off beat bride

People have asked if we’re going to move the date of the wedding up since we’re moving to England, and the answer is NO. I admit that the instant reaction, even my own, to news of moving is always “get married”, but I think it’s more of a gut reaction than something practical. Neither of us wants to rush the day and take on more stress than we need, especially with all the work that is going to come with moving overseas. As well, I really don’t understand this rush to get married, although admittedly I tend to take things rather slow. I think it will be wonderful, but I also think what we have right now is wonderful in its own way. What I mean is that I’m content, not that I want to wait indefinitely. There are things I want, sooner rather than later, but forcing them to happen is not a good idea.

All that said, I’m starting to get really excited about planning the wedding. I admit the idea of planning from England is a little more daunting than planning from Toronto, but it will all work out somehow. I’m hoping to get a bunch of stuff done for it when I’m home in May. I am going dress shopping with my mum & David’s mum, which is going to be fun. I’m a bit nervous about finding “the dress”, however. I’ve been looking at pictures for awhile and although there are various styles that I like, and one I even love, until I see them on me I just can’t feel it. I’m really concerned about having something that moves and flows and is not constructed feeling. I have my own personal (unique!) style, and I want that to come through in whatever dress I end up with. It has to be me. A lot of the “gothy” or “medieval” type dresses that I like are sold by UK vendors online, so if I don’t find anything I love I may just wait until I’m over there and get something totally unique and different for a lot less money! But we’ll see. When I buy clothing I’m sold on the little bits of detail that make something different and unique. I’d like sleeves, but we’re planning an August wedding and I don’t want to be too hot.

I slacked off a little (not too much!) this evening and spent some time surfing OffBeatBride.com, a site my friend Terra recommended to me. The site has lots of really cool ideas, beautiful pictures, and lovely stories. It’s definitely going to help me get away from the forms of a traditional wedding. It is funny, to me, because I don’t really consider myself off-beat, although I know I probably appear that way through many of my actions. I just find the idea of an ostentatious display really bothersome. I don’t need to spend $50,000+ to feel good about myself and to make me excited to marry David. Hence, aside from the Giant Catholic Ceremony, we are going to keep everything low key and relaxed and fun.

That’s about that for tonight. Hopefully I’ve gotten enough wedding out of my system that I can focus on work for the next couple of days.