I've only got two hundred and fifty-five days left to plan this wedding. But who's counting? Or making elaborate lists? Or scouring the internet for wedding sites and magazines while thinking she is crazy for planning a wedding and moving at the same time?

Oh god.

I’ve spent the past month off-and-on brainstorming, alongside a very patient Alex, Sharon and Katy. Questions kept popping up in my head as I tried to come up inspiration as to how this whole wedding shindig might look. Should it be formal? Informal? What colors? How many bridesmaids? Flowers? Favors? After flailing like a lunatic for an undisclosed period of time I started to focus. I needed ideas. Ideas are good. Ideas keep me from grabbing the nearest paper bag and hyperventilating. Ideas mean direction, which means that this gal has a lot less to panic think about. Right?

Have you noticed that whenever you sit down and try to force ideas nothing happens?

Don't get me wrong, I saw plenty of things online and in magazines that I liked, but I still had no idea what direction to go in (aside from the basic "I now pronounce you man and wife" bit at the end). That is until I saw the reception hall.

I don't know what sparked it. Maybe it was Alex sending me elated text messages that this place was perfect, maybe it was the black and white checkered floors, or maybe it was because of my recent I Love Lucy marathon but my mind was suddenly filled with images of a 1950s wedding. Immediate and awestruck love washed over me.

As I searched the internet I found more and more pictures and ideas and suddenly I realized, we could do this. Having a 1950s theme wouldn't break our budget, in fact it may even help it. Wasn't this the era of simplistic elegance? Post-war glamor, but before weddings became pricier than purchasing a house. Back when less was more. And diner food was delicious.

C'mon, who doesn't love hamburgers and french fries? French fries are elegant! Ish.

Not to mention having such a theme would give me license to be a silly goofy at my wedding. And I finally have an excuse to learn the Jive! If I can talk Alex into it, that is. Last I checked he was leaning toward the Foxtrot.
Consider this the introductory post to my rampant wedding planning. There will likely be many, many more before the big day. We still have centerpieces, wedding favors, catering, save the dates, invites, bridesmaid dresses, music selections, cupcake tasting...

Um.

Where's my paper bag?