Strawberry Blonde Bride: We interrupt this happy-go-lucky blog...

So far in the wedding planning, I have been very pleased with how it's been taking shape. I am excited to get married in my hometown church, I love the look of our reception venue, I couldn't be happier with our photographer decision, and after buying my dress, I haven't looked back. Oh, and, you know, the minor detail of I'm super excited to marry Mr. Snow Cone. Everything is kittens and roses and butterflies and happiness!

Image via Unicorn Wizard / Illustration by Lisa Frank

Anyhow, now that we've got the big big stuff done, it's time to bunker down and focus on some details. I'm trying to stay ahead of the curve by brainstorming ideas well in advance of when decisions need to be made so I don't have a complete meltdown every week leading up to the big day. Maybe I'm participating in too much brainstorming, though, with detrimental results. Let me explain.

Weddings are a big effing deal. Everybody gets that. There about eleventy billion details that need to be sorted out, organized, put into place, etc. Also, weddings are an effing expensive deal. Rather than shell out the accompanying eleventy billion dollars for the eleventy billion details, a lot of brides choose to employ their creativity and their DIY skills, actually making a good number of the details. Some choose to get crafty with "necessary" elements of weddings, like making their own invitations. But rarely are these simple invitations. No, no... these are pocketfold invitations with tons of cute inserts with hand-drawn artwork and beautiful calligraphy.

Image via Eksquisite Design Blog

On the other hand, some go all craft-superhero on their wedding, concocting details that I didn't even know I needed or wanted, like a banner for the head table:

Image via Birdcages and Beauty

I feel a bit inadequate because I'm not making too many of the details of the wedding. I don't own a die-cut machine, I don't know how to emboss my own save the dates, heck, I don't even know how to use a sewing machine! Now I'm kind of left grappling between the two sides of my brain.

Side 1

- practical, rational

- knows that all of the details I have planned so far are wonderful and good deals, too!

- knows that for many projects, if I went DIY, I'd end up throwing a world-record temper tantrum

- recognizes that the money that is spent on DIY materials could be spent other places in the wedding

Side 2

- victim of wedding blog and website stalking

- practically insistent on incorporating each and every detail my eye passes over

- feels the need to dabble in DIY-hood, since that's how you "prove" yourself as a bride

- feels people won't be as impressed with the event on a whole unless I create some of the details with my own blood, sweat, and tears

OK, so, let's review. Please note that with "side 1," I used the verb "knows," and with "side 2," I used "feels." I know that the wedding will turn out A-OK (and then some) and I know that I'll be happy with it when all is said and done. I also know that I'm not the most creative gal on the block, and I also know that often I come up with a mega-huge idea that gets axed pretty quickly when I realize that my creativity is far outweighed by my lack of crafting skills. I know that I'll be happier and more relaxed if I don't bite off more than I can chew, and I know that there are more than enough resource (friends, family, internet shops, etc) that can help whip up some creative details, should I choose to go that route.

Sure, I probably won't end up sewing my own tablecloths, and the invitations we picked out aren't crazy elaborate productions that I came up with myself. But, sometimes, you just have to step back, take stock in what you have and what you don't, and move forward from there. Plus, think about all the paper cuts I'll avoid!!