My Rock and some Wedding Advice

As you are reading this, I am heading to Hawaii with my HUSBAND.

Hawaii? My Husband?! Yea, this is going to be a pretty spectcular 2 weeks! 

 In my place, I have some of my all time favorite bloggers lined up bringing you some advice about engagement, wedding, and wife life.

I have to start out with my dear, dear friend Sarah. This girl has a special place in my heart and I couldn't have spent this year without her hilarious, witty, and sweet support she offered me day in and day out.

Cheers darling Sarah - YOU'RE NEXT!

xo,

Tess 

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Hello, Tea Time with Tess loyals!  Let me tell you, Tess has been my ROCK through the past few months of wedding planning.  I literally have NO IDEA how we found each other, but if you searched my phone and email you would see quite a bit of back-and-forth therapy between the two of us.  As thrilled as I am for her big day, I am a little bit weepy to see her go to "the other side" without me.  Who's going to commiserate with me now?!  Luckily, I think she'll be back with tons of advice and tell me to get-my-shit-together-ness.  I'm gonna need it. 
 

If we haven't met.... Hi, I'm Sarah of Classy & Fabulous.  My wedding is in less than 100 days to the blog-famous Mr. Ridiculously Handsome (Mr. RH).  
 

How did your Hubby-to-Be propose? It was an August night in Tess' hometown of Chicago. We had done some touristy things - gone to the beach, walked along Michigan Avenue, had dinner with my friends.  All in all, a full night.  We then went to fulfill one of my Chicago Bucket List activities, watching the light show at Buckingham Fountain at night.  The show came and went, and I was antsy.  Mr. RH and I had discussed marriage, made a tentative wedding plan.... and the show was over.

When we got up to leave... Mr. RH decided that it was the right time.  Sneak!  

 

Was planning the wedding everything you thought it would be?  Yes and no!  You know, those 200 Pinterest wedding boards I had envisioned?  SO FUN.  Translating them into reality?  SO NOT FUN. For example.... every single hotel within 50 miles got booked for a Veteran's Reunion that I purposefully scheduled my wedding around.  And then they rescheduled.  The only 3 people who live in the town where we will be married is my dad, Mr. RH, and I.  YEAH.  

 

It has been fun, and I love always having something to look forward to - cake tasting, food tastings, mailing the invitations, having a shower with Mr. RH's family (who I love!), bachelorette party, etc etc etc.  That being said - the To-Do list is never-ending and I feel guilty for watching an episode of Real Housewives when something else could be getting checked off the list.

 

Planning is EXACTLY as I expected - long, hard, and fun.  And I've *KNOCK ON WOOD* had no major family dramas yet, so YAY!

  

 What are you most looking forward to after the wedding is done?  ANYTHING!  Sleeping in late, eating whatever I want and not thinking about my stupid upper arms, MONEY stress, wondering if people will enjoy my wedding (as it is back-to-back with a fairly spectacular wedding at my alma mater), blah blah.  But the biggest thing, I think, since Mr. RH and I haven't lived together, is looking forward to waking up every day next to the love of my life.  Don't even get me started on how annoyed I'll be that he's asleep and I'm all awake.... that's a problem for another day. :)

 

Also, SUPER excited to have some professional photos of my love and I.  He's a keeper.

What freaks you out the most about your upcoming nuptials? There are a couple of (BIG) things.  Is there a word limit on this question? 1. I'm worried that, since my mom won't be there (she passed away 6 years ago), that nobody will be looking out for ME all day.  Especially since my MOH will be 8 months pregnant - I mean, people need to be looking out for her, too. 2. I'm worried that I will won't get to enjoy anything about the day - my dad thinks a wedding planner is a waste of money and it's not in my budget to get one.  3. I'm freaked that I have 100 days until the wedding and I STILL feel like it's going to be over in a heartbeat.  

I'm mostly freaked out that Tess and I will run out of things to talk about and that I'll start wishing she was my sister wife for real.

 What advice would you give to your girlfriend who just got engaged? RUN FOR THE HILLS.  Kidding.  I would probably say LUCKY YOU.... I'm just starting to miss my own wedding, can I help you plan yours?  

But in all seriousness, I'd say think LONG and HARD about money, guests, and the future ASAP.  I'm so glad that Mr. RH and I put in a little leg work up front with the guest lists, working my dad for his cash (LIFESAVER), and as for the future... we've put in extra work preparing ourselves for the struggles of newlyweds.  As much as I've obsessed over flowers, centerpieces, and color schemes... nobody's gonna remember that shiz in a month.  Worry about the hard stuff first.  Everything else follows.

What would be a dream-come-true on your wedding day?   If Tess showed up and said she wanted to be my sister wife and the four of us ran off into the sunset to raise our kids amongst much wine. (PLEASE, YES, WE WILL, WE ACCEPT, WE DO!)

Idyllic, right?

In all seriousness, I just really want to look around and feel love oozing from myself and for Mr. RH and for all the people we love.  Love love love.

On a side note, I am absolutely over-the-moon that my Almost-Hitched-Bitch has made it down the aisle.  She and Joel are so perfect for each other... and I can't wait to read all about their Happily Ever After.