Weddings…the pretty, the awful, the horrific.
My daughter’s getting married. Great, you’ve all said. Wonderful. Congratulations. I really appreciate that but none of you warned me about the wedding! Holy cow!
When I got hitched I had a little wedding the kind where you set a date, go to the church and take sixty of your friends and family out for dinner. Done!
In my simple brain I figured my daughters would do the same. We’re a simple people, do simple things, eat meatloaf and drink Coke. But when it comes to this wedding I live in a fantasy world! And to top it all off we’re doing this all in three months. Yesterday I was so stressed out I couldn’t remember my own address. I swear it’s the truth. Had to look it up. Least I remembered my last name.
This all started out low key. Then Emily bought that demon from hell magazine…Bride. Suddenly it’s four bridesmaids, a long dress, flowers, caterers, three-tier cake, wine, open bar and a harp trio.
I tried the elope incentive accompanied with a nice fat check but instead she brought Wedding magazine. I’m doomed.
I thought bride-zilla was just a term to get laughs! Actually, Emily hasn’t been so much a zilla but the wedding is. It keeps growing and growing. So my question to you is…
What is the best, most fun, wedding you’ve ever been to? Your own? That’s my answer. I looooved my wedding. We ate, we toasted we talked to everyone and had fun. I think when this is all over Emily’s wedding will be wonderful. I just have to survive it. Now if I can just remember my phone number.
Hugs, Dianne
DianneCastell.com
Hot and Bothered
Kensington BRAVA
April 2008
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My mother-in-law brought her dog to my wedding!
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*sniff* I’ve never been to a wedding!! Sigh, maybe one of these days. But I did like Father of the Bride. . . the Steve Martin one, never saw the first. Well, did see parts, but not the full thing. 
So, can that count? LOL
Lois
by Lois
on February 19th, 2008 at 10:51 am
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I canceled my big, extravagent wedding two weeks before and my husband and I showed at the church two days early and were married with our parents and best friends. The stress of family and money, sent me over the edge and it was the best decision that I ever made. We were just as married and with the money that I saved I bought new furniture for our house that we were building. My only regret is that I didn’t have a wedding cake. When I say I canceled everything, I mean everything. I picked a bouquet of flowers from my grandmothers garden and walked with my dad knowing that I had made the best decision for my hubbie and I. LOL The families got over it, especially when I told them all that we didn’t want presents. LOL
by Patty L.
on February 19th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
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My daughter was married with one attendant, a best man, and 50 of their friends. It was a great wedding!
by Estella
on February 19th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
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Oh, Jill! The dog!
I’ve heard of dogs being ring bearers etc but as a guest that’s a new on.
Hope he behaved.
Hugs Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 19th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
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Hil Lois.
You bet Father of the Bride counts. I’ve seen it too and thought is cute but now that I’m knee-deep in wedding stuff I can so relate!
What a fun movie!
Hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 19th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
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Hi, Estella.
I think your daughter’s wedding was just like mine and I loooved it.
I’m sure you all had a great time without all the hoo-haa.
Wonderful memories.
by Dianne Castell
on February 19th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
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Hi, Patty.
I am so with you on the stress! When I decided to have a small wedding one of the deciding factors was the thought of walking down the aisle in front of all those people. Freaked me out!
At your next anniversary get a wedding cake and invite friends and celebrate. I looove wedding cake too!
Congrats and hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 19th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
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Hi Dianne,
I think the best wedding I’ve been to was one of my cousins’ she had it at a nice country club in Long Island, and the food was delicious, the setting was nice- it was a short outdoor ceremony… and then we went into Manhattan - so it was more the entire day was nice. I’ve been to some … strange and bad weddings - where the ceremony is more than 3 hours and like a strange twilight zone sermon, or where everything was translated into 2-3 languages. In college two of my friends got married at a park - and the groom + groomsmen walked down the aisle - only they did it to music and choreographed a “dance.” I’m not planning on getting married any time soon, but I’m scared already. Both sides of my family are huge - I expect my older sister to get married first, and I told her she’s not allowed to elope, otherwise all the pressure will be on me! (Just counting my dad’s side, the family = 80+ people. Eek!)
by JSL
on February 19th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
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My dh and I tried to elope, but we made the mistake of asking my MIL to act as witness. Next thing we knew everyone was demanding to be there and it spiraled out of control.
