Wedding Planning begins!

In my head, the wedding was already planned. Spoiler alert: rehearsal dinner was to be at Lou Malnati's. Pizza you say? Devon, that is so not like you. You see, we rarely see our friends, especially now that we live in MN. I haven't seen certain of J's friends in YEARS because women are not allowed at the Badger reunions (oh boys, how that is to change!!) All I really want is an opportunity to enjoy seeing everyone! Plus we can all enjoy pizza and for everyone who doubts that Chicago has the best pizza around - I just wanted to settle it once and for all. Secretly I also thought to myself - I am the BEST BRIDE EVER. A no-fuss rehearsal dinner that everyone can be comfortable at? A quick cab ride from wherever the reception site is? I had it figured out before I was engaged? I must be pretty awesome.
BUT NO! Lou Malnatis won't rent out the restaurant for the night. Jason and I still have our hearts set on catering Lou's pizza to another location. But now the drama of finding another location. Which will allow us to cater in our own food. And will be comfy. And fun. And Chicago-ey. Now I'm not the best bride, now I'm bridezilla-esque. I'm very mad at you, Lou Malnati's.

On to the venue. I had already picked out a great venue. I should mention that I have impeccable taste. I have such impeccable taste that I picked the most expensive place in Chicago!! After paying for the new house and all of its remodeling fun, the way Jason explained the desire to pay for the most expensive wedding venue in Chicago was "not so much". Again, here I thought I was the SUPER BESTEST BRIDE EVER because I had BAM! picked a venue in about 5 minutes. Thankfully Jason's mom is an amazing party planner and is touring Chicago looking for a venue. She is absolutely humoring my requests to one, not have the wedding at a museum or library, and two, to have a pretty skyline view.

On alternating days, the wedding planning is appealing and not. If I had my choice, for example, we'd serve beautiful, organic food, but venues have you use their catering which offers late-night snacks like mini-cheeseburgers. Jason also keeps trying to explain to me that there is room for excitement for more than one child; that just because his brother got married already doesn't mean we have to get married at a justice of the peace because no one will want to come to our wedding. As an only child, I really don't get that. If his parents celebrated one wedding already, how do they have any oomph for another one? The fun of a wedding has already been done! "Been there, done that" kind of thing. Ours is just perfunctory. (p.s. ditto with a grandchild - does one even care about other grandchildren? I don't get that.) Let's not mention my mom - she could care less! So today is one of those alternating days when I think, why bother? Why bother inviting people to eat mini-cheeseburgers that I hate? Tomorrow I could wake up and it could be different. I guess welcome to wedding planning?