I can't remember how I stumbled across A.Mountain.Bride's blog, but at some point, I started overloading her wedding posts with comments. I got married last July, yet I still can't help but join in the wedding fun nearly a year later. I was intrigued with her wedding planning... but I must admit why. Not unlike her, I began the planning process for our wedding before I actually had a ring on my finger. Oh... the horror! My now-husband and I had been together for 6 years at the time and were actively discussing our wedding for the following year... but we weren't engaged in the eyes of our friends and family. He hadn't yet asked me... we just kind of knew it was going to happen. (For some people, you aren't truly engaged unless you have been asked and have a ring on your finger.) And, not unlike her, I bought my dress before we were officially engaged. Hey... I knew what I wanted, and I found it at a great price. Don't fault me.
By the time he proposed, we had already secured our venues, photographer, caterer, and save-the-dates... and had been using our budget spreadsheet for months. Take that, tradition! We planned on paying for the majority of the wedding ourselves, as my parents would also be paying for my siblings and nieces to make the trek to Colorado, and we just didn't feel comfortable asking them to help on top of that. So, we set a budget and were determined not to bust it.
Needless to say, early on, we decided to throw tradition out the window and didn't care what anyone else had to say about it. The point of this post... no matter what your budget, it's okay to do things your own way. Break the "rules". Screw the checklists. Create your own path. Stay tuned to see how we made our wedding ours... and stayed on budget while doing it.
Looks like a beautiful wedding! I love it that half of it was planned before your were "officially engaged." How very, very smart for you to "screw tradition!"
ReplyDeleteYay Jes, another blog to follow! Goodness me!
that sunset is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteSo many of the wedding "rules" and traditions are silly anyway. I say: follow your heart and make it your own.
ReplyDeleteOh, and hire a good photographer to capture it all. :)
stephanie@metropolitanmama.net
I am doing the same thing... 7 years has given me tons of time to plan ;) a friend planned everything, made all the deposits and everything before being "official".
ReplyDeleteI started the planning before the ring too...except we had only known each other for 2 months...and got married by month 7 of knowing each other :) who needs tradition!?
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, Abbie. After seeing the dress, we don't fault you for buying it beforehand. Ha! ;)
ReplyDeleteWe weren't "officially" engaged until the Wednesday before our Saturday wedding. Hihi, talk about last minute. So...needless to say, that means EVERYTHING was in place days, weeks, and months before the fact, with people flying in from all over for the wedding. I wish I had realized earlier that engagement is not about having a ring on your hand, and could have had a better response to that particular person who told me otherwise. Oh well, you live and learn! :)
ReplyDeleteYour dress is unbelievable. Thinking out of the box is great and can be fun. Good for you! You're suppose to have fun at your wedding and not listen to anyone ... because after all it is your wedding day.
ReplyDeleteAdventures, you are right. Technically, an "official" engagement happens the minute the two of you decide to get married. A ring is optional.
ReplyDelete