Which door is she gonna choose, Bob?

So the more I plan this wedding, the more I think about ditching it all and eloping.

No kidding. And we're actually pretty far along planning wise. (It's funny how these things seem to take on a life of their own, especially when my mom's involved. She's one motivated lady.)

I don't think I've mentioned it yet, but we decided to get married at my grandmother's house on Lake Travis just outside of Austin. Isn't that nice? Yeah. It's sweet. But even more than that...

You know those places that are, just for you, sanctuaries? They're places that maybe aren't perfect, and might be a little random, but still, no matter what they are, when you're there, it's as if you're standing on sacred ground, and you seem to find a bit of peace in an otherwise hectic world. This is one of those places for me. (As is the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, but it would cost way too much to get married there.) It's one of the only places I can go and relax and just...be. Which sounds cheesy, but it's true. And I love my Mimi. And she loves my fiance. So we're all happy about this.

So we got the place, and we've talked to a caterer (but no tastings yet, so we'll have to check that out before we finalize), and we've picked out invitations (they're cute), and we've finalized a guest list (which was the BIGGEST NIGHTMARE EVER. I...I don't even want to think about it. Or write about it. It was so horrible. But it's over, breathe, thank goodness.) Oh, and we picked a photographer, which actually is something I'm really excited about!

Anne Marie Photography is a couple of girls who shoot in the Austin/San Antonio area, and they are really talented. My cousin, who got married a year ago last March recommended them to me. My fiance and I love photography and photographing and Photoshop and probably anything else with "photo" for a prefix (yes, smart ass, even "photosynthesis." How else would plants stay alive? We like plants.) And my fiance has a great eye for detail, patterns, color...he's quite good, and his photos adorn the walls of my apartment. So it was important for us to find a photographer whose work we actually liked.

Mini wedding photographer rant:
Because seriously? There are some crappy photographers out there, and you know how you can tell? Poses. How do they pose people in pictures? Some of the stuff these people come up with... I mean, who in their right minds would ever arrange their bodies in that position?? Arms sticking out in odd angles, stupid "serious-faces" that make them look unhappy to be getting married. Ugh, it's awful. And THEN, they have the nerve to charge you that arm and leg they just had you stick out in a grotesque position. I looked at photographers from anywhere from $2,000-$7,000, not including tax. That's like $1,000 an hour! That's just plain crazy!

But you gotta get a good one. Because apparently memories don't last forever, everyone forgets their wedding, and the pictures will be all you have. Ok, done.

So, yeah, we picked a great photographer, I have a dress, we've registered, and have started planning showers. See, we're doing ok!

Plus I'm loving pilates right now. I feel great after each sesssion, and I'm pretty sure I wont be as motivated to get tone if the only one who will see me on my wedding day is my soon to be husband and some random online ordinand.

And yet, I still get the urge to lose the deposits, sell my unworn dress on ebay, and elope.

Which door am I gonna choose? Sigh.

You know, I gotta say, after writing all of this out, as tiring and stressful as it's been, I think I want to go through with the whole thing. To make a life-time committment, at my grandmother's house, in front of our dearest friends and family, to the man I love, while wearing a stunning dress and looking good doing it...I just don't think I want to give that up.

So it's to the altar for me! Or at least to the big oak tree down by the lake.