Gadget Planet: Wedding bells and whistles
By Catherine Berlin and William Altreuter

Featuring this book: Anti-Bride Etiquette Guide

Who knew this book was out there?

Now before ya’ all start thinking crazy things. I am pointing this out BECAUSE IT WAS IN BUFFALO SPREE.

In my head I have about as many weddings as I do imaginary boyfriends in the past 32 years of my life. TO ME the wedding changes and becomes personal and depends on the groom as much as any vision I might have. Hence, me having a hometown WHITE INN wedding in mind or a hometown campfire wedding or a Marcy Casino/Rose Garden wedding or a Hyatt New Years Eve wedding. Or a very fancy upscale ridiculously large wedding. Or, or, or…you see my point. I have one for all seasons in mind.

But I notice that a few things always stay the same.

I want to have pictures BEFORE the wedding ceremony. I want to meet up with the husband-elect and have a moment of sappiness between us the first time we see each other in our attire. And then dry my eyes and take photos. Saves time. Saves makeup. And saves me a lot of jitters. And also gives me more time with my guests.

And shortly after, I discovered…I might not even want to walk down the aisle. I might actually like the idea of the husband-elect walking with me. Can anyone IMAGINE me keeping a straight face with Lil Brother *giving me away* I would be a tear filled disaster.

And shortly after THAT, I started thinking: I might not even want bridesmaids. I mean I do want all my friends and family there, of course. But really? By the time I get married? Well, I have already been the maid-of-honor in 2 weddings. An “official” bridesmaid in 4 weddings. A flower girl in 2. A member of the wedding reception (doing a reading) in 4 weddings. I organized and help plan 5 bachelorette parties for my friends (mostly in Buffalo and well, one for my girlfriend in California who was getting married in um, TUSCANY. Instead the girls got together in Toronto to celebrate with her.) AND THAT isn’t even counting a host of very good single girlfriends I have that have yet to get married. I don’t feel *obligated* to put any one of these women in a wedding I might have. HOWEVER, all of them are my friends. I love them. And unless I planned on having a wedding of 1000 people? Having 12 people stand up for me is CRAZY. Although I have been to a wedding that rivaled that number of attendants with about 1/5th of the guest list.

Why not just make EVERYONE a *bridesmaid* and have a few *point people* as my very best wedding detail planners. I mean I can have a best friend who HATES planning things, including her own wedding! (Wait, I do!) Or I could have a handful who love doing things like this. (Ooh and I really do!) And really? How do I choose? I want everyone I love to love me and have fun too! I know who I am in weddings. I’m the happy Jen who dances with the grandmas and little cousins and knows all the crazy aunts and uncles (even if I have no idea who they are) I hand the mom/dad types the tissues. I keep the bride excited and happy. AND I LOVE planning Therefore, I am a natural bridesmaid type friend. But not everyone is me, thankfully.

And after thinking all these things? Man, I am not traditional at ALL! Sometimes I think about wearing white. Unless I don’t. I mean, this book has my name ALL OVER IT. Of course, in reality? I could care less on how it is *supposed* to be done according to the *rules* I just know what I like and want. And what I want my future husband to like what I want too. Thank you Buffalo Spree for pointing this book out.

This post brought to you today by the number 27, the letter S and a healthy dose of trying to push away the very handsome man in my life by bringing up weddings. Although I know I have told him these things before, he is rather non-traditional himself. NOT that I’m marrying him or anything. We are only at the point of legally sharing joint custody of the cats once we are under the same roof in a few months.