To Party or Not To Party

I've been tossing this thought around in my head a while, and I finally put it up on Facebook last night to find out what some of my friends think. Is a bridal shower truly necessary?

Responses ran the gamut, from "YES, PRESENTS!!!!" to "Do whatever makes you and your sweetie happy," and from "No, but daily showers are," to "We/I didn't have one." (all responses paraphrased)

My real reasoning against bridal showers (and kind of against engagement parties, but that's a horse of a slightly different color) is actually that I don't want more presents. Maybe it is a symptom of being young and just on this side of financial comfort, but I don't want to put my friends and family in a place where they feel obligated to spend more and more money on me. Engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party, and then the wedding itself. Presents, travel, lodging, clothing, on and on. I don't want my celebration to turn into a burden for others.

On the engagement party thought, I've decided that an engagement party (or possibly two, to accommodate our MA and PA/NJ contingents) can be arranged such that gifts are not expected. It's apparently not appropriate to write on the invite "No gifts please," but I'm sure that through word of mouth or how we word invitations, we can get it across.

What are your thoughts on presents/parties/etc?

Say "Yes" To The Dress

So this Friday, I have my first appointment to try on wedding dresses. I've started to look at some, and I'm kind of at a loss to what I really want. I like the idea of strapless, but I don't like the idea of yanking up a dress that is falling down all night. I like halter tops. I don't want anything too fancy, but I'm not sure if I want a completely plain dress either. Much like venues, there are just so many options!

I printed out pictures of a couple dresses that I like, and I'll bring those along with me, and hopefully a friend of mine is coming along (I planned poorly, and scheduled the appointment at a time when most people can't make it), and maybe these things plus a knowledgeable sales person will give me some guidance.

Bridesmaid dresses are also something I've been thinking about, since I've got to pick those out soon too. I like the idea of a tea-length dress. I'm unsure about whether I want everyone to wear the same dress, or if I just want same color and bridesmaids to pick out a dress that suits them at the appropriate length. I also have to figure out color, which will hopefully come once we decide on a venue. So many choices!

Finding a Venue

One of the most challenging things so far about planning a wedding has been trying to narrow down the choice of venue for the reception. Since we are trying to keep to a budget, that knocks a number of venues off our list, but there are still so many! Hotels, restaurants, golf clubs, halls, the list goes on. And though we are in Massachusetts, it's so easy to travel to other states in New England that a wedding in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, or even New York is not really out of the question.

I've been trying to narrow some of these things down, despite not really knowing what type of wedding I want or can afford. Mike and I went to a wedding expo yesterday, and that sort of helped.

There are a few places that we like and think we can afford, so we're going to try to visit them, and figure out if we love or hate any of them. This is our (current) short list:

Blissful Meadows Golf Club (Uxbridge, MA)
Publick House Historic Inn (Sturbridge, MA)
Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge, MA)
Colonial Hotel (Gardner, MA)

I'm Getting Married!

Hi internet! I'm Theresa (which you probably know if you've come here), and I'm getting married! No, I don't know when. I will, soon (hopefully), but there are a lot of decisions to be made to get that date set.

My fiance, Mike, and I got engaged on December 28, 2009, in the company of our friends Nick and Geri, whose wedding we met at. We've been together for about 2 1/2 years, and we're hoping to get married sometime in 2010.

What's that? You want to see the ring? Well, okay, twist my arm...



Beautiful, right? The large diamond has been in Mike's family since 1923, it was a 16th birthday present for his great-great aunt. It means a lot to be able to wear this part of his family's history.

So, this blog will be my place to talk about wedding planning without annoying my Facebook, Twitter, or LiveJournal friends too much. :) So much to talk about! I can't wait to get started.