10 Days. 9 Hours. 33 Minutes.

I was sitting at my computer last night, staring at an email from my awesome florist, Karen of Huckleberry Karen Designs.  In the close of her note, she wrote, “12 more days!”

When I thought about it, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Okay, maybe not the whole ton. Maybe just a couple.

But it was a good thing. A happy realization. And it was like I knew that, but her words typed out words made it that much more REAL.

I’ve been getting messages and emails from friends and family who will be gathering next week for our wedding. Our wedding is NEXT. WEEK. Holy moly. And maybe I keep doting on this fact because we’ve been engaged since March 2008. I didn’t know how quickly this day would come considering that it seemed light years away! Now, we’re down to just under eleven.

People keep asking my mom about how I’m doing. Like I’m supposed to turn into a fuming, drooling, three-eyed monster, commonly known as a “Bridezilla” like the type you see on the television series. And she laughs simply and says, “Everything is going great.” She asked me the other day, “Should you be freaking out? My friends keep wondering.”

Well, good news, I haven’t sprouted any extra optical units or turned any shades close to Elphaba from Wicked, so I think everything is going to be alright.

I’ve been asked, “How are you feeling?” “Are you ready?” “Are you nervous?” I’m so excited and elated that the big day is coming. Okay, so the nerves should creep up around 1:55pm on July 18, but those will be happy nerves. Like “It’s finally time” nerves.

We want everyone to have a good time and have fun at our wedding.

My advice to brides, having almost completed my stint in wedding planning as a bride:

1. Plan, plan, plan if you are going to do-it-yourself (DIY). I DIY’ed our invitations, but I had no idea exactly HOW MUCH WORK they would be. Make a mock up. Figure out how long it takes. Enlist help. Also, subscribe to Michael’s and Joann’s for coupons.
2. Ask for help. I could have never have accomplished half of the things I set out to do without help from my sister, parents, family, and friends.
3. Make to-do lists for each month of your engagement. On the kitchen cabinets I posted a monthly calendar and penciled in all the of events, to-do’s, and payments. Everytime I was in the kitchen it was a reminder!
4. Take a break from starting a wedding inspiration. I’m a blogaholic and for the last 16 months, I’ve read and ogled a TON of wedding blogs. Sometimes it can be overload, to the point where everything looks the same and it doesn’t mean anything anymore. Use inspiration wisely.
5. Enjoy the process. Don’t get stressed out by minutiae, you’ll probably be the only one who notices. The planning  is a pretty fun and exciting part of the process. Smile, you’re engaged!

And because a picture will make this infinitely more interesting, here’s one from our fab photographer, Travis Hoehne.

Happy Tuesday!