can actually bring them together because they know they are working for a mutual outcome for the ones they love most.
I have learned that a Christian foundation is not to be taken lightly. It is truly the essence of what is pure and real and signifies love to the fullest.
I have learned that the trite saying of 'you haven't lost a daughter, you have gained a son' is truer than can be imagined. I love my future son-in-law more than he will ever know. Any man who can love my daughter as much as I know he does gets a little boost up on that ladder of respect and acceptance.
I have learned that buying stationery and stamps and props and craft supplies and place cards and computer ink and envelopes and invitations and vases from thrift stores and candles and sparklers can create a feeling of not only creativity but a bonding and a comraderie that discussing, creating and brainstorming can do.
I have learned that having a daughter and sharing these moments with her are priceless and unforgettable.
Several months ago I had a very vivid wedding dream. I didn't realize then that it would be the first of many wedding dreams. I remember the dream because is was so bizzare in so many ways, yet if I analyzed it, I could understand (maybe) how my subconscious could conjure up such nonsense!
It has been awhile, but I told this dream to a few people, so the repeating of it helped me remember. It went something like this:
It was Madeline's wedding day. She was dressed in her long white wedding dress, yet her bridesmaids had short, sleezy red dresses! They were totally NOT what Madeline would have picked....nor what any of them would have chosen to wear.
It was time for the photographer to take pictures. Madeline has always been a bit of a free spirit and I know she has some fun and crazy shots she wants from the photographer. Well, in my dream, Madeline was running towards me up a huge hill, hidden from view until she reached the top. (Remember, we live in Florida....we don't have big hills!) When she got to the top of the hill I noticed she had her wedding dress on, but she had a red vest over it and she was barefoot! She was running as fast as she could and did one of her dancer jumps in the air. She landed on the ground and rolled down the hill getting covered with grass stains and dirt. It was utterly ridiculous! Her bridesmaids were not helping the situation either! I can't remember exactly what it was they were doing, but I remember it was totally unhelpful and totally annoying.
In my dream I remember that we got through this photo session and walked into the reception. It was a huge and echo-y room. There were no decorations. There was a tile floor and everyone was literally lined up around the walls. No one was talking or dancing or eating or having fun. There were no tables and no chairs. There was also no food and the DJ hadn't shown up. I think it was at that moment that I woke up in a panic!
Granted, that was a dream. I know that will never happen. Madeline and I have confronted every single detail and we are both very organized and determined. I have booked a DJ, florist, caterer, baker, valet, limo, pianist, cellist, a different pianist, hotel rooms, a minister, a photographer, a videographer, and have enlisted many friends for certain jobs and duties. I know in my heart of hearts that this wedding will be perfect and magical.
The reason this wedding will be full of magic is not because we have attended to all the details and the planning, it is because it is the union of Madeline and Eric. They have had a courtship that has grown and blossomed and matured to a level that makes me tear up and burst with pride. I know that they will be happy forever and that we will never have to worry about them. They have always made wise choices and they are both driven and motivated. They share the same ideals, the same morals and they are starting their marriage with a love of God in the very center of their union.
They started out as giddy high-schoolers. They weren't old enough to drive yet so their dates were to the movies driven by a parent or a sibling, or times at the Lighthouse at church, school functions, hanging out at friends' houses or at their respective homes. They went on mission trips together, proms, Homecoming dances, and family dinners. They graduated high school and followed their dreams and ambitions. Unfortunately, that put them hundreds of miles apart. Through 5 years of a long distance relationship and the ups and downs that go with it, they got engaged. Even now, less than 3 weeks from their wedding day, they are each living in their parents' homes. They are going to be so ready to live together in their own townhouse that they have already rented and practically finished decorating. Their first night of sleeping in their new place will be the night that they get back from their honeymoon. I know 2 people who will find that to be so magical and so special. They have waited a long time and have paid their dues. They deserve nothing less than the best.
Even though my silly dream won't come true (hopefully), my dream of seeing my daughter loved, fulfilled and happy is about to come true. I can't wait to see what God has in store for my baby girl and the love of her life.
Their memories are just beginning.......
