Going to the Chapel...

Tuesday, May 17, 2011


I apologize for my long blog silence, the last few weeks have been a whirlwind of work, out-of-town guests and some big news. I've been debating whether or not to mention on this blog that my boyfriend and I are engaged to be married. Ultimately I decided that yes, it's something I might like to blog about. While I feel that our wedding is a very private matter, there's lots about planning a wedding that I would love to share.

First, I'll say that we are having a short engagement. My lovely boyfriend asked me to be his wife a month ago and we are planning to wed at the end of September. Many people have seemed shocked (truly: Shocked!) that we intend to plan a wedding in just a few months. I know many people who spend more than a year planning their weddings, but for us, we wanted to capture the excitement of the moment and not drag things out for months on end. Plus, in the end, it's just a big party and there's no reason it should be that hard to pull together.

Second, it was my turn to be be genuinely shocked when I discovered how much my peers spend on weddings. My mother always said that we could plan a wedding for $10,000, which, frankly, sounded like an awful lot to me. I've since learned that many women spend that much on a dress and that the average wedding in New York costs more like $40,000. That is a LOT of money, and I can't imagine spending it on one day. I'd rather pinch my pennies on the wedding, and save to buy the house I hope to someday own. There are some costs that are unavoidable: Food, wine, a tent, but there are many that can either be eliminated entirely or cut down to the bone.

Now don't think I am a wedding Scrouge. I am so thrilled and ecstatic to be getting married, and the idea of a party with all my nearest and dearest to celebrate the occasion is nothing short of thrilling. I just know that there's a way to do this that keeps costs to a minimum and still leaves us with a beautiful celebration to remember for the rest of our lives. I'll tell you more about it as we plan.

7 comments:

the little owl said...

Congratulations! I've been a follower of your blog for a while now, and am confident that you will pull off the wedding/party of your dreams for just the right amount! (Smile) I share your thoughts on the matter - and will be sending you oodles of good vibes in the coming months!

Laura Fenton said...

Thanks for the kind words and the encouragement! I will take all the good vibes I can get!

Lynn said...

Congratulations! You are a creative person, and you will be just fine. :-)
My now-husband and I decided to get married one April three decades ago, and actually tied the knot halfway through June: eight weeks later. It worked because we had no problem with a Friday the 13th wedding - the Registrar had lots of time on his hands that day, and the café where we held our reception was totally available. The weather was perfect, the day was perfect, and we've been married now for going on 32 years. :-)

Kristin said...

Congratulations! Such wonderful news. Pulling together a wedding in a few months sounds exhilarating and wonderful, and I look forward to hearing as much about it as you want to share.

(And, you probably already know this, but the best site out there for normal people getting married is www.apracticalwedding.com)

Laura Fenton said...

Thanks, ladies! I just checked out apracticalwedding.com and it's great! Glad to hear that a wedding can be planned in a short amount of time!

Jennifer said...

Congratulations!!! So exciting for you!!

Hopesmile said...

Weddings are as much about learning as they are about loving - can't wait to hear what you discover and share. Thanks for the art tip on Kelly Reemsten!

 

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