Love and Marriage....

Last July, my now-fiance proposed on the beach at sunset at his family's summer home.  Within days, I was poring over wedding magazines and websites, trying to figure out what my wedding's theme was going to be, the colors, the decor, the location....

Very soon after that, I realized something big: I HATE wedding planning. A lot.  There is so much coordination involved, between seating arrangements, timing, who to invite and it's all topped off with a ridiculous amount of etiquette for everything.  It quickly became something I loathed.  Every time I had to look at another contract or think over bridesmaid dresses that would look good and be affordable for everyone in the wedding party, it made me want to cry or punch someone.

Very soon after that, my fiance and I decided an elopement might be more in order, if he wanted to have a sane woman to marry by the time the wedding rolled around.  However, both of us have families we love very much and want to be present, so we're compromising with a tiny wedding in Florida, followed by spending what would have gone for a big, silly reception on a trip to Disneyworld.  

However, in spite of my tiny wedding, there are a few things I would have liked to use (and still might), that I have for you here: 

Hand-calligraphed escort cards from Wet Ink Calligraphy.  Having done some calligraphy in my lifetime, I know that the time it takes to make writing that beautiful is worth every penny.

If I were having a wedding big enough for more than a few tables pushed together, I would get some custom luminaries from The Papery Nook to use as centerpieces (and table numbers), each with a line from my all-time favorite poem ("i carry your heart" by e. e. cummings). 

Whimsical and bright, I would love to have these garlands from Green Trike Press in wedding colors strung over the ceremony area along with some paper lanterns or tissue paper poms. 

Even at my tiny wedding, I plan to carry flowers down the aisle (across the lawn), and while I plan to make my own tissue paper roses, those of you who aren't craft-oriented or time-endowed, could order your own custom bouquet (that will last forever) from Robot In Bloom.

The owl and the pussycat sailed away to sea...or did they stand atop your wedding cake?  They could, with this custom topper from melabo.

And just as this post is almost at an end, you could let everyone know your wedding day is almost at an end with a beautiful banner such as this, from Little Retreats, strung over the bride and groom's seats or over the exit from the reception.