Weddings: Putting All That Planning Into Perspectiveby Courtney Mroch | More from this Blogger 05 Dec 2008 03:32 PM
I got the idea back when my mom moved in with us earlier this year. I had to clean out the closet in what became her room so she'd have a place to hang her clothes. I ended up finding several wedding-related items. My wedding dress was in there. I knew it was in one of the closets, but if you'd asked me which one I wouldn't have been able to tell you. I also found our cake topper. Forgot I even kept that. And then there was our china. Everyone had made such a big deal about registering for china. So we went and picked our pattern. We were lucky enough to receive every place setting we registered for. But do you know I've used that china maybe a half a dozen times. And fat lot of good it does me upstairs in one of the closets. We've never wanted a china cabinet, but I've since made room in the kitchen cabinets to store it. Maybe I'll remember to use it more that way. I mentioned this to a neighbor and she laughed. "I think we used our china once. And you kept your cake topper? I'm pretty sure ours got thrown away." Which led me to wonder about some of the other wedding paraphernalia that at one time seemed so very important, but now? Some I remember, some's a distant memory. Which made me come up with a bit of a game/experiment. If you want to play, read on for instructions. The "My Wedding Stuff" Game: How to Play Off the top of your head try to answer the following questions --without cheating and looking through any scrapbooks, photo albums, or wedding videos. Next, post a comment with the following information: (a) years married and (b) how many questions you were able to answer. The "My Wedding Stuff" Game: Questions
My Theory When I wrote about the Newlywed and Not-So-Newlywed game Wayne and I watched on our cruise, Dale left an interesting comment. I had said how I was surprised the couple married longest ended up coming in last because they got the fewest answers right. Dale said she wasn't surprised because she understands how much life has been lived since. Wayne and I haven't been married as long as her and Mick, but we've got some wear on our tires now. Thinking about this wedding stuff, I'll be honest with you. I can't even come close to answering all the questions. Not without having to flip through pictures or doing some further investigation. I think it's because Dale's right. Wayne and I didn't live just for our wedding day, and we've certainly done a lot of living since then. Lots of details have gotten lost in the process. But the key thing remains. The love. Just a little something for you newlyweds and newly engaged out there to keep in mind. Courtney Mroch writes about animals great and small in Pets and the harmony and strife that encompasses married life in Marriage. For a full listing of her articles click here. Related Articles Wedding Flowers: Live or Silk? What to Choose: A Cliched Wedding Song or an Offbeat One? Cupcakes Instead of Wedding Cake? Photo credit: Learn more about Courtney Mroch  Courtney Mroch is a wife, a proud pet parent, and a writer. She's been with her husband, high school sweetheart Wayne Pryor, over 20 years, married 11 of those. She's "mom" to Mr. Meow, a.k. Relevantmarriage tags User Comments  Jade Walker (964) 06 Dec 2008 09:07 AMAs you know, we're not having a huge wedding. To us, an intimate ceremony is ideal, not only because it honors our commitment to each other but because it allows us to revel in our other passion: travel. In this economy, it's wise to look at a wedding as a celebration of love, not a celebration of excess. And despite what the wedding magazines/shows claim, I don't need to be in the spotlight to feel like a queen/princess. My beau treats me like one every day. China? No thanks. $1,000 dress I'll wear once? That $1,000 would be better spent on plane tickets. Cake topper? We're not even having a cake. So what do we consider important? Nice rings since we'll wear them for a lifetime. Handsome outfits that we can wear again (even if it's only for a party or a Renaissance faire). A beautiful location for the ceremony. Decent photographs to capture memories of the day. And, most importantly, an outstanding honeymoon. As for all the other accouterments that we're "supposed" to have -- i.e., wedding parties, receptions, bands/DJs, $150 a plate meals, cakes, engraved invitations, butterfly launches and parting gifts -- forget it.  Courtney Mroch (9169) 08 Dec 2008 09:41 AMIf I had it to do all over again, I'd elope and get married in my bathing suit on a beach, play volleyball all afternoon as our party, then have cake. (sans the topper this time, but I love sweets so I'd want a cake. ;) EVA-Vanilla (10) 08 Dec 2008 10:02 AMI'm going to get married soon, but I don't want it be huge. I(wow it may be strange) I don't want no white dresses and crowd. Even though i can get what ever i want. I'm with my bf 5 years and marriage just make our relationship lawful. It's not a very Big deal. + traditionally white dress symbolize innocense. The ceremony, if you want you ca make a little research, means that you and your love one entering a new life- start to live together, away from parents in their new house. We already have it- what's the point of all ceremony??? Courtney Mroch (9169) 09 Dec 2008 10:49 AMGood for you EVA-Vanilla! You get the point of it all. Congrats to you and your BF when you finally tie the knot and make it "lawful," you outlaws you! ;)  ljb (3984) 11 Dec 2008 08:46 AMMarried 9 years, answered all 20 questions. (Most were N/A. No china - we registered for everyday place settings and use them still every single day! No ring-bearer. We had flowers on the cake and did not keep them.) I remember everthing. It's a curse. Samual (11722) 11 Dec 2008 09:15 AM1. What is your wedding china pattern's name? Don't have any 2. How many times have you used your wedding china since you've been married? Don't have any 3. Where is your wedding china? Don't have any 4. Did you keep your cake topper? We couldn't have one 5. What kind of cake topper did you have? N/A 6. What did you do with your ring bearer pillow? Didn't have one 7. What kind of flowers were in your bouquet? Didn't have one 8. What kind of flowers did you have for decorations? Didn't have any 9. What were your colors? Er suit coloured 10. If your husband wore a tux, what color was his tie and cummerbund? Cummerbund? Whats that? 11. What kind of food did you serve at your reception? Food from my brothers retaurant, so proper food no buffet 12. What flavor was your wedding cake? Fruit 13. Can you describe what your invitations looked like? It was mainly a phone call saying be here on.... 14. What time did your invitations say you were to be married at? 2pm 15. What time did they say your reception would start? 6pm 16. What was the first song played at your reception? I have no idea 17. What was the last song played at your reception? again no idea 18. Which stores did you register for wedding gifts at? I've never heard of that, maybe its an american thing 19. Do you still have all the gifts you registered for and received?N/A 20. Where's your wedding dress? hehe Courtney Mroch (9169) 11 Dec 2008 10:04 AMljb, I am very envious of your good memory, and Samual you cracked me up! Thanks for your answers! 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I'm conducting an experiment. Want to be a part of it? I'm trying to figure out how important all that wedding preparation ends up being. 
