And so it Begins!!

I know I posted this on facebook already, but...I feel like I need to say it again.  All that needs to be done right this second is booking a venue, which means getting together a rough guest list for a round about number.  Problem is, with 2 sets of divorced parents..that's a whole lot of communicating back and forth, trying to get everyone to send me their lists.  I have a feeling this is just the beginning of feeling like a tennis ball bouncing back and forth between all involved parties.  Aaron and I put together our version of a guest list, and it is dominated by family.  We're trying to keep our numbers down, and want to have both family and friends involved in our day...but at the rate we're going who knows if that will actually happen.  I do not want a wedding of 200 guests, and that's the direction we're headed...YIKES!!



Right now, I'm totally obsessed with this place..Bridgewater Place!


With that said, I started calling venues today knowing that a lot of dates are already booked.  We aren't attached to any specific date, we just know we want July or August.  Each venue has like 2 dates left..we really need to get a move on it!  I spent the afternoon speaking with different wedding coordinators and found myself ready to beat my head against a wall.  None of these coordinators are willing to meet us on Saturday's because they have events going on.  WELL DUUUHHHH  I want to see the venue set up for a wedding, looking at a big open space is not very helpful.  It's not like I want to tour the place at 6:00 while the best man is giving his toast, I would like to come by early afternoon..nothing is going on then.  I found myself wondering if other brides felt this way too.  I'm only used to the way that I ran things.  Of course I'm going to give tours of the property on a Saturday, that's when people aren't working, and when they have time to do that kind of stuff.  As a wedding planner it's hard to remember that other people get so stressed out about their weddings because it's not the only thing on their plate at that moment.  Usually they're also working, and have other social engagements to deal with,  while I'm focused only on their wedding because that's my job..it's not stressful.

I work until 6 every day Aaron works 3rd shift, so we're totally inconvenienced by this whole not able to meet on Saturday's thing.  We have random appointments scheduled which means we can't include our parents.  So far I'm not impressed with Grand Rapids venues.

On another note, one of Aaron's friends asked Aaron if we ever fight...I don't know if he asked because he noticed that we don't, or what his thought process was, but it made me think.  We don't really fight.  We've had 2 really big fights and that's really it.  Of course we snap at each other every once in a while, or bicker back and forth, but nothing major.  After we talked about how it was nice that we never fight..I silently began freaking myself out...(I totally tend to over analyze things)  Are we supposed to be fighting?  Obviously there isn't a quota of how many fights a couple has to log each month, but you always here things like a fight here and there is healthy for the relationship, but are we missing something?  NO.  No is the answer I'm going with, couples that fight all the time clearly aren't happy together...why would you want to be in a relationship where you're fighting more than anything else?

*This was before he purposed:***

I freaked out for a small second thinking that we were missing something in our relationship, is it really possible to just be happy and get along?  I answered the questions myself, YES.  It is possible to be happy.  I've found I just let the little things roll off my back, because it's not worth the energy to pick at every little thing.  I know I have qualities that drive Aaron CrAzY..I'll give an example, because I know it's hard for you all to believe I'm not perfect. 

There is an enchilada sitting in a glass baking pan in the fridge right now.  It's been there for a week.  I had every intention of eating it, but never got to it.  Now I know it's grown 7 lawyers of fuzz, so I don't feel like taking it out of the fridge, because it's going to be gross.  Aaron will most likely be the one to get it out, he'll be annoyed...but won't make a big deal about it.  Just like I move his damn shoes out of the way of the front door EVER SINGLE DAY.  I crack jokes about them being in the way, move them, and tomorrow they'll be in the exact same place.  Directly in front of the door. 

I don't know why this has been bugging me, I guess I was feeling like sometimes it's too good to be true, but maybe that's how everyone feels when they find the person that truly is their better half.

I know you married folk are all probably laughing at me right now, or maybe rolling your eyes at me, I'm not naive enough to think we won't ever fight, and I'm sure we'll have some blow outs, but right now we're in such a good place, there is nothing to fight about..except maybe him being a bed hog*

<3 Karissa

The Rest is History...

I've always thought that was such a stupid saying..."the rest is history"  mainly because it's a statement that follows a long story that 9 out of 10 people don't really want to hear, but have to sit and listen to it anyway.  Whether it's because you're listining to a friend or family member, or stuck in line with a really chatty person.  Why on earth would a person take the time to tell most of their story..and finish it with "the rest is history"  It's honestly the worst way to end a story.  It's kind of like reading 20 chapters out of a 23 chapter book, you get to the last page in chapter 20 and it says...."and the rest is history".  WTF  now that I'm invested in the story, and have wasted my time listening...finish the damn story!

