Sidenote: Wedding Bling

So, while I try to avoid theknot.com like high fructose corn syrup these days (since the wedding is minus 30+ days since happening -- ie I'm already hitched and forever done with those stress-inducing web sites!), a link on my Facebook news feed caught my eye today: What Your Engagement Ring Says About You.

You should know that I ADORE my engagement ring, and love that my "forever bling" all goes together so well. The ring Dave gave to me is all the more important because it came from his grandmother -- his mother presented him a couple of "choices" that she had inherited after her mother's death, and he knew immediately that this one (after retrofitted with a new white gold band to match the setting) was THE one. It's simple with delicate filigree detailing and clearly vintage-yet-somehow-still-modern. So, I figured it'd be neat to see if what they had to say is true.

Okay. If you were to get a look of me at this very moment, you'd know that the "Your style" isn't 100% accurate. While I'm pretty traditional (kind of), I am not always utterly put together. Sure, I try, but not TOO hard. Currently, I'm adorned with my after-school uniform: sweatpants, T-shirt (my favorite "Feel Me, I'm Organic" organic cotton tee) and my ever-present green VERMONT on heather gray sweatshirt. Coziness! Who says newlyweds have to be all sexy 'n stuff? Pish posh. I've always been one to buck some traditional ways -- which is another reason I question the "Your style" verdict.

However, I'd say that the relationship and wedding descriptions are spot-on. Dave IS my best friend (not that I don't have others). How could you marry someone who you didn't trust talking about, heck, weird health issues or awkward financial situations with? Or giggling like Peter Griffin when one of us quacks (okay, when I quack) or shout "Approved!" at Target (or Lowe's...or Christmas Tree Shop...or....). Hmm, come to think of it, he's usually the one laughing at me. And I like it. ;-) But when he comes out with something unexpectedly hysterical, I give props and laugh until my belly hurts. It works.

And, as for the wedding. Hee hee. Yeah. That whole "takes a lot of planning to make things look this effortless" is SOOOOO painfully true. And, yet, we never really "lost it" in the midst of planning. I think I just got pretty introverted and kept a lot of the stresses in, rather than turning into the infamous bridal monster. It got to the point where, if it wasn't already thought of in my planning, it just didn't matter. And, after the fact, I heard so much positive feedback that the day was so personal with clearly well-considered touches that it was palpable -- wahoo! Totally what we were going for -- that and a laid-back FUN time. So, it was pretty unfussy and relaxed...but still completely romantic. Hard not to with a satin wedding dress, Rolls Royce, calla lilies, a birdcage veil, a setting like Beardslee, and one's very own Prince Charming-meets-Jimmy Stewart-meets-Cary Grant-meets-every-nice-person-I've-ever-met. *sigh* What a great day.

Add some filigree around the diamonds and you've pretty much got my band.
Perfectly suited for the engagement ring.
There's no ring in cyberspace similar enough to my engagement ring.
Seriously, an original. Aaaaand I can't get a good enough picture of it. Sorry!