Just need to write so I don't go nuts.

[PAdreamer]

I don't even know where to start. Nothing is wrong or bad, really... There's just so much going on! We moved the wedding up by a full year and only had about 4 months to get everything together... People tell you that planning a wedding is hard work but you don't really understand it until you're in the middle of the whirlwind! We only have 12 weeks left now.

 

I feel very uncertain at times. Mostly I wonderf if I'm doing the BEST thing... Making the BEST choices for us. Is this the right wedding venue? Do we really want to deal with invitations? How much can we spend on everything? Ultimately, these things don't matter. As long as we're married, then it doesn't matter. Still, I ask these questions and so many others, and it wears me out thinking about everything.

 

On top of that, there are so many things I can't control- specifcally our living situation. Aaron's main job is to find us an apartment out there. He's never done it before, and he's a huge procrastinator. My fears of not being able to secure a home for us by the wedding date have been the cause of a lot of stress for us these past few weeks.

 

The light at the end of the tunnel: I am hoping to surprise him for our honeymoon. Right now, he thinks that we are going to spend a few days on the Oregon coast. But my plan is actually to take him to a Sandals Resort in Jamaica! I hope it comes together like I want it to.....

 

So many things to constantly think and worry about... It's a wonder I haven't imploded!!!!!

[Alabama]

When you have to plan a lot of things at once, the task can seem overwhelming. I suggest just do things one at a time and try not worry to much about how much time you have left to plan your wedding. I am sure Aaron will find an apartment, even if he's a proscratinator, the job will get done. As long as you don't worry about the small stuff, you'll be fine!

[PAdreamer]

Thanks for the encouragement... It's just... I'm an "early bird". I get to work at LEAST a half hour before my shift starts (usually more) because I'd rather be early than late or even on time! I'm just the type of person who likes to get things done fast and early. I get INCREDIBLY antsy when I feel like things aren't being done fast enough. And I don't know how to stop feeling like that.

[smallworld]

PADreamer, Relax it's going to be okay! Wedding planning is supposed to be tortuous. Think of it as fraternity hazing for the bride and groom.

 

The truth is there is no "best" when it comes to weddings. That's a myth the industry perpetuates to separate you from your hard won dollars. I planned my wedding in less than 3 months (no shotguns or buns in the oven involved) and I've found it helps to throw romanticism out the window and focus on what's absolutely necessary: venue, dresses, tuxes, flowers, food, photographer, videographer. If you still have money to burn afterwards, that's the time to start adding in the luxuries. This book saved me $5000 alone: Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing a Fantastic Wedding on a Realistic Budget by Denise & Alan Fields

 

As for finding an apartment, procrastinators need a game plan to get going. Maybe you could help Aaron out by writing a quick list of what you want in an apartment and have him do the same. Decide on a price range, where you want to live and then see which apartment communities fit those constraints. Narrow the list down to 10 communities that look promising and visit each of them. To keep the confusion to a minimum, take along an excel grid to keep track of how each community measures up to your requirements. Pretty soon the right apartment should make itself known. Btw - If you can, stay on the 2nd floor or higher for crime safety reasons. Top floor is always best for light sleepers. Drive by your final apartment choices at night to see how crime and noise levels are and interview current residents to see if they'd recommend the place and like the management. For actual apartment reviews by customers:

 

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[PAdreamer]

Mmmmm... See the BIGGEST problem there is that we actually live almost 3000 miles apart. He KNOWS which apartments he likes, but his procrastination kicks in at the point where he's actually supposed to go in an FINALIZE stuff... Like actually viewing the inside of an apartment and talking to the manager about moving dates and rent and crap like that.

 

The good thing is that all of the DETAIL details are settled. The only thing still up in the air is the honeymoon, which should be settled in the next week. *sigh* Hopefully I can keep my calm for the rest of the process. I'll just be glad when I don't have to deal with all of this from 3000 miles away!