cold turkey .... or should we serve duck?

8 months ago Dave and I became engaged. Within the first week, I had a PowerPoint presentation created that outlined our venue options, flower choices, dress selection, color pallet, and I think even the timing of the conception of our first child. All of this was done without the help, or knowledge of the "wedding blog." Now you'd think that I, with my unabashed admiration for all things internet, would have thought to search out the blog world for the latest and greatest in wedding design. I did not. Within 3 weeks of our engagement the flowers were ordered, the photographer hired, the venue set, the dress pattern purchased (thanks to mom), the save the date cards designed and sent to the printers, bada bing bada boom I sat back and patted myself on the back. Why are there so many shows and magazines on weddings? Who are these Bridezillas and what is their problem? This wedding thing is a snap!

We are now at 31 days and counting and I have become addicted to the wedding blog. Weddingbee to be exact. This isn't your average wedding blog with one gushing BTB waxing on and on and on about every detail of her (note it is never "their") impending nuptials. This blog features multiple BTBs waxing on and on and I can't tear myself away! I wonder if Miss Strawberry has found her shoes, I worry about Miss Kiwi's lack of excitement about her intended, I lust after new links to more blogs that will feed my need to know more wedding details and find more suggestions that I, in my ultimate quest to be organized, failed to consider when I drew up my original PowerPoint plan!

Like any addiction, this started out as fun. I would spend a few minutes at lunch or after work reading the daily posts and perhaps check out some of the offered suggestions and links. No harm and certainly no additional investment in things I didn't already know I needed for the wedding.


Then the visits became more frequent, the "to do list" began to grow and all of a sudden I found myself designing a "wedding logo" which can be placed on all of our "wedding accessories" such as: menus, cocktail menus with custom drinks names, favor tags, thank you letters for the out of town guests, napkins, programs, CDs with the music from the reception, lapel pins for our guests to wear to identify themselves to others (blue would be the grooms guest, pink mine), decals for the walls of the hotel, gobos (lighting template) for the dance floor, coloring books for the kids and coasters, we need lots and lots of coasters!

Like any addiction, I have now felt the need to hide my obsession, sneaking internet time before sitting down to watch TV (which of course is turned onto Whose Wedding Is It Anyway.) Searching out unique tiaras which should be considered (if not for myself at least for the flower girls.)

Perhaps this is a manifestation of my having lost control of the wedding planning process. After trying to work with the hotel long distance, I finally admitted defeat and called in my wonderful sister and her business partner to take over. They are dealing with the issue of why the champagne can't be served after the ceremony instead of before the cake, and how to accommodate our vegetarian guests (it is apparently hard to explain to someone who lives within cattle country why anyone would not eat beef. Who are these people we are inviting anyway?)

And so, like a good 12 step participant, I am going to take it one day at a time. I've promised Dave no new projects (which I am assuming means no new internet purchases for the wedding as well.) And, I am going to not read the wedding blog, search for wedding related materials, spend hours on illustrator designing wedding accessories (read above), watch wedding TV, or look at anything that could be used in a wedding in any way. That's it! I am going cold turkey!

of course .....

we still need to outline the ceremony
write the vows
take a photo for the NY Times and one for the Siskiyou Daily ; )
finalize the programs
pick the music for the ceremony, dinner and reception (chicken dance anyone?)
finish the guest book(s)
pick up the rings
get gifts for the kids
etc...
etc...
etc...

does anyone know of a recovery center for wedding addiction?