Love Buggin'

The wedding planning road has been bumpy at times — with some detours and hairpin turns — but the clouds have cleared and the way has smoothed considerably as we approach the big day, just three months away.

This year has taken me in new directions. I turned 30, got engaged and now, after six years as a copy editor, I am ready to embark on a new job adventure.

Before I head off down this unknown road, here are the results of all our planning and preparing, and much of it is owed to the patience of my parents, and especially my mom’s enthusiasm and hard work.

Every little girl dreams of that wonderful day when she can walk down the aisle and stand up in front of family and friends, and when asked “Do you take this man to be your husband?,” triumphantly declare “I DO!” then be swept up in a swirl of kisses and smiles and love and cheers.

The dress. The music. The food. The flowers. The dancing. The embarrassing relatives. (OK, that’s usually more reality than part of the fantasy). The “Just Married” sign on the back of your car fading into the distance as a group of merry well-wishers vigorously wave goodbye. All the scenes played over in your head and played out on the movie screen imply that this is YOUR day.

Or is it?

I’ve been a little shocked and a little in denial about the recent attack on a bride-to-be at The Beaufort Inn. Mostly because that’s where I am having my wedding in September and I would rather not think that that could have been me.

It's hard to fathom all the wedding day dreams shattered by the terrible injuries Rhyan Mazur-Williamson sustained on the night before her big day. My heart goes out to her and her family when what should have been a joyous occasion so quickly turned into a nightmare.

Last weekend, Daniel and I watched “Marley and Me” and, like most viewers whose hearts aren’t made of stone, cried and cried at the end, then showered our black lab, Lefty, with affection. We pet her soft ears and rubbed her belly and told her what a great dog she is — the three of us piled together on our small love seat.

It’s hard to imagine our life without Lefty.

Two years ago, after Daniel and I moved in together, we discussed adopting a dog, but didn’t pursue it too seriously. But one day I got an e-mail about a family giving away puppies for free, and we decided the time was right. We drove
an hour into the country and found the house down a dirt road. The family already had nicknames for the litter, and the name tag for the pup we chose read “RUNT.”

She was so little and sweet and she fell asleep on me as I held her on the ride home.

According to the always accurate and reliable sources at The National Enquirer online, the 29-year-old daughter of former president Bill Clinton and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is getting married this summer.

I’m super happy for Chelsea, who has improved her looks tremendously since those awkward teen years in the White House (and I totally sympathize with her because we were going through the bad hair and braces phase at the same time).

But when I heard she could fulfill her dream wedding to boyfriend Marc Mezvinsky on our Hilton Head Island, my happiness swelled.

Desserts are no joke in my family.

I always knew that.

But I didn’t think my parents would take it so seriously when I announced that instead of a cake, my fiance, Daniel, and I would prefer cupcakes at our wedding.

This batter battle has been going on for months now, with little resolution.

I realized the severity of the situation when my dad — who is usually the mild-mannered mediator between his (slightly) opinionated wife and (somewhat) stubborn daughter — snapped and declared that we were having a traditional wedding cake.

That's right, I said PHAT, a word used by teenagers in the mid-'90s to describe something "cool" or "awesome." I thought it was a nice replacement for what I really meant: FAT, a word I would use present day to describe how I look.

When Daniel and I first started dating, I had just lost some pounds through Weight Watchers and I felt good.

With our venue finally secure, Daniel and I were ready to follow a trend that's filling up refrigerators everywhere: Save the Date magnets. Being that it's a desination wedding for almost all of our guests, it's a necessary step.

Nearly all the Wedding To-Do Lists that I've read (and cut out and made copies of) stress that sending out Save the Date notices is one of the first major tasks that an engaged couple should accomplish - and the sooner the better.

If you haven't tuned in, the geniuses at We TV know what women want. "Bridal Sunday" devotes a whole afternoon to wedding ups and downs with hours of "Wedding Central," "Bridezillas" and "Rich Bride, Poor Bride" and more.

And I'm hooked.

I read this crazy story from Oregon this week. It's tragic, but also a little weird:

NESKOWIN, Ore. - A romantic marriage proposal on the Oregon coast
turned deadly for the bride-to-be when a wave swept her out to sea.

Police don't suspect foul play in the disappearances Saturday of Leafil
Alforque, Tillamook County Sheriff Todd Anderson said. Thick fog and
dangerous water conditions off Neskowin Beach hampered the rescue efforts, and the search was called off Monday.