RSVP = Respondez Vous S'il Vous Plait (LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE COMING OR NOT!)

I have hear a lot of stories from various friends and acquaintances with regards to their wedding guests showing up/not showing up/bringing extra people/bringing uninvited children, etc.

I am not sure about what will actually happen on the day of the wedding yet (I'm hoping someone won't just show up or that friend x won't bring her five children - we actually don't know anybody with five children, but I like to use exaageration to my comedic advantage), but I do know that I find some guests lack of clarity as to their attendance very strange indeed. My response to their responses or absence there of:

A) Save the Dates were sent out in March
B) Wedding invitations were sent out at the end of July
C) RSVP date was clearly September 1st.
D) There was a response card on which one only had to check off attendance or regrets and write their name.
E) There was a stamp on the outside envelope of the response card (all you have to do is put it in the mailbox. You don't even need to seal it really. It isn't a secret).
F) After I have asked you about it 4 or 5 times, maybe you could come up with an answer.
G) No, I will not make your hotel reservations for you.
H) Yes, there are taxis in Long Island (we've had 'em here since 'round-a-bouts 1995, I s'pose).
I) Please don't be surprised that there is no vacancy at the place I explained only has 25 guest rooms six months ago.
j) At this point, you would have had to make dinner reservations for October 3, let alone respond to a wedding.

Ok. Glad to have gotten that out of my system.

Four Months and Counting...

According to my mother's monthly text message, we're just four months away from tying the knot. That's right, folks. Four months from today, we'll be bustin' a move on the dance floor of the Three Village Inn. What song will it be? The electric slide? The chicken dance? YMCA? The Grease montage? Oh, please let it be the Grease montage. Please. Please. Please.

In actual fact, we don't have the music situation squared away yet so it might just be rounds of row row row your boat. Maybe I can dig up some old mixed tapes.

So where are we at within the wedding count down list?

Side note, there are approximately thirty bridal related magazines at the bodega at the 34th Street Path station. There were even several on getting engaged. I don't really understand what is in that magazine. I don't think I want to know. Anyway, according to various wedding expert sources, we should:

1) Book the rehearsal dinner and day after brunch venues. We're working on that one. We know where the post-wedding brunch will be. My childhood abode. Thanks mom and dad. The rehearsal dinner is another story. We have one place in mind because of its proximity to the wedding venue and affordability. However, at the end of the day, since we are paying for most of this ourselves, it is still just another expense. Then there is the question of the guest list. Do we invite all out of town guests? How can we possibly afford that? Do we just invite those actually in the wedding and close family and let all of those who traveled far to be with us fend for themselves?

2) Check on the wedding invitations. "Umm....hi, costco....umm...are they ready?"

3) Select and order the cake. Attend several tastings. Cake. Yummy. Well, it is included at the Inn. Too bad. We like to taste.

4) Purchase shoes and start dress fittings. Well, my first fitting is not until August. I'm thinking gold. I like the Manolos below, but I'm not Carrie Bradshaw so if anyone sees some knock offs, let me know!

5) Schedule hair and makeup artists. Luckily, one of my best women volunteered.

6) Choose songs. Grease montage!

7) Plan welcome baskets for guests, if desired. What says Long Island? How does one get a thick accent into a welcome basket? Seriously, they are desired. We have some ideas.

In any event, it is nice to see that without having looked at the "lists" in a while, that we are looking pretty good.

Grease is the word!

Now There's Really No Turning Back

We've booked our location! Yeah! It is going to be at the Three Village Inn in Stony Brook, Long Island on October 3, 2009. While we struggled with the final two for a little bit, we ultimately felt that this place was more us - historical (we are going to be in our mid-thirties by the time we get hitched), unique (have you met Andrea???) , picturesque (if you haven't experienced it, just you wait 'til Arthur bats those baby blues at you).

It feels good having made the decision. A load has been lifted and we can concentrate on other things. For example, Andrea can start the fun process of dress shopping with her mother and friends while Arthur can start interviewing gladiators for the entertainment portion of the program. As Andrea looks for invitation ideas, Arthur can put an ad on Craigslist for the ninjas who will double as groomsmen. "EM desperately seeking 4 spry, stealthy individuals who really know how to work a crowd. Must have own smoke bombs. Electric slide experience preferred." So yeah, we both have our wedding planning responsibilities.

Oh. And in case anyone is wondering, there are no rings on our fingers yet!