Managing Expectations

I'm a planner by nature. I keep my schedule locked in my brain, I refer to my internal calendar when I plan my week/month/year, I can tell you down to the minute how long it takes me to get just about anywhere, I can tell you exactly what kind of workout I did two wednesdays ago, I know what time every grocery store or laundromat closes on any given day just in case, I have an uncanny ability to pack more efficiency into one day than anyone would ever need or want, I make sure I plan time for "relaxing" or else it will never happen, and I drive myself completely nuts.

All of these qualities have made planning a wedding one of the most amazing, stressful, exciting and frustrating times of my life. I've had a "vision" for what I've wanted for years. Almost three years ago, my amazing roommate Sarah planned her wedding while the two of us lived together. I had never thought THAT much about weddings in general and surely never thought mine would be anywhere in the near future. However, the planning got me hooked and naturally, I started crafting my ideas. So, by the time I got engaged, my platonic wedding had been BOOKED! Then, the reality sets in and I had to be PRACTICAL. God Forbid.

The dress I loved online looked dumb and cheap when I tried it on. The bridal ladies gasped when I said I would never wear heels (that's still probably happening anyway). The color of the dresses I dreamed of flat out doesn't exist. The flowers I love don't match the color we decided on. Do you go with young and fun? Or formal and elegant? Light and romantic? Or funky and modern? A little bit of everything or is that too tacky?

The decisions continue to pile up but one thing is for sure...I'm pretty excited that I'm finally finished wandering around all of Boston, making appointments 4 weeks in advance and trying on dozens of dresses that all look like THIS.

(hint: this is NOT the one we picked)