As I mentioned a few days ago, I was asked by a representative of ColumbusParent.com, if I’d consider becoming a Bride to Be blogger for them! I was completely excited over the idea and secretly hoping it would renew my blogging spirit. I happily agreed and now it seems my blog is going to turn into wedding planning central. I feel that I’ve burned myself out on my original work topic and to be honest, I work all day every day and when I come home at night, the last thing I want to do is talk/write more about it. I’m really excited to begin a new chapter. So here we go… 

I always told everyone that when I eventually got engaged, I would be totally fine with a 2 year engagement. Spend the first year enjoying each other’s company and reveling in blissful and then worry about the planning the next year. Well of course, the minute the ring was on my finger all I wanted to do was try on dresses, set a date, and plan plan plan! I was, however, comfortable with our plan of setting our date for New Year’s Eve 2010. Then I found out my stepsister got engaged 5 days after me to a guy she’s been dating for 6 weeks and she is considering planning her wedding for Summer/Fall 2010. Was I irritated? Yes. I don’t do the whole competition thing… So it got me thinking- I don’t really want to wait for 2 years to get married anyway. I was ready to plan NOW. I’ve been with Fiance, who I believe is now worthy of being called by his real name- Christopher- for 6 years. I’m ready to get married. We’re happy, stable, and have an amazing relationship. He’s my best friend and the person I trust more than anyone in the world. He knows me inside and out and vice versa. We want to get married and we don’t want to wait 2 years. 

But there’s a problem. 

Weddings aren’t cheap. So when we decided to move the date up by a year and get married New Years Eve 2009, it dawned on us that it might not be as easy as we’d hoped. Finding a few thousand dollars for deposits on things like venues, musicians, a dress, etc. isn’t exactly an easy feat… especially after factoring in recently purchasing a house and the economy just generally being in the crapper. The parents want to help but at the moment aren’t in a position to. Immediately we our next idea was to take out a loan. But after researching our options only to discover that the only loan even remotely feasible was a home equity line- we gave up. It’s not worth it. It ultimately came down to this- have a wedding half the caliber of what we want but the satisfaction of moving the date up… or we can keep our original date and have the wedding of our dreams. Hmmm… gee tough decision. I have full confidence that we will get married. We are happy and in love and if I have to wait an extra year to throw the party of a lifetime– then New Year’s Eve 2010 it is. And if by chance nothing gets better and I’m forced to get married in a tiny backyard in the dead of winter wearing a dress from the Salvation Army- it will still be the best day of my life, because I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with this incredible person. And anyway, at least my Scarlet Letter has officially been removed!