Wedding Planning Hooplah, part 3: fun with timezone differences!

Image found here:  http://www.timetemperature.com/tzus/time_zone.shtml 

Date: July 9th, 2012.
Time: 6:55 am.

There I was. Lying spread-eagled on my bed, snoring gently. Blankets and pillows are lying pell-mell all around me, since I seem to have a habit of running marathons in my sleep. There are bridal magazines, embroidery projects, and sewing thread all around the floor. I am in a rare moment of bliss, Readers; for the first time in weeks I had been blessed with a full night of uninterrupted slumber.

A beam of sunlight escapes through my window and gently kisses my face, causing me to regain consciousness for just a breath of a moment, as if God was shaking me awake to witness the glorious weather Seattle was having that morning. I cracked my eyes open, and seeing the tiny horizontal lines of azure that glowed through the blinds, sleepily smiled. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table, and seeing that I had a good half-hour until my alarm went off, closed my eyes and let my brain get back to work bathing my neurons in glutamate and inhibitory transmitters.

Sweet, sweet inhibitory transmitters.

I was floating, in a gentle reverie, Readers, when...

Phone: "BRRRRRINGbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
            BRRRRRINGbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!"

Me: "wha...wha?..mph...urg...zzzzzz...."

Phone: "BRRRRRINGbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
            BRRRRRINGbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!"

Me: "burugh...whathehell.....muah..prerfgh...."

*clumsily picks up phone, drops it after forgetting that it was plugged in, and answers while still
semi-conscious.*

Me: "Mph...Hello?"

Un-naturally Perky Wedding Coordinator: "GOOD MORNING AM I SPEAKING TO JACQUELINE?"

Me: "ummmmm....izzat my name? i think that's my name...yyeah?"

Un-naturally Perky Wedding Coordinator: "OH FABULOUS I'M CALLING FROM THE *insert name of my wedding reception site* AND I WANTED TO JUST VERIFY THAT YOU WILL BE SERVING THE FILLET OF SOLE AND THE CHICKEN DISH PER YOUR EMAIL WITH THE CATERING DEPARTMENT AND I'M AFRAID WE CAN'T SERVE THOSE OPTIONS BUFFET STYLE SO WOULD A SIT DOWN DINNER BE OKAY WITH YOU? MANY OF OUR BRIDES PREFER THE SIT DOWN DINNER OPTION SINCE THIS MAKES IT EASIER TO SET UP THE DANCE FLOOR AND THERE WON'T BE ANY DELAY AFTER THE MEAL......"

Me: "..............................."

Un-naturally Perky Wedding Coordinator: "AND I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE 24 HOURS BEFORE THE RECEPTION FOR DECORATING THE SITE NOW I FEEL I SHOULD REMIND YOU THAT WE DO HAVE A BAN ON BALLOONS SINCE THEY CAN HURT THE LOCAL WILDLIFE..."

Me: ".................................uhhuh...."

Un-naturally Perky Wedding Coordinator: "....I'M SORRY DID I CATCH YOU AT A BAD TIME???"

Me: "............kind of......"

UPWC: "WELL I WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED TO GIVE YOU A CALL AT A MORE CONVENIENT TIME!!! :-) :-) :-) <3<3<3 :-) :-) :-)"

Me:"............mmkay......."

UPWC: "YOU HAVE AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL DAY AND THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING *insert name of my wedding reception venue*! WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN SEPTEMBER!"

*click*

After four clumsy attempts to get my phone plugged back in, I sat there on my bed, blinking, trying to process what exactly it was that my wedding coordinator was trying to tell me. As my foggy mind slowly began to climb out of its early-morning stupor, I grabbed a pad of paper and wrote down as much of the over-enthusiastic colloquy as I could remember.

I knew that having the wedding in Massachusetts was going to be a challenge in the way of planning, but I didn't realize, Readers, that I would be getting phone calls at butt-crack o' clock. The vendors we hired for our wedding have all been great, but a few of them seem to have caught collective retrograde amnesia: John and I have specifically made notes to each of our vendors that we live on the west coast and would prefer that they contact us no earlier than 9am (Pacific time).

I will say, Readers, that if my biggest beef with this planning process is that I'm getting phone calls too early, that I should count myself very lucky. In spite of the (almost) bi-monthly 6:30am phone calls, John and I have had amazingly good fortune with our wedding so far. We were able to get the exact church, venue, and officiant we wanted within two weeks of announcing our engagement (however, my amazing future mother in law has had more to do with this than luck). We have freinds and family throwing themselves at our feet to help us, and Readers, don't even get me started on the Wedding Dress Incident. 

I'm not going to lie, I have had my share of tearful meltdowns. The words "IT'S MY WEDDING!" have, I'm ashamed to say, escaped my lips on at least one occasion. However, I've come to realize that when you're planning the festivities that surround the day you marry the love of your life,  these moments of difficulty are impossible to avoid. John and I are probably one of the luckiest engaged couples EVER, and yet, I still find myself in tears over details most people would find ridiculous.

It's really, REALLY hard to explain without sounding like a Daddy's Girl Bridezilla, but I'll try my best.

 I have a GORGEOUS reception venue, but I am unable to physically see it. The chapel where John and I will exchange our vows is AMAZING, but I cannot visit it in order to see how the lighting will work, and where the best spots will be to take our wedding pictures. The cake will be WONDERFUL, but since the baker is a close family friend who does not have a website, I cannot get a good idea as to what our wedding cake will look like (the same thing is going on with our photographer, but since getting our engagement photos back, I have no worries).

I trust my future family in Massachusetts COMPLETELY, but simply not being able to be there is much, MUCH more mentally taxing than I thought it would be.

John has been nothing but helpful and wonderful. Readers, you have no idea how good it is for my sanity that  my fiance actually takes an active interest in our wedding planning.

In addition to being astronomically helpful in choosing our first dance song, wedding colors, and bible readings, John has also taken on the role of designated therapist. Whenever I start to get overwhelmed and irrationally upset, John knows just what to do to help me regain my sanity.

This usually takes the form of him listening to whatever my concern is ("BUT I DON'T WAAAAANNNNTT CALLA LILIES!!! THEY'RE FUNNNNNEEERRRRALLL FLOOWWWWEEEERRRRSS!!!!!"), considering it, and offering his take on the situation. ("Well, then, Sweetheart, we will tell the florist that we don't want calla lilies.")

So, Readers, I guess that I should be thankful that UPWC is so prompt in calling me, even if he does wake me up at butt o'clock in the morning. Planning a wedding from 2,000 miles away is a little bit nuts, Readers, but guess what? I'm a little bit nuts.

Until next time <3