Hey APW,
The time has come. We’ve made the choice this month, just a short (😂) 15 months after the pandemic really kicked in here in the states, to shift our monthly COVID-specific wedding planning open thread to a ‘normal’ wedding planning open thread. We know that this pandemic season is not over. We know that some of you, depending on where you live and your specific circumstances are still, very much, planning a wedding in the midst of a pandemic. But we also know that at least in America, where most of our readers are located, the world is headed in a more open and normal direction. But we’ve seen just how much having a place that hosts some community and solidarity has helped all of us—so, this monthly conversation is here to stay.
With or without a pandemic, wedding planning is stressful and tiring. It can feel lonely like you’re on an island for two. I’ve been through every emotion in these last few months as we plan our wedding. We’ve laughed, cried, had hard conversations, felt super lucky, felt really sad… all of it. Wedding planning is like a pressure cooker for life, your relationship, and all the feels.
By the time this post hits the website, we’ll be LESS THAN TWO WEEKS FROM OUR WEDDING DAY. Woah.
People keep asking us if we’re ‘ready.’ What does that mean exactly? Because no, we aren’t. But also, yes, we’ve been ready for years. I am so ready to reach the part (probably the day before) where I settle in and know that I’ve done all the things I need to do to plan this thing and that the rest is just letting it happen. All the big things have been settled for a few months… now, it’s all the little things. It’s the packing lists (yup, you need one), the timeline (that too, even for a small wedding), the final emails to vendors, the photography shot list (do it)… I’ve done these things professionally for other people for over ten years. I can do them in my sleep. Except, not this time. This time they’re for our wedding, and it feels a little more like pulling teeth to get them done. We’re doing it, though. We’ll get it done, and in less than two weeks we’ll be married. Which is honestly all that matters.
So, I’m here again to ask… how the heck are you doing? This is a place to keep it real and honest. You can vent all your feelings, ask for advice, or talk through a logistic concern. I’ve got my decade-plus of experience to share, and you have the best wedding community on the internet to meet you in the comments. Go to it, this is your open thread.
xo,
Alyssa