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My wedding was simple too. We got married at a beach park with around fifty people, then had the reception in my parents backyard. They did the yard up beautifully with pretty yellow flowers and orchids on the walkays.
Hugs, Danette
by danette
on February 19th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
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Congrats to your daughter, Dianne.
My daughter’s wedding was the best. Everything turned out beautifully. There were 100 guests and it was a day I will never forget.
by Pat L.
on February 19th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
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Hi, JSL!
Wow you have been to some really unusual weddings! I’m totally impressed!
Different languages, dancing down the aisle, NYC. Holy cow.
The thing with the invite list is that you can go smallish or it goes huge. If you just go with aunts and uncles and brothers and sisters you can keep it under control but once you start asking friends and cousins there’s no cut off.
A lot of people looove the big weddings and that’s great. It’s just not for me.
Fingers crossed your oldest sis doesn’t elope!
Hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 19th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
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Oh, Alice.
I can see eveyone showing up at your elopement.
I hope it was fun. Have you forgiven your MIL yet.
Hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 19th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
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Hi, Danette!
Your wedding sounds wonderful.
So personal and lovely.
The beach is a great place for a wedding. Bet you had a fab time.
Hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 19th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
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Hi, Pat L.
Isn’t it wonderful that you can look back on your daughter’s wedding day with such fond memories instead of panic and stress.
How nice.
Hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 19th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
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Dianne,
I’m just glad I don’t have to think about that now. I think if I didn’t invite anyone in my family they would be *very offended* (and some might not come anyway). But the plan would be no kids allowed. Haha - I’m going to have to be rich, because my family puts the guest list at well over 100. I was in Taiwan doing some research in college (and I made my mom go with me to act as a buffer/helper) - and my cousins said to my mom “Auntie, when your daughters get married, we’re *all* going to America for it.” 
Haha - and the wedding with the dancing down the aisle only got more interesting.
by JSL
on February 19th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
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My daughter just started wedding plans and set the date for the end of July. His parents are in a neighboring state and my daughter lives 5 hours away so it’s not going to be easy. I was hoping for small but it’s definitely into middle - my thoughts are that anyone who can survive planning a wedding (and they are trying to do a lot of it themselves) should be able to survive a marriage lol. They found a place and we’ve picked out her gown which is a good start but it’s amazing how much more there is to plan. I wish you luck (and me too lol).
by catslady
on February 19th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
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I thoroughly enjoyed my last wedding. We flew to Hawaii and got married there in a lovely church on Diamond Head. Obviously, the honeymoon was built in. 
by Laidybyrd
on February 19th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
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Jill, I am still laughing about the dog. 
The most fun I’ve had at a wedding was one where I didn’t know anyone. The bride and groom were friends of my husband-to-be. They had great champagne at the reception, and it was just a lot of fun. The guests were great. The worst was my niece-in-law’s wedding. Even though we were family, no one saved us a seat at the reception and we had to eat standing up. No one spoke to us, either (and we had flown in from another state). I’m still ticked at that.
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Oh, JSL, start saving your pennies.
Weddings get soooo expensive without even trying. But is sounds as if your family and friends are more interested in being together than a big do so I bet it will be a blast…whenever it is.
Hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 20th, 2008 at 5:13 am
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Howdy, catslady!
So, we’re in this together! I feel better knowing there are two of us going nutty.
But there is a lot of fun stuff along the way. Picking out the wedding dress was my favorite thing and getting the place for the reception.
It’s going to be a wedding in the woods. At the Cincinnati Nature Center at an old lodge. Will be lovely in spring.
Best of luck with your wedding plans. I wish us both well.
Hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 20th, 2008 at 5:17 am
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Hi, Gail.
