So I'm a sample size...

[jethrien]

When we went to look at engagement rings, we did so expecting that we'd find something I liked and then we'd order it and it would come in a month or two later. When we found the actual ring we both liked, though, I tried the setting on and it fit perfectly. So they took Chuckro and the ring and the stone into a mysterious back room while I loitered around the diamond district and half an hour later he came back out with a box in his pocket.

When I went to look at wedding dresses, I did so expecting that I'd find something I liked and then I'd order it and it would come in five or six months. But when I found the actual dress I liked, I tried it on and it fit perfectly, and they gave me the chance to buy the actual sample (for considerably less than the tag price.) So my dress has been in storage for the last couple of months instead of not made yet.

This past weekend, we went to look at wedding rings. We weren't actually planning to buy anything, just doing reconnaissance. Again, the rings are supposed to take one to four or five months to be made and come in. When we found one for me that we liked though...well, you know where this is going. And when they came up with one for Chuckro that worked with the one I was looking at - that fit him perfectly, too. So we walked out of the store with two boxes.

Apparently I am the official sample size. And so is Chuckro.

Comments

[lyriendel.livejournal.com]

That's awesome. :) I wish I could fit into sample sizes. Of course, being uber-picky about ring sizes (I'm size 4.75) means that even if I were an average size, I probably wouldn't find any fitting samples anyway.

I was just telling Michael that maybe we should've just gotten married soon after getting engaged... I was in total excited-about-wedding-paraphernalia mode right around when we got engaged, and now I'm like, 'oh man, I'm gonna have to *plan* this thing eventually?'

[jethrien.livejournal.com]

Well, you don't have to do something elaborate, y'know. There's no reason you couldn't nip off to City Hall. Use an Ipod, wear your Ren Faire dress, grab some flowers at a supermarket - you could do a sweet little ceremony and have a handful of friends and relatives out to dinner, and have a lovely little wedding with almost no planning at all.

[chuckro.livejournal.com]

I'll second Jethrien's comment on this--just because the "standard" wedding is a totally-overblown giant affair doesn't mean that's what you have to have. You could have something really low-key for close friends and family, and it'd probably take a week of planning and under a thousand dollars.

Or you could go our route, which isn't really that difficult so long as you (like Jethrien) are laid back and don't demand everything be perfect. More and more, I think it's in demanding crazy perfection and fulfillment of childhood dreams that wedding plans become insane and women become Bridezillas.

[jethrien.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it really hasn't been that stressful so far. If you either do something really simple or give yourself lots of time, it's not really that hard. I mean, at this point we have nearly all the big stuff done - officiant, location, bridal party, dress, bridesmaid dresses, cake, flowers, photography, dj, honeymoon, rings - either done or close enough. And we've got 7 months to go, and we're not really freaking out about anything. As long as you're willing to shrug and say "Oh well" if you need a plan B, it's not that hard. It's the people who demand a replica of Princess Di's dress and monogrammed seat covers and two hundred handmade favors and on and on and on who make wedding planning a real headache.

[tigermelp.livejournal.com]

t's the people who demand a replica of Princess Di's dress and monogrammed seat covers and two hundred handmade favors and on and on and on who make wedding planning a real headache.

This cracks me up...of course it's funny because it's true. :) I was expecting this "wedding planning" thing to be...I dunno...hard? But because we left a lot of time, and because I haven't envisioned this thing since I was five or something, it's all been pretty low-key so far. Pat and I do a lot of nodding and saying, "ok, that sounds good." :)

[lyriendel.livejournal.com]

What I'm really tempted to do is do a wedding-vacation. Coordinate with my closest friends and essential family members to see if we can travel together someplace fun for a week, a few days, however long they can make it... have a simple, stock ceremony there, or even just get a certificate at City Hall before we leave, treat everyone out to dinner at a nice restaurant, and just go sightseeing and stuffs. Maybe Hawaii, we were talking about doing our honeymoon there anyway.

[jethrien.livejournal.com]

Lots of people do destination weddings. It's a great idea, if you don't want a big fuss. The only key, I think, is not being upset if people can't come because they don't have the time/money. If you want to go somewhere with a resort, a lot of them even have wedding planners who will set up everything for you long distance. You get there, and there's an officiant and a place for the reception and some flowers and everything.

Just make sure you check the legal stuff ahead of time.

Oh, and make plans for rain. I was in Aruba over New Year's two years ago, and they were setting up for a wedding at our hotel. Unbelievably gorgeous place, outdoor restaurant on the coast. It rarely rains on Aruba. But that night, we had a freak, out-of-season monsoon. The locals were totally freaked out - the sky was vaguely greenish and the water was falling so hard it hurt. I felt so bad for that couple... (but this, of course, can happen to anyone anywhere).