Re: Enjoyed your take on weddings

Wow...firefighter wedding! That could be so much fun - think of all of the paraphenalia that is used to fight fires and go from there. For instance, you could have your fellow firefighters cross their axes (much like military does with their swords) for you both to walk under when you leave the country church or enter onto the premises of the reception! So many things you could do!

About financial arrangements - it is important to have joint AND individual banking accounts. There is a fantastic financial advisor who writes for the New York Times named Michelle Singletary and you can Google her name and she'll have tons and tons of practical financial advice and suggestions at her website and in her columns. She is very, very sharp, so do check her out.

Gift registeries can be made at local department stores, hardware stores, gift stores, etc. Make a list of everything that you already have - I cannot tell you how many crock pots I got the first time around. Sheeeeesh! Then, make a list of things that you will NEED (not, want) and what stores they might be found at. Then, make a list of things that you WANT and the stores that THEY might be found at. Finally, you got to those stores, in person, and deliver your name, your husband-to-be's name, date of your wedding, and the list of gifts for each store. In this way, when someone goes to that store to purchase your gifts, they'll be able to refer to the in-store gift list registry (sheeesh, right?) and choose something from the list. In your announcements, you can add something tactful like, "The couple has registered their wedding at the following retailers: Home Depot (NOT REALLY), etc."

As for the roses, they will be "in season" during the summer. You could also plant rose bushes this year to cut from, next year. Baby's breath is also an easy perennial to grow in your garden that you can plant this season. Other options are to "make" your flowers from paper - they don't have to look tacky! There are some instructions, somewhere, on making tissue paper flowers and you can get a bunch of your girlfriends together about a month in advance of the ceremony to have "Flower Night" where you can all sit around, gossip, and make the flowers. Then, there's the option of getting silk flowers - it depends, entirely, upon which store you choose to purchase from as to whether or not this option will be cost-effective.

Fun, fun, fun!!!! And, a word of caution: don't let planning your wedding become a stressful event. This should be an exciting time full of joyous anticipation, not an opportunity to dissolve into a rude, demanding itcbay! LMAO!!! Personally, you don't strike me as the type that would allow that to happen, but it never hurts to remember what often happens to women when they're planning their weddings!