Don't Let the Wedding Monster Gobble You Up!

I've always watched fun shows about weddings like "Say Yes to the Dress" and "Platinum Weddings" even before I was engaged.(Of course, who doesn't?) But it wasn't until recently that I have a wedding to compare them to. As all the pieces are falling into place for our wedding, there isn't much mystery left--I know almost exactly how most of my wedding will look. And now, every element I see on TV or in notoriously cute wedding blogs, I compare it to its counterpart in my wedding. This gets me thinking things I never would have thought a few months ago...like, the show "My Fair Wedding."

Although I love the show, I always thought, "There's no way I could do that! I love putting my wedding together with my family and friends, and I couldn't bare taking my personal style out of the equation!" But, when I was watching it recently, I thought, "Wow, look how beautiful and expensive everything looks. It might be worth it to audition for that..." Whaaaaa?? Am I crazy?! After all this effort and thought I've put into this? Just too look more fancy?? Lordy.

But again, watching that same show I found myself admiring the beautiful reception (which he always rocks, lol) ...

(sorry, biggest pic I could find: source)

I thought--I could do that! Wait--no I can't. I don't have enough room....hmm...the invites haven't gone out yet, maybe if I cut the guestlist down--*record scraaaaatch* Did I just think that? I mean. Seriously? "Maybe if I have less guests, I can have more...shiny shrubs???" That's super duper NOT what we're about! I know that we wanna have a giant mob of a party for our wedding! It's 100% us. You know what we have nothing to do with? Shiny shrubs.

It's okay that we're having a big wedding. It spreads our budget a lot thinner, but, it's worth it to have everyone we want there on our big day! It's hard to come to terms with this when you see the weddings on blogs like Style Me Pretty have small intimate weddings exploding with lavish details.

I just cannot let the "Wedding Monster" get me! The Wedding Monster is what I like to call the wedding industry--to an extent. It's more like the way you get caught up in it as bride. It's so easy to build up these fantasy weddings you see on television and online instead of considering the important parts!

For full effect, please play this while reading the next portion:

So, I will not be disheartened. I will not audition for a wedding show. I will not cut my guest list. I will have an iPod instead of a DJ! I will have Sams Club flowers instead of a florist! I will have a giant reception! I will have friends, family, and love! And I will have the wedding that I want to have, not the wedding the industry thinks I should have! SO THERE!