Charting one wife-to-be's exhilarating (and exasperating) course to wedded bliss
July 06, 2007
It's been fun
So, this is it guys. You may have noticed that the blog hasn't been updated in more than a week. That's because it was in limbo. But the decision has been made. It's official.
This blog is over. The Sun-Times has decided to cancel "Unbridled."
I really enjoyed sharing my experiences and loved the feedback so many of you gave me. I had planned to continue this right up to the day I walked down the aisle, but it's out of my hands. Thanks for reading for the last six weeks. I hope you had as much fun as I did.
Since getting engaged, I have devoured every bridal magazine out there. Even though most of my planning is finished, I still feel the need to pour over ever page, sometimes second guessing my decisions and sometimes just admiring what I could have done if I were rich.
This month, I'm loving the new issue of Chicago Social Brides It's from the publishers of CS Magazine, you know, the one you can get at Starbucks? The Brides issue is full of useful information and LOCAL resources for their cool ideas and products. It's on stands now.
I'm also crazy about the new Brides Chicago magazine from the publishers of MondernBride. Again, it's full of great local resources. I especially like the "Real Couple's Playlists" in which wedding music of Chicago-area couples gets the spotlight. It hit newstands today.
A friend of mine, who is recently married, said that her fiance is having a hard time getting used to wearing his wedding ring. He's never worn a ring and so it feels a little foreign to him.
And he's not alone.
My very own fiance has just informed me that he's not keen on the idea of actually wearing his ring.
A few days ago, I asked destination brides to email details of your wedding to travel@suntimes.com. Due to a technical glitch, that email address wasn't working properly, but it's up and running now so please, send away!
When I was tasting cakes earlier this month, I realized there was a lot of baker's lingo being thrown at me. Brides.com has a great glossary of cake terms that covers shapes, frostings, fillings, decorating techniques and more. I've listed the terms for the fillings and frostings, but be sure to check out the whole list here.
During my year of planning, I've come across some really helpful wedding websites. Some are very specialized, others are a bit more general but with some kind of fun twist. If you're a web surfing bride (or groom) here are a few more places to keep you busy when you should be working.
groomgroove.com
A website for the guys, this is a really well organized, comprehensive guide for the man at the end of the aisle. From the proposal to the honeymoon, this site covers some pretty taboo topics like performance anxiety on the wedding night. It also provides helpful resources for the best man, groomsmen and dads. Ladies, it's worth a spin for you too just to see it all from a guy's perspective. You may be surprised!
amazingcollections.com
It's very trendy right now for brides to get pashminas for the bridesmaids to wear with their dresses, expecially for a non-summer wedding in Chicago. This website offers viscose and cashmere pashminas for a fantastic price! At $15.50 for viscose and $39.50 for cashmere, these are gifts that won't break the bank. The woman in charge, Ruth, is extremely helpful and cooperative. If they don't have the color you want, email her and she'll work with you. And brides get 10% off!
After more than a year of wedding planning, eloping sounds really good right now. Running off to a tropical spot with just our closest relatives and friends, saying "I do" with sand between our toes and toasting with colorful cocktails garnished with fresh pineapple...ahhhh...
Yeah right.
I have heard enough brides talk about destination weddings to know that they are NOT easier to plan. In some ways, they're more difficult because you're doing it long distance and often dealing with paperwork in another country. Finding vendors, making travel arrangements...yikes!
But maybe you're brave and adventurous. Are you having (or did you have) a destination wedding? If so, we want to hear from you for an upcoming story. Email us at travel@suntimes.com and be sure to include your name, daytime telephone number and a little bit of information about your wedding (when, where, etc.).
And if you're just starting to plan, check out these tips from theknot.com:
My fiance and I went to PreCana yesterday. It's an eight-hour marriage prep class sponsored by the Catholic church for couples who plan to be married in the Catholic church. Basically, it's required. So on a lovely Saturday morning, my fiance and I sleepily made our way to St. Walter on the far South side to sit in a non-air conditioned room and talk about major marital issues.
It wasn't quite as bad as it sounds.
Actually, the couple teaching the class was pretty entertaining. They were extremely open about their own marriage and the struggles along the way. Here are a few of the things we learned:
And then black. It was my very favorite "Friends" season cliffhanger (watch it here), the one that made me scream so loud I scared my parents. But it was also one of the best television wedding shockers that Hollywood has produced.
There are countless movies and television episodes centering on weddings. No two are exactly alike, but a few of them, like this one, are extra special. Here are some of my other favorites:
Me: "So, I was thinking we could serve the groom's cake at the rehearsal dinner instead of the reception. Traditionally, the cakes are dark chocolate, but since it's your cake, you can pick whatever flavor you want. Usually, it reflects your interests, like sports, movies or whatever. Any ideas?"
Him: (pauses, looks down at his hand, then looks up with a smile) "I want a hand."
Me: "What? A hand? Ha, ha, okay, let's be serious now."
Him: "I am. I want a hand and I want each finger to be a different flavor."
Me: (realizing he's serious) "Why on earth would you want a hand? That doesn't make any sense! People are going to think you're crazy!"
Him: "No, it'll be funny! It's unexpected! Besides, it's just a cake. And it's MY cake. Yep, I want a hand."
Stephanie Gladney is a page designer for the Chicago Sun-Times and enjoys many things outside of work, but can't remember any of them now that planning a wedding has monopolized her life. She is a Kentucky native, and, according to her family is breaking all the rules (and their hearts) by not getting married there.
