This post is necessarily vague as the writer is only somewhat involved in the wedding planning itself, preferring to content himself with planning for the marriage than the wedding. Furthermore, of the details he does know, he is bound to a strict code of secrecy as spoilers are totally not cool, guys. For more information on the wedding, check back with me in 9 months for my post-ceremony wrap-up.
Normally I’d write that kind of part at the end, but today it felt best to inform you of what you’re getting into. For me, the wedding planning has been extremely simple. There are nevertheless some pretty important things I can say about the process, being involved primarily as a consultant. Before we begin, there’s something you all need to know.
My fiancee’s family is a wedding factory.
That sounds a bit off, but allow me to explain. Her dad is a wedding photographer who personally knows other wedding photographers as well as other players on the local wedding scene. She is from a large family. Her cousins all seem to be, or be dating, people who provide various services for weddings and are willing to do favours for us. In addition, her mum and sister are very good at planning and details, and her other sister is quick to offer solutions.
They are an extremely fast family. Mildly joking here, but when we went on Skype to inform them it was a blast of “congratulations!”, then straight into “okay, when is it, how many people are coming, how much do you want it to cost?” Very useful people to have around, but while my poor parents were still coming to terms with their wee boy hitching himself to someone, her family had halfway planned the thing!
Very useful people to have in a crisis. Or in planning a wedding.
The really unexpected thing for me has actually been how much I’m consulted. It’s some prime sexist bullshit that the wedding day is “her” day and the rest of the days are “his”, really. But I was not expecting to have a near 50-50 involvement in the grander decision-making process. As it turns out, I’ve basically picked the date, part of the entertainment, and some aspects of the food. I’m quite involved with the music, though it’s a team effort, which is good as it balances out my desire to put on some pretty eclectic shit.
They don’t make ’em like that anymore. “Gay Bar” by Electric Six
Our cultures and our personal preferences are going to be represented throughout the service and through our dinner and after party. In addition, our separate clans can come together under the warm umbrella of an open bar. This is generally not the done thing in Scotland. The results will be interesting.
As I mentioned at the start, I am thinking ahead to the marriage itself instead of the wedding. Long term goals have become a recent hobby. However, in being asked my opinion so often about the planning and making several of the decisions, I cannot help but get really rather excited about the event itself. Here is a big party and family gathering which means so much and where we can announce ourselves to the world as a couple. I can hardly wait.
The writer is drinking tea, which he has taken as a new writing ritual, although it tends to get somewhat cold in the time it takes him to write.
pasturesfresh 