Sixteen

Sixteen has always been my lucky/favorite number. I'm not sure why, I just always picked it as a uniform number in sports growing up and then it stuck. Dave has adopted my lucky number over the years and today, 16 days before our wedding, he sent me flowers to work. Calla Lillies, my fave! Very sweet and thoughtful of him, I just wish I would have taken a photo!

So now, 16 days away from our wedding, I find myself at least 16 pounds heavier than I wanted to be...lol, but also 16 times more excited for the big day to come. 

This inspired me to catch up on my blog and think of 16 things I have discovered during the wedding planning process so far...

16. Men will never understand the need for chair covers.

15. That even in a bad economy, people are spending more on weddings than ever before... Maybe I need to find a way to go into the wedding business!

14. Common courtesy is not very common (in regards to many things, like RSVPing to an invite on time for example)

13. The web is an invaluable tool in the research process, but don't let it replace personal contact with vendors.

12. Opinions are like...let's say eyeballs, everyone has got 'em! Luckily, I learned that you really only have to listen to the ones of those who are paying ;-)

11. Hiring a Day Of Coordinator probably would have been a good idea, but it's too late now.

10.  When you begin planning, make a list of what you THINK things will cost, then double or triple it and you have your ACTUAL cost.

9. I love researching for the best deal around, but sometimes I think you get what you pay for... in my case I found this out when it came to an affordable but completely inflexible DJ.

8. Showers are AWKWARD! I thought since I was outgoing, I wouldn't mind being the center of attention but I did. I was sweating profusely at each shower as I opened gifts and found the experience surprisingly unsettling.

7. Let someone else in on the details of the wedding BEFORE it's only two weeks away. I'm a control freak so I did it all, but now as it is closer I find it hard to get everyone up to speed that will need to help me on the actual day.

6.  That my photographer was still my best investment hands down! I still love my e-pics and can't wait for Jon Koch to document our wedding day. Every time I see his recent work I get giddy.

5. I'm happy I'm in a place where I can help contribute to my own wedding. I'd hate to see my parents go broke and I also love that I can have all the extras I'd otherwise have to cut out.

4. I never should have impulse bought 325 sets of glass photo coasters off of theknot.com as soon as I got engaged. Now I have to figure out a way to stuff 300+ favors and carry the HEAVY boxes to the reception. If I had it to do over again I'd donate to a charity in the name of my guests.

3. My fiance Dave has very few opinions about the wedding, so when he had one I listened! (He is adamant that my hair is "up", so you bet it will be)

2. My dad is a sentimental schmuck and he has already teared up multiple times in these months before the wedding. I better wear waterproof mascara the day of!

1. I love my fiance more than anything in the world and cannot wait to finally call him HUSBAND!