You saw the word ‘wedding’ in the title.  You clicked.  Maybe a little confusion as to why there isn’t a picture of a flowing wedding gown or some other fairytale wedding picture?  I’ll clear that up quickly.  This isn’t about an elaborate wedding with sprays of pink roses everywhere, white fabric chairs, a bunch of tables adorned with fancy tablecloths or a hired staff running around with trays of french appetizers that can’t be translated into English.  There was a brief period in my life where I slightly desired such a wedding.  It was right around the time that Ken entered Barbie’s world.  I was about 6 or 7.  They had a wedding.  It took up my entire bedroom floor and I replayed it over and over and over again.  It was short lived.  That phase passed.

Now, I’m 38, my Barbie dolls are now considered vintage,  and, in 2 months, I’m getting married.  The big question was popped the first week of January and…I said yes.  We’ve been in the process of planning ever since.  Surprisingly, it has not been stressful.  I can attribute most of that to the fact that the theme is ‘come as you are.’  This is the point where the image should make more sense.  The theme happened rather naturally.  We were having coffee one afternoon and instead of talking about what we wanted for a wedding, it turned into a “what we didn’t want” conversation (more people should do this…trust me)  The conversation lasted for quite a while and there was an endless list of what we didn’t want.  Once we got through that, there it was.  Right in front of us.  Our wedding day.

* Come as you are means just that.  Wear what’s comfortable.  How can you possibly have a good time when you’re dressed in a suit and tie or formal dress in the scorching July sun?  It’s miserable.  We’re not even dressing up.  Wear shorts and your favorite tee.  We don’t care.  Just be comfortable.

* I love to cook and feed people.  Most of the guests who will be attending all have dishes that have been a part of their lives for decades.  They’ve all come forth asking if they can bring their favorite dishes.  There you have it!  Nothing beats a gathering where down home cooking is served up by people who love to cook.  No caterers needed.

* Nothing is going to match.  Half the stress of planning a wedding is making sure everything matches.  It’s too exhausting for me.  The tablecloths that cover the tables aren’t going to match.  The chairs won’t match.  The wildflowers that fill the antique mason jars (that we found in an old abandoned building) aren’t going to match.  Even the ribbons that we tie around the mason jars won’t match.

* We chose a location that is symbolic to us.  A location that we love and adore.  My brother’s house.  It took him almost 3 years to build that house and it’s located on a beautiful piece of land surrounded by mountains.  It’s a very small town.  All the neighbors are friends.  Our wedding is the ‘event of the summer.’  They’ll be stopping by too.  There is no venue that could top that.

* Instead of hiring a pricey DJ to play, we booked a local folk singer, Justin Jaymes, who is well known in the area.  Most of the guests know him.  It’ll be fun.  The other entertainment will be a bonfire, horseshoes and other outdoor games.

* There will be no chairs to sit on for the ceremony.  This isn’t a show.  We won’t be on stage.  Our friends and family will surround us.  United.  Upon the official ‘announcement of the couple’ everyone will open their wedding favor…a single serve bottle of wine.  Once we’re announced, it’ll be one great big “cheers” with some hootin’ and hollerin’.

So, it’s 2 months away and there is still quite a bit that needs to be done.  I’m not in a state of panic.  The love and support that we have from both friends and family has turned this wedding into something that everyone is putting their heart and soul into.  Our wedding day will be the result of everyone’s efforts and hard work.  We didn’t have to ask.  It just happened.  It’s not just about us.  It’s about everyone that will be there.  And, for that, I am grateful.

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