What I've learned about wedding planning

Before I got engaged, I had a completely different idea of what my wedding would look like. I wanted a formfitting dress, a very casual, do it yourself reception, and I wanted my hair down and flowing. It turns out that isn’t at all what the reality of my wedding is going to be. My dress is a big, puffy ball gown, we’re having a catered, sit down dinner, and since I had to cut a ton of dead hair off last year, my hair is going to be half up and shoulder length.

At first I was panicking because everything wasn’t going according to plan. But then I realized that you have to be flexible with these things sometimes. It’s nice when everything fits your vision, but it doesn’t always work out like that. For example, I thought I would save money by having my reception at a community centre in my hometown. Then I found out that there are actually a ton of licenses and personnel that has to be involved in serving alcohol at your own event. The price skyrocketed, and it didn’t seem worth it anymore. Instead of panicking, with a little help from my grandma, I thought outside the box, and now we’re having a dinner at a wonderful local restaurant, followed by a reception at a local art gallery. It’s not going to be what I imagined, but it’s going to be beautiful and best of all, all the serving and set up and take down is going to be taken care of.

I’ve also learned that it’s ok to ask for help. At first, I was determined to do it all by myself. I was going to make all the bouquets, I was going to bake all the pies for the reception, and I was going to find all the containers for the candy bar. It quickly became very overwhelming, and I was shutting down. I realized that when you’re getting married, there are usually tons of people waiting to help you with anything you ask. It really helps de-stress you during what is supposed to be a very fun and exciting time. Don’t be afraid to look for assistance when needed!

Now that I’ve seen that sometimes due to budget, circumstance, and other things out of your control, what you plan for your wedding may not be what you get, I’ve decided to let go and see what happens, and have the best day of my life no matter what! I can’t wait to marry my best friend, and for all the days after, and that’s what matters.

Are there any other 2019 brides around? What’s your biggest wedding planning tip? Let me know in in the comments below!

Moving in is hard to do

Since my fiancé and I became engaged in December, we’ve spent approximately 25-30 hours together. He works 45 hours a week and is taking a university class, and I work 65 hours a week between my two jobs, so that we can save for our wedding. Texting and phone calls help, but honestly, it’s time for us to move in together, for no other reason (although there are lots of other reasons including convenience and cost effectiveness), than at least to see each other more. As excited as I am, though, this doesn’t come without reservations on both ends. I’ve never lived with a significant other, and he’s never lived with someone who wasn’t his mom, so this is going to be a huge adjustment.

On top of general reservations about space and alone time, there’s also utilities and car insurance and payments, and a lot of other costs that I wasn’t paying before. It’s a huge undertaking, and honestly a lot to consider before you move in with someone. I’ve honestly had cold feet a couple times (never about living with him, just about the huge undertaking that moving in with someone is).

Another contributing factor to the nerves is that this means that I’m officially, really and truly, an adult. Even though I’m almost 28, I’ve lived the past few years suspended somewhere between adolescence and adulthood. I obviously pay bills and buy groceries and go to work every day, but living with many roommates, it’s always a bit of a good time, no matter the time of day. Moving in with my fiancé means that it’s going to be a quieter and more adult environment. Every Sunday isn’t going to be a dinner party, and there isn’t always going to be someone up at midnight, ready to talk and eat ice cream.

But obviously, the pros outweigh my reservations. First, and foremost, I get to live with the love of my life. I get to wake up every morning with him there, and no matter how crazy the day is, he’ll always be there at the end of it. We can make our favourite foods, watch our favourite movies, and be our silly selves together. No late, goofy laugh fest with a roommate can top that, no matter how much I love my roomies, which is a lot.

Also, I get to furnish a whole house. My dishes, my cups, my pots and pans, my paintings and posters, all purchased with my hard earned money. My fiancé doesn’t really care about decorating, so he pretty much oks whatever I want. I’ve even purchased a pink dish set and bathroom accessories, and he didn’t bat an eyelash. It all feels so exciting and new, and I can’t wait to experience it all by his side.

Is anyone going through a big change in their life? Are you scared? Excited? A little bit of both? Let us know in the comments below. Also let us know if you have any tips for making the change to living with a significant other! I'd love to hear about it!