Wedding Planning and Keeping Score

We set a date for the wedding. And by we, I mean my boyfriend (fiance? I don't know how this works if I don't have an actual ring on my finger at the moment due to budgetary reasons) suggested it and I shrugged and said, "Okay. Let me ask my mom if that sounds like a plan."

Then, I called and I asked her.

And that was that. For a whole week.

During that week, I went to work, did my laundry, and pushed the idea of wedding bells from my mind. Even if there was a date, it just didn't feel that real. A week later, my very nervous boyfriend asked my parents for their blessing (belatedly, which added to his already mounting nerves).

After the nerve-wracking conversation (on my end, anyway, everyone else was super happy and having a grand ol' time), the wedding planning officially started. I was excited, my boyfriend was excited, and our parents were super excited. Adding to that excitement was the fact that my dread about my mom taking the reins of the wedding planning didn't come to life (at least not right that moment).

Lulled into a false sense of security, I started designing the invitations, created a secret board on pinterest, and did all of the things that one is supposed to do when planning a wedding (roaming the internet for wedding blogs and weddinspiration). Also, I drove my boyfriend insane with wedding questions (side note: he's doing remarkably well and humors me to no end. Poor unfortunate soul).

Isn't this pretty, though?

In one week, I'd had a few hour-long conversations with my mother about the wedding planning. Although our tastes are as aligned and together as Lindsay Lohan and sobriety, I could tell she was biting her tongue (unlike last time she and I attempted to plan a wedding) and was all about what I wanted. This cooperation lasted one whole week (new record!).

Then she sent me a set of pictures of things she'd already bought and had not consulted me on. She bought sparkly notebooks and put wedding stickers on them. Sparkly notebooks. About forty of them. Now, I'm not opposed to sparkle. I love sparkle. However, sparkle has no place in a rustic outdoor wedding. So I called her to ask about this, and, as it turns out, one of her sisters was the instigator behind this purchase. One thing about my family: once her sisters get involved everything tends to spiral out of control.

While we were talking and I was trying to explain my vision and why the sparkly notebooks with wedding themed stickers weren't a good idea (so tacky, imo), her sister kept interrupting and saying my ideas were stupid. At which point I hung up and started to cry (right in front of my boyfriend). Way. To. Go. Well played, wedding planning, well played.

Wedding Planning: 1
Me: 0

After a week of not talking to my mother (she responds well to the silent treatment; she gives it often enough to people anyhow), we've gone to a better place. And by better I mean I don't stress out about most of the details and let her have some of her way. In other words, I've come to the realization that I can't control her or turn her off. My mom will be my mom. So what if she just bought a dress that photographs eerily like ivory, even though she swears its champagne? So what?

Wedding Planning: 2
Me: 0

And so what if one of my extended family members, someone who I love, is being snarky and offering (and by offering I mean pushing) advice that I really did not ask for? Plus, what do I care if this person referred to my wedding as a backyard wedding (slap.in.the.face)?

Wedding Planning: 4 (this deserves +2)
Me: 0

So what if the guest list is at almost at 150 at the moment? I mean, my cutoff was 100, but I can't cut anyone at this point, especially since my boyfriend's parents are paying for food.

Wedding Planning: 5
Me: 0

You know, wedding planning should be fun. It just hasn't been my experience thus far.

At least it's going smoother than the first time I tried to plan a wedding (aka, the wedding that never was because my ex broke up with me over the phone and called me a stupid slut months later).

That is all.

UPDATE: My mother keeps calling me every single day while I'm at work, asks what I'm doing (quick answer: working), and demands I do wedding planning stuff (I have no time for this during the work week). I now have the to-do list from hell.

Wedding Planning: 6
Me: 0