“Did you remember to grab the wedding invitations?” A quick glance in my purse confirms that I have indeed forgotten. Damn. I hate when my mother’s right. That’ll teach me to carpool with my parents. It sounded good in theory. This way Dan and I could both enjoy a glass or three of wine without having to worry about our transportation home. But I had failed to account for the added stress I would be subjecting myself to. To say my mother and I don’t get along would be an understatement. We’ve actually been doing a lot better since I moved out, but during my teenage years, I can’t remember a single conversation that didn’t end in an argument. My poor dad. No wonder he started going grey at age 40. Even now though, there’s still evidence of friction. Like the incident with the invitations. I’ve told my mom again and again that I don’t like to be reminded about things, but still she persists. It doesn’t help matters when something slips my mind – she gets this smug look that just sets my hackles on edge.

Planning a wedding is no easy task. There are plenty of service providers who are willing to tend to the every need of the engaged. This includes the wedding decorations! Individuals and companies provide a mechanism by which to convey the theme, expectations and desired outcome. Also outlined are the number of people, the location, what will be decorated and how and, of course, the budget. In a good working relationship, there is plenty of opportunity for feedback to ensure the end product meets the goals and vision of the couple. This is best done when there is a clear vision or an expert capable of deriving that vision from information and poignant questions. Within couples, there is often one who has a clear idea of the desired outcome or the dream wedding. Conveying that and where it will be seen and felt is one skill to look for in those wishing to be hired. Hiring someone to do the wedding decorating in no way compromises the ownership or experience of the wedding. Indeed, sometimes it adds to the sanity and decreases the stress that can be the negative of wedding planning. To hire or not to hire, that is the question!

The sand ceremony got its recent boom from a beach scene wedding. The origins speak of cultures that were surrounded by sand. Yet there is no reason to believe that a wedding that includes such a rite has to happen anywhere near a beach. The ritual actually works well in any environment. It can easily occur outside or inside, at the alter or a blanket spread on the grass. It just doesn’t matter. Outside, there is no concern for wind, though rain or snow can dampen any celebration. Indoors it’s really quite simple – even if there is a mess, it’s nothing a broom and dustpan can’t handle. That’s part of the appeal; it’s simple! Of course, then there’s the sealed vessel, a lifetime keepsake serving as a reminder of the commitment and life-changing moment. Oh, and the process of preparing that potentially helps the lucky couple explore their relationship with themselves and each other. But it’s really quite simple. Yes, the versatility and simplicity makes it easy to accommodate anywhere. But don’t let the simplicity fool you. There is great depth to the meaning and symbolism brought by simple sand and vases. Look beneath the surface. It doesn’t matter where, it matters who. It doesn’t matter if it’s sand or crayons. It’s the why, not the where.

I cannot gush enough about the personalized napkins that appeared on my plate at the wedding I recently attended. I was blown away by the amount of effort expended on them. The people who helped put the wedding together must’ve been given very detailed information about each person the napkins were for. Mine was, not to exaggerate or anything, a work of modern art. I felt bad using it to wipe the scrumptious dinner crumbs from my mouth. The napkin had a base color of deep blue, which is of course the best of all colors. There was a pattern of alternative Star Wars and Star Trek spaceships around the boarder. The main part of the napkin was like something out of nerd fan fiction. Aragorn, from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, was fighting the Ninja Turtles alongside Sherlock Holmes and Batman. Each of the characters was wielding a lightsaber in one hand and nunchucks in the other hand. It was absolutely the best thing I’ve seen in at least six or seven years.