A Very Long Engagement...

I won't even comment on how long it's been since I've written.

Dave and I are getting married on May 29th, 2011. We got engaged on December 12, 2009. If my calculations are correct, (don't bank on it, the highest math class I took in college was Problem Solving 101) that's a whopping 533 days. 533!!! Holy Moses, that's a lot.

The length of time between now and when I finally become "Mrs. B" can be overwhelming sometimes. There are days when I want nothing more than to come home from work to our apartment to wait for my husband to walk through the door. I can't wait to sink into our couch (that we will most likely find on craigslist) with him and look around at the home that we've made together. I'm waiting for the day when I don't have to say "goodnight" and watch him drive away to his house miles down the road. I won't miss that at all, no sirree.

But! After a lot of thought and prayer, I'm beginning to see that God works in this time of waiting. There are things a person needs to work out individually before he/she can fully commit to another person, and I'm finding that He uses this time to help us do just that. I think its really important to be aware of how your mind and your heart find their way through times of struggle, of grieving, of joy and achievement. This life is completely nuts, and it's so hard to prepare for all the ups and downs that come our way. But I think that we need to just stop every once in a while and process how we've travelled through the "mountains and valleys," if you will. When it comes to knowing yourself, it's ok to be selfish, because once the "I do's" are said, things are going to change in a BIG way. Recall when you learned when you were 5 years old (or 7 in my case...kidding) that 1 + 1 = 2? Not after the wedding. From that point on it's 1 + 1 = 1. And this isn't a bad thing. It just means that more time is spent thinking about "us" than there is to think about "me."

So all I'm saying is... take advantage of this time. Relish in the self-exploration and have fun discovering all the things you didn't know about you. And when you come upon a characteristic that doesn't thrill you, take five minutes to wallow, and then do what you have to do to fix it.





Peace be unto you dudes.

Wedding Updates!

I am a terrible blogger. I love writing and updating you on new ideas and findings, but life always seems to get in the way. But I'm making a vow (hehe...get it?) to be more attentive to you. Here is the latest in the wedding of Dave and Katelin....

The joyous celebration of love and all of that mushy stuff will take place on Sunday, May 29, 2011. I know what you're thinking. "ARE YOU CRAZY???! WHY, IN THE NAME OF ALL THINGS HOLY ARE YOU WAITING SO LONG??" Well...there are a few reasons. First, we really want to get married in the late spring/summer, and this year was wayyy too early. Second, I want to put a lot of thought into this day. If we had to rush, I wouldn't be able to put all the attention into detail that I've been daydreaming about since I was seven years old. Third, we need a little bit of time to save the mula. As much as I make myself out to be this big wedding expert...I'm astounded at how expensive this day is turning out to be, now that it's my turn to plan. Even still, it seems like May 2011 is ages away. I'm going to have to invest in wrinkle cream and at-home hair coloring products to remove the grays.

Next on the list: Location. We've booked the ceremony for our church, Central Presbyterian in Downingtown. However, there is a minor complication: The sancuatry does not have one long center aisle, but two short aisles. Solution: I will walk up to the alter on the bride's side (the left) and then Dave and I will leave the sanctuary on the groom's side (the right), symbolizing the time-honored tradition of giving the daughter away, which is kind of a sad tradition in my opinion. The reception, I'm thrilled to announce, will be at The Welkinweir Estate in Pottstown (website is under construction). Picture a huge, stone farm house sitting on a hill that overlooks a four-acre pond. There will be a tent that attaches to the dining room for dinner and dancing on the back patio. All of which is surrounded by azalea bushes and weeping willow trees. Be still my beating heart!

Because the wedding is going to be during the Memorial Day holiday, a very popular wedding weekend, we wanted use the long waiting time to our advantage and book all of our locations and vendors as soon as possible. The lovely and incredibly talented Nicola Herring will be taking pictures throughout the day. She specializes in newborn photography, but her wedding portfolio is awesome! We are so excited to work with her! Stay tuned for an engagement shoot later in the summer.

Finally, all things flowers will be handled by Laurie Sasko, the detail and creative queen! I'm itching to meet with her to talk arrangements and bouquets. It's so hard to wait!

Catering, music, stationary and dress shopping are still to come. As much of a long and complicated process wedding planning is, we're having a blast. It's difficult sometimes to remember to live in the present with all of these exciting things to look forward to!