Engaged: Three weeks

I am blogging about all the fun and exciting details of planning my wedding. Interestingly, a lot has already happened in just over 21 days of engaged bliss. In this post, I will detail my engagement story and the reactions of close friends and relatives. I've already begun planning and trying on wedding dresses, but those will definitely need their own posts.

John and I started planning to get engaged in January. We went ring shopping a couple of times and set a budget and a savings plan. John, of course, never stuck to the plan, and I changed my mind a thousand times since shopping about what I wanted. Late this summer, I was more ready than ever to "seal the deal" and I found a ring that was 20% under our original budget. We ordered it by mail and it arrived at our apartment office on Friday, August 22nd. I was so anxious about the ring and I promised John I wouldn't open the box until he got home. And he was working until 8pm and it was only 4pm. I calmed my nerves by drinking an entire bottle of merlot--not my finest moment. Finally, he got home and proposed as soon as he opened the box. It was a beautiful ring, exactly what I wanted. We made last-minute reservations at our favorite upscale restaurant. The food was delicious, we got to toast champagne, and we discussed what we would put in our vows if we wrote them ourselves. Then we both passed out as soon as we got home.

My mom and dad were very happy for me, though I wouldn't say they were rejoicing. My cousin and most of my friends were a little shocked, but extremely happy for me and excited--I had already done so much planning that I asked everyone that night to be in my bridal party. My grandma Thelma was shocked and told me she thought I was kidding when I told my family back in April that John and I were ring shopping. My grandma Autry told me that it was good I was waiting a full year to get married in case I changed my mind--she's not the sensitive type. My sister knew it was coming and had already started planning my wedding for me.

I called my sister and cousin's wedding planner (my voice teacher) the day after I got engaged. She was ready to take action and get me on the right track for starting to plan the festivities. I was so excited I couldn't sleep the whole weekend because I was waking up thinking of the guest list, colors, location for the ceremony and reception, food, flowers, makeup, dresses, cakes, favors, parties, etiquette, etc.

Since then, I've tried to keep the wedding-talk to a minimum, but it's very difficult. I watch every episode of Bridezillas and Whose Wedding is it Anyway?, but not platinum weddings because it gets me down. I spend about two-six hours a day on brides.com, weddingchannel.com, and theknot.com. I'm really trying not to put John off with my new obsessions, and fortunately he's pretty into certain aspects of the planning.

So this is what my life has become in less than a month. Join me.