I know what you mean about the seating thing. We are ususally the outcasts at my inlaws weddings, sitting by ourselves at some remote table. Gee, those are soooo much fun. I hope I treat everyone better at Emily’s wedding.
Hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 20th, 2008 at 5:20 am
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I had the perfect wedding. We went to Vegas and got married in the MGM Grand, where they did everything for us and all we had to do was show up on time. Parents came as witnesses. We went to watch the jousting at Excaliber afterwards. No stress, fun, and the photos are fantastic, too.
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Oh my daughter and her finance would be so jealous if they heard where your daughter was having her wedding!! something like that would be just want they wanted but because of traveling for some people, they couldn’t quite go to say the poconos or out in real nature. They got close though with a gazebo wedding at a historical hotel which I know will be lovely too. I did enjoy picking out the gown - my mother who is 85 was with us and my other daughter, her maid of honor. We had a wonderful lady help us for over 6 hours and she even stayed an hour past her quitting time!!! My daughter is petite and everything looked so beautiful on her - we finally narrowed it down to 3 and passed up the WOW dress because if was just to heavy for her and the time of year but she got the one she was in love with the most and when they put the veil with it we had the whole place crying. I hope we both have wonderful stories to tell of the day - you’ll be first
by catslady
on February 20th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
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Hi, Charlene.
I’ve never been to Vegas. Your wedding sounds like a lot of fun and that all you had to do was show up is terrific. No stress and all the good stuff.
Nice!
by Dianne Castell
on February 20th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
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Oh, Castslady, the gazebo sounds wonderful! What great pictures you’ll have.
What great memories you’ll all have planning this wedding. A grast time.
Hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 20th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
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I’m having a chat/blog day at http://lauries-laudanum.blogspot.com
on March 13-14 where we’ll be talking about Hot and Bothered.
To get the ball rolling I’m giving away some copies of H&B to those who’ll be at the chat.
If you can make itg and would like a copy of H&B so you can join in the fun and discussions, drop me a line at DianneCastell@hotmail.com and I’ll send you a copy.
I’ll be giving away H&B totes and T-shirts and other goodies at the chat.
We’ll have a blast.
Hope to see you there.
Hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 20th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
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Hey Dianne!
Knowing you, I’m certain that Emily’s wedding is going to be absolutely perfect!
We’ve gone to four weddings over the past couple of years - two very simple and intimate and two that were larger and more showy. Thank heavens my girls both appreciated the smaller, simpler weddings. By the time they’re both educated, we’ll have no funds for large weddings! Hubby says he’s just going to give them a few thousand dollars to elope. LOL
I can’t wait for our blog party on the 13th and 14th - it’s going to be a blast!!
Hugs
by Laurie
on February 21st, 2008 at 12:52 pm
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Advanced copy of Hot and Bothered available!
I soooo can’t wait for the blog party!! Thanks for hosting it, Laurie!!
Anyone on this blog who would like to come to the Hot and Bothered blog party on the 13 and 14 of March and would like a Free copy of Hot and Bothered now to read so you can join in the fun email me at DianneCastell@hotmail.com and put Free Book in the subj line and I’ll send you off a copy.
Have a good weekend all.
Hugs, Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on February 22nd, 2008 at 7:25 am
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Hi Dianne! I loved my own wedding and party. I really went for a ‘homemade’ one. It was really cozy, fun, and not so formal. I just wanted to share it all with my friends and family. My mom and I cooked LOTS. Yes it was alot of work, but I loved having that time with my mom to do that all. My sisters too chimed in and even families brought things. It was almost 25 years ago, coming June, but I can remember the party a s it was last week! My sister and brother went for a formal wedding so it didn’t have that, but I would let my daughter decide for herself too which she’d like. I just wanted to be with everyone and share the day with them but have fun doing it!
by Caffey
on February 25th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
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Hi, Caffey.
You had a wonderful wedding with close friends and family. Just what I would want.
My daughter just added a flower girl and violins! It’s growing and growing.
Thanks for writing. Dianne