With that said..I'm telling my whole story, leaving nothing out.  This is mainly for myself so I can remember all the details, when things get crazy.  I want to look back a year from now and remember exactly what was going through my head a day after I got engaged.

Here goes....

Aaron and I met on Match.com..(insert comments from haters here)  say what you want but look where it got me.  I have planned more weddings of couples that have met on Match.com, than couples that said they met at the store reaching for the same apple...so SUCK IT.  I never thought I would meet my soul mate at the bar, or store, or through a friend...honestly I didn't know how I was going to meet anyone.  One day I plucked up the courage knowing I didn't have anything to lose, and joined.  Within 3 days I had made contact with Aaron.  We never would have been matched through the site because his location was outside of my desired settings..I think I was younger than his age group too (can't be positive though).  I decided to expand my search and found his profile.  I couldn't tell you what drew me to it, but he seemed to have a similiar personality.  I winked, he winked we started emailing...(insert gag sound here...winking really?? Match has some minor changes they need to make lol).

We emailed back and forth for about a week, when he asked me if it would be to forward to ask for my number...I responded with my number...and 2 seconds later he texted me.  Apparantly he was texting some other skank too..I just found this out today...look who won hoe bag!!  No, really, I'm sure she was a nice girl and I have nothing against playing the field.. but suddenly with a rock on my finger I'm overly protective and annoyed anyone else every showed interest in him....lame I know.  We talked on the phone for about 2 weeks, and finally decided to meet.

Our first date was typical dinner and drinks (actually breakfast..we went to Ihop...inside joke..not going to get into that)  I was so nervous I was shaking so bad, but the second we started talking I felt at ease.  I remember when we changed locations for drinks, I thought to myself..I could really be with this guy.  After our date he hugged me and sent me off...no kiss.  Our second date came 2 days later dinner and then we hung out at his place...the night ended with a peck on the lips.  WHAT THE HELL KISS ME DUDE!  I was starting to think something was wrong with me.  Finally our thrid date I got the kiss I was looking for! 

We saw each other every other day the entire first week...we were also living 40 minutes apart.  A week after our first date we decided to make it official...those were his exact words too...How flippin romantic! NOT.  As time went I I knew I was falling in love with him.  He had told me a story about an ex that said I love you too soon and he responded with thank you.  I was soooo scared to tell him I loved him.  I was laying in bed, with my face turned away and finally after a sleepless night I just said...babe if I told you I loved you would you say thank you?  He laughed and said no I would say I love you too.  After that everything turned into a big whirlwind of a relationship...we started dating in March, moved in together "officiall" in August, and are engaged at the end of October.  I know some people think it's quick, but I'm also not 21 and messing around, I know what I'm looking for in life.  I've had my time to myself to be stupid and young, I'm ready and when you know you know...no sense in waiting just to conform to society.

Sorry this is sooooo long...don't read it if you don't like it :)

I had my suspisions something was coming in the form of a proposal...I was expecting Christmas time not October 29th 9:44 am.  Our kitten was outside the bedroom scratching the door driving me nuts, I was just thinking to myself I should get up and feed them to get them to be quite..when Aaron got up first...I should have known then and there something was up..he never gets up to feed the cats.  He came back to bed and Mocha (our baby kitty) jumped in bed too.  She is soooo lovey and needy she was rubbing all over me, and forcing me to pet her.  I started to scratch under her collar, and suddenly felt the ring...I wasn't sure what it was but when I looked I saw the shadow of it.  I couldn't say anything but what is this, what is this??  His response was I don't know what is it?  I burst into tears, and he took the ring off her collar, and said will you marry me?  Of course I answered yes. He said Mocha was a little too needy he had wanted me to at least make it out into the living room, but I loved that I was still in bed.  I always loved how Julia Roberts was purposed to in the movie Stepmom, and I got my own version of that!  I loved everything about how he purposed.  He used the cute kitty (shameless!!) she's our baby.  He did it early in the morning I wasn't expecting anything.  It was just the two of us, no stairing eyes, it was just our moment and I will cherish that forever.

Now a day after the fact, I still can't believe I'm going to be a Monzo...I'm marrying the man of my dreams, who treats me like a princess.  I feel like I could explode I'm so happy..(sorry I know this is the cheesy part)  He's had about a month to let this sink in, I'm still getting used to it, but I love it.  I love every minute of the past 2 days that we have been together.  I'm safe, I know I will be taken care of for the rest of my life, I'm marrying my best friend and I CAN NOT WAIT!!!

Again, I know it was long, but that's the beginning, and now I get to start this crazy process of planning my own wedding..I'm the bride now..do what I say bitches...KIDDING...kinda :)


<3 Karissa