Last Blog

I can't believe this is our last blog ::tear:: and I can't believe this class went so fast! That's probably because I enjoyed it so much. I agree with some of the people from class today- it was nice reading books that I might not have normally read. Even though I didn't like Wuthering Heights, at all, it got me to understand more of it and opened my mind to new ideas. And though I was disapointed in Bet Me, I think I'll read more of Cruisie's books. I would say to other people that agree with me that Vision in White was rather blah that you might give Nora Robert's other books a chance. Her 3 Sisters trilogy is really very good. I do think I'll probably finish the Bridal Quartet series, if only because I'm interested to see if they get better. I agree that Mac & Carter's love story was wrapped up a little too neatly. I think where the epilogue didn't work for me in Bet Me, it would have worked nicely in this book to contain the proposal/wedding/happy ever after. It seems that Roberts just wanted to get it in there and was running out of room. Overall, we read some great books and had some very eye-opening discussions. I also really enjoyed reading the blog posts!

Wedding Fever!!!

Even though I'm already married, this week I've had a bit of wedding fever. The exciting news of my sister-in-law's engagement, coupled with the book we're reading in class, as well as the "Royal Wedding" has made me reflect on my own wedding. I even tried on my wedding dress the other night for the first time in years!

Looking back, these last 5 years of marriage, I occasionally get small twinges of regret about certain things. Like, why did we spend so much on flowers when we could have gotten the same or better at a grocery store? And why did we have plated food when we both wanted pizza? The truth is the kind of wedding you want when you are 17 is going to be different than when you are 23 (the year I got married) or when you are 36. And it's impossible to guess the outcome without knowing all the variables that will come about. The kind of wedding you will have depends not only on your own tastes but on your income, your family, traditions, your partner's family and traditions, etc.

One thing I'm pleased with is we saved a lot of money in a way that was meaningful for us. My MIL made the cake (which she does professionally) and my uncle video-taped. I made the invitations from a box kit at Hobby Lobby. We made our favors (every candy bar was wrapped individually in vintage wrapping paper, and cds of our favorite music) and me/bridesmaids put together all the bouquets ourselves.

And I'm not only proud of all that, but the creativity placed in other areas. Like the loose theme- A Midsummer Nights Dream, the homemade cookies made by our mothers, the black and white photo boards of our childhoods and our lives, the poem that was read aloud by a friend during the ceremony- written in fact, by my father, or the dance routine my closest girlfriends and I performed, the fact that it rained so bloody hard we had to move the ceremony indoors in the middle of the dining room- and we were okay we that. We were happy and it didn't matter that everything wasn't perfect. Everything fell away as soon we my husband and I locked eyes.

Tying into this whole wedding thing, is the book we're reading. Vision in White is fun, so far. I like the characters (though I keep mixing up whether they are male or female because of all the gender-bending names!) and I think the business Vows is great. I love that it features four strong women working together to create a success and something individualized for each bride and groom. It just sounds fun to work at! I keep picturing the giant house and how beautiful each wedding must look. Maybe not as beautiful as mine but I may be biased ;)

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me and my bridesmaids

chocolate cake....filled with nutella

YUM

And they lived happily ever after....at least most of the time :)