GUEST BRIDE BLOGGER KAREN {JE #4} THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Certified Coordinated Bride Karen

Journal Entry #4

The Final Countdown

I cannot believe that my wedding day is almost here. I get butterflies every time someone reminds me how many days I have left. I have butterflies as I am writing this now. LOL! I’m excited and overwhelmed at the same time. My mind races constantly and I almost forgot my own birthday! However, I am beyond happy to have moment. I wish that I could have this moment for life!

HAPPENINGS AND GOINGS ON

The beginning of this journey went by so slow. I felt like we got a lot of things done in the beginning. Because of this we had a huge block of time where we didn’t really do anything. Fast forward to now! These last few months have been busy. The term wedding brain is definitely true. I promise I could be midsentence and then completely forget what I am about to say. Conversations with my fiancé are a bit frustrating for him. Bless his heart.

Speaking of my love, we are typically a couple that does not argue. I will admit the stress has caused us to have a lover’s spat or two…maybe three. Luckily we realize what it is really stemming from and we make up quickly. He has been truly supportive and so helpful throughout this process. I have to keep in mind that this is one of the most important days of his life too and he cares about the details just as much as I do.

BACHELORETTE BREAK

Since we last chatted, I had my bachelorette party. My wonderful Maid of Honor Ashlee planned my very own On the Run tour. We spent the day running around the city doing various activities. We started at the dance studio where we learned a burlesques dance to Beyoncé’s “Rocket”. I was sore the next day but I am ready to try that out for the mister. There were so many laughs to be had there. I am glad that everyone was willing to relax and release her inner sexy. After we left the studio, we jetted over to another side of town for a quick bite at my favorite place, Chick Fila. I bet no one has ever seen a bachelorette party there but we had to coat our stomachs before we headed to our next spot. Our third stop on the tour was Wine Fusion where we spent the night learning and tasting wine so that we could create the perfect blend for our own bottle. I created a blush wine, which I titled: The Franklin Fusion. Our fourth stop was dinner at Fireside Pies, a great gourmet pizza restaurant. We definitely needed bread after all the wine we tasted. We closed out the night at a suite where we played a few games until we passed out. The bachelorette party was a great time cutting loose with the women that I love the most. It was a well-deserved break.

BACK ON THE GRIND

Since the bachelorette party, I have been back on the grind finishing up the final details. My wedding planner, Christy, has stepped in to put all of the things I did myself in order. I strongly suggest a planner, at least one who can step in to finalize plans and coordinate the vendors. Although I hired Christy for month of coordination, she has been beyond helpful throughout this entire process. I have a few DIY things that I am finishing up before the wedding like the programs and different signs we will have around the venue. Luckily I have time off from work to complete them. That is the blessing of being a teacher.

Wedding planning has been a journey but I am most looking forward to the culminating event: my wedding day! I am most looking forward walking down that aisle and meeting him at the alter. I knew it was him from the day that we became reacquainted. I am also looking forward to dancing with him. We both love music and the songs we selected for our playlist have so much meaning to the both of us. And lastly I am looking forward to the morning after. We signed a purity covenant a looong time ago…so you can infer why I am looking forward to the morning after. Lol

I have learned so much about myself during this process. I have learned that I am very considerate of others and sometimes that is not okay. Especially when it comes to your wedding. We both have made a few decisions based on the feelings or situations of others. We then realized that everyone is not as considerate as we are and we cannot expect others to do what is considerate. If it is something that I or we want, sometimes it has to be non negotiable. There may be brides that are like me reading this. To them I say: consider yourself first. This may be the one opportunity you have to do so unapologetically.

I have had so much fun being a coordinated bride. I have become sisters with some awesome brides along the way. I cannot wait to read their journal entries and see their posts. I have received so much love and likes via social media that I almost feel famous. LOL! I wish that I could have this moment for life but I know life must go on. I do have confidence that there will be moments that will match and even surpass this moment. And even in the moments that are low and hard, I can rely on the feeling that I feel in this moment to pull me through. For: “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” I am blessed indeed.