6 More Weeks!

6 more weeks until our wedding!  Daniel & I are finally starting to feel the excitement rising as we rejoice that the day of which we have both been dreaming but thought would never come is actually in reach!  And things are coming together pretty well...all things considered.  :)

Ironically, (and sadly) the two groomsmen that we planned the March 24th date around are no longer able to make it to our wedding (due to finances and conflicting schedules).  Daniel has been searching for replacements and has already found one, but we still need another.  He is prayerfully considering 2 other young men to ask.

As I said, wedding planning is coming along nicely; although lately I've been feeling like a chicken with its head cut off - between wedding planning and my new job I feel like I've hardly had a chance to catch my breath!  But now that I have access to the wedding money we've received, I am able to purchase the last things we need for decorations, flowers, and accessories!  Our honeymoon details have been ironed out (we just have to book a hotel room for one night) and we are thrilled just thinking about all the wonderful things we are going to do and see!  

Other updates:
I have found someone who is willing to bake & decorate my cake as a present: Marybeth Matney.

We've also found a wedding coordinator, Deborah Banks, who will help out with some of the details that I won't be able to keep track of on the Big Day.  I am meeting with her tomorrow after church to talk about plans.

And we have a photographer, Angelica Gottberg, who offered to take our pictures as a very generous wedding present!

And tonight, I am getting together with my seamstress friend to go over the final details of my wedding dress alterations!  I'm so excited to see it and try it on!  

Getting Married - When It Comes To Picking The Date

“When’s the date?”

That slowly became my least favorite question over the first 6 months of our engagement.  I felt like the excitement of our betrothal was being hampered by the growing uncertainty of how long Daniel’s unemployment, and, subsequently, our lack of a wedding date, would be.  I found the question more and more unhelpful as my impatience grew.  I found myself asking, “How much longer?  When can we finally set a date?  When can we finally get married?”  I might even go so far as to say that, for me, being asked, “When’s the date?” was as unhelpful as being asked, “Are you pregnant?” when I’m not.  Having a long tunnel with no end in sight discouraged my heart day by day.

When did asking a newly engaged couple for their wedding date become standard operating procedure?  I ask because I want to speak for those who find themselves in a similar position to mine – no date in sight due to circumstances beyond their control.  Not everyone has a date in mind the day they get engaged.  Picking a wedding date is a lot more involved than just saying, “Let’s get married on this day!”  There are several things that need to be factored in to the decision (unless, of course, there are time constraints or the option of eloping is on the table).  But I’m talking about for a family-oriented wedding ceremony & reception, where the venue availability is a big issue, as are scheduling conflicts that may arise in the wedding party participants’ lives.  Don’t forget that some couples are waiting on a job, or to finish school, or to save up money, or what have you.

I’ve tried very hard not to ask, “When’s the date?” (because of how being asked that affected me), especially when I don’t know the couple or what they’re going through in their relationship.  Please be sensitive, that’s all I’m saying.  The enthusiasm and excitement you feel for us is appreciated, don’t get me wrong.  But I wonder if it’s too much to ask that you let newly engaged couples announce their wedding date in their own time, of their own volition?  

That being said, we’ve changed our date (due to scheduling conflicts) to March 24, 2013.

A Job & A Wedding Date

Daniel started his job on the 5th and he loves it!  :)

Today we picked our wedding date and venue!  We will be getting married on March 23, 2013 (3-23-13) at the American Legion Post 171 in Damascus!  We are so excited!

Gratefulness

Late Friday afternoon, Daniel received a call back from the company that interviewed him twice for a full time marketing coordinator position.  They were thoroughly impressed with him and offered him a $38,000 salary if he would take the job!  Our prayers have been answered in the most amazing way and we are so overwhelmed with gratefulness (I think we're still in a little shock)!

Now that we have a house and a job secured, we are finally moving forward in our wedding planning!  We have been discussing a date and think we may have a winner!  Stay tuned!