TBT: The Wedding Planning Diaries

Sometimes I like to take a look back and see where I was a year ago on this blog. As we approach Born to be a Bride’s second anniversary in July, this will be an even more sentimental and enjoyable process for me. I’ve kept a journal since I was about five years old, but the past several years have been very spotty in that regard. This blog is my journal in many ways, and sharing it with you is just cherry on top of the sundae in my own process of becoming a bride, and now a wife. So, where was I last year?

On June 5th, 2013, I posted about thank-you notes for our bridal shower. As irony would have it, Josh and I brought the final haul of shower gifts home to our apartment just a few weeks ago. When we lived in Dallas, it seemed expensive and daunting to ship everything there. We figured we’d wait a year until we’d recovered from the wedding expenses and ship it all then. Little did we know at the time that within a year, we’d be living a five-hour drive from my mom’s, and we’d be able to pack up the trusty Durango and bring it all here. (Mom is thrilled to have her guest room back, by the way).

At my shower, with some of my favorites.

You might remember I made a book of cards from the shower(s) and I plan to do the same with our wedding cards. But it was even more nostalgic and wonderful, a year after the fanfare of my beautiful bridal shower on Long Island, to open up the 80% of our gifts we hadn’t yet used. Suddenly, we have mixing bowls and silver frames, crystal vases and fancy knives. And more wine glasses than any two people have a right to own — but fear not, friends. They’ll all be used. There is also a stripper pole now, because of course. Funnily, that is the one item my handsome husband hasn’t yet brought up from the car to the apartment. I imagine if you didn’t know me and you saw the contents of my trunk, you’d judge me — just a little.

So, last year at this time I fretted over getting my thank-you notes completed from the bridal shower, but I got them done shortly thereafter. Today, just two days shy of the nine-month mark since our wedding, I shamefully have about 15 notes to get out. It’s been a crazy year, but that’s no excuse. I now have my assignment for this weekend. What one nagging item remains on your current wedding to-do list? Email me!

Thank You, Thank You

Remember those thank-you notes I promised to bang out right away? Well, the past couple weeks have flown by and I still had not unpacked from New York. No, your math is not off. I was in New York over a month ago. Feeling like a truly dysfunctional twit, I peeled back the top of the suitcase Saturday afternoon and dove in. Hangers were removed and returned to the closet (still not quite sure why I was traveling with five hangers?), dirty clothes were put in the hamper and the box full of shower cards found a new home on our one-stop wedding workshop, also known as the coffee table.

My shower cards… some funny, some sentimental, all special. After this box, their next and final stop is a scrapbook. Methinks that will have to wait till after the wedding.

Opening these cards a second time and actually being able to read them without my mom hurrying me on with a roomful of ladies antsy to get to dessert, was a treat. The day of the shower, my maid-of-honor, sister-in-law, best friend extraordinaire kept a very detailed little bride journal denoting all gifts and their givers to keep me on track. This weekend, I wrote each thank-you after reading the related card, which created a more personal feeling than the standard Thanks so much! Love the gift! 

A bride-to-be guest book can serve as an excellent place to list your gifts and keep track of thank-you’s that have already been written and sent out.

I can’t guarantee your MOH will have handwriting this beautiful, but make sure she takes note of everything you receive at your shower.

As long as all of these find stamps and make their way to the homes where they’re intended before my wedding, I’ll feel okay about it. But what did we learn from this scary lapse in organization? Take your own advice, ladies!

This adorable tea towel is just one of the unique gifts I received for my shower that were not on the registry. Others included a lacy apron, lingerie, and a stripper pole. Well, then!!