A Wedding Planner’s Wedding
My first thoughts, “Wow I’m getting married,’ and always being the wedding planner, I’ve never experienced it from this side.
I decided to document the stages of my wedding planning as many of my friends, family and clients have suggested that “it’ll be a walk in the park organising your day”, seeing that I have the contacts and team to pull it all together. However, my gut says, it’s going to be no easy street. If anything I will probably be creating even bigger challenges, setting huge expectations, want to pull in all my favours and demand more from everyone than ever before. Now that doesn’t sound like a bride does it!
I Don’t Believe in Marriage!
When I quipped once in the office that I should write an article about myself, titled “The Wedding Planner That Doesn’t believe in Marriage,” despite the gasps, I was half serious about it! In my head I always had the words of Jennifer L, from The Wedding Planner, “Y’know, “those who can’t do, teach”? Well those who can’t wed, plan,” and so I had been a wedding organiser since 2003. Working as an events manager under the wings of my mentors, learning that the fundamentals of wedding organising are more or less scripted, but understanding diplomatic compromising, now that’s an art.
Wedding Ratio
A wedding is 20% logistical planning and 80% emotional management. Families want their say of who should or shouldn’t be invited. Where it should or shouldn’t be. Who to please, whom not to upset. The list of traditions to uphold, which these days are an ever-growing list with multicultural marriages. The movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” could really have been applied to any culture. The message was so universal that even as I watched it, I could see the, My Big Fast Asian Wedding, adaptation in my head.
Mixing it Up
Now lets add my age to the mix. My partner and I will both be 40. Neither of us have been married before and although some might think this has more positives than negatives; saved up more, built the career and home and laid all the foundations to what will be a solid relationship. However, where I’ve gained in one, I’ve lost in another.
There will be times when I will want to hear my Grandma’s Asian Jane Austen-ian quipps, where it takes me a good few minutes to work out who she has just politely ridiculed, in the only way she could. In my peak moments of stress I will want to hear the calm and collected words “it’ll all be fine,’ the only reassuring way my mum could. When I look to my left I wont see my dad offering his arm to walk me down the aisle, then kissing my forehead and telling me how proud he is. Its doesn’t matter who or how old the bride is, a daughter still needs to hear those words on her wedding day. I usually plan those magical moments for my brides, but can’t for my own. This wedding planning is going to be anything but an easy street!
(Find out what happens next when I answer some key questions about my wedding).
