Setting the Date

Picking a date for your wedding should be one of the simpler tasks when planning.  You only have to consider the season, day of the week, and then pick a specific date at random from there.  You might go back and forth between one weekend and the next, but it's really about the same either way.  This was true for me, too, when I set my date for October 16, 2010.

But then, I lost my job, and the money I'd been setting aside for the wedding had to go towards taking care of our bills.  It became apparent not too long after that a wedding in 2010 wasn't really possible.  Thankfully, I hadn't sent out any invitations, or booked any vendors yet.  But it's still frustrating because I had finally really committed myself to something in the wedding planning.

A Broke Budget

According to costofwedding.com the average couple spends $19,581 on their wedding.  In Nashville, that average is even higher, with most couples spending between $19,864 and $33,106.  I sincerely hope I'm not the only person who looks at those figures and cringes.  Maybe it's because we're young, and entering the work force when the economy is down.  Or maybe it's because we know that money would be much better spent on a down payment for a house.  No matter the reason, this budget was definitely not an option for us. 

This still costs less than a real bouquet

Instead, we agreed very early on that we were going to spend as little money as possible.  Why don't we just elope?  Because I really do want to share this moment with my family and friends.  For me, I want to be able to look back and really remember something beautiful and romantic, and to share with our children down the road, so they can see this special moment too.

Improper Proposal

We all know how it goes.  He takes her out on a beautiful date, they have a really romantic time, there are all sorts of special touches to remind them of their first date, and then BOOM, he surprises her by popping the question in some creative, remarkable way.

But not every proposal is so perfect.  Sometimes, the question is popped randomly, while talking on the phone, or doing something else completely arbitrary.  Sometimes, the woman is the one who asks the question.  Sometimes the proposal is rejected outright.  I get the feeling that most men don't pop the question without talking about the prospect of marriage first.  I know Joshua and I had decided to get married long before the official proposal.