Putting a little you in your “I do”

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I am all about the little details of my wedding. With some extra time on my hands for once, I find myself obsessing over the most minute details of this single day that is still more than nine months away. If I’m not searching for centerpiece elements and décor online, I’m spray painting faux mercury glass and turning tiny paint samples into name cards. I’m addicted!

One whole room of my house is now dedicated to wedding “junk.” Erik fondly calls it junk as it clutters up our home. Try explaining to houseguests that all those glass vases and candleholders on the floor are just overflow from the closet! The crafting part of planning has turned out to be my favorite element!

The DIY parts of my wedding are part of what will make it special. I’m working hard to make sure that some essentials stand out and especially reflect who Erik and I are. Right now my big projects include photobooks and displays of our engagement photos, addressing save-the-dates and creating wedding centerpieces out of Goodwill purchased glass, fabric, and spray paint. I can’t give away all my secrets (I want there to be some surprises at the reception!), but I will say that I’m really trying to make sure the details reflect us.

Some of the ways we’re putting individuality into our celebration? We’re creating an area of our programs and our hall that is dedicated to important people we’ve lost. We have some significant family members to pay tribute to, and it’s important to me to find a way to involve them in our celebration. That means vintage war photos and wedding pictures of our relatives, a tradition I love. We’re also incorporating childhood photos of the two of us into the reception tables. This is especially fun for family members who remember when I had those huge glasses and funky teeth or when Erik ran around only his underwear all the time. You can’t take life too seriously after all!

We’ve hired a DJ that was a friend first, and we’re using past students as ceremony musicians. We’re creating a weekend map for those out of town to visit with us in some of our favorite places in Charlotte, and planning brunch at our house the morning after the wedding. With family and friends coming for what might be their only trip to our home in Charlotte, we really want them to see a little piece of us. We’re including reflections of our hometowns (Canton, Ohio and Buffalo, New York) and pieces of the life we’ve created here in Charlotte. We’ve got a few surprises planned for our guests as well -- but I can’t give those away! (And no—I’m not talking about busting out some crazy first dance, though that is a popular way to spice up your wedding now.) Sometimes the unexpected is the thing you remember!

A wedding is about sharing a monumental moment of your life with those you love, so why not make it special and unique to you and your groom? Think outside of the wedding box and put a little you in your “I do!”

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