Wedding bands

When we were first discussing rings Himself was anti getting one. He doesn't wear a ring and has always found it irritating when he tries. I don't really care if he does or doesn't wear a ring, my only comment was it might be nice to have one even to wear as a dress ring - the symbol is nice, even if it isn't something you want to wear permanently. It wasn't until after he spoke to my Dad (who didn't have a wedding ring as they couldn't afford it at the time my folks got married, but did get one later) that he started to wonder if he was being a bit hasty. When we did some research he didn't see anything he liked, so that seemed to be the end of that debate.

It wasn't until we ended up at the wedding expo a few months ago that Himself came accross some bands he liked, and then when he saw they were made by an independent jeweller he started to warm to the idea. When we realised that the jeweller was a young guy who came from The Basin in the Dandenong Ranges, an area we head to whenever we need to relax, unwind and spend some time together away from work and other people, Himself's mind was made up. We decided to visit the store whenever we had a free day. Surprise, surprise, that hasn't happened and despite the fact yesterday was a public holiday we thought it was worth a try to call past.

Good plan. As it turns out the lovely jeweller was doing some extra work in his studio, and was happy for us to come in and have a chat. Himself took another look through his collection and settled on a completely different ring than the one which he had first looked at way back when at the expo, and was chuffed to discover it was well under his upper spending limit. I really like the one he has selected, it's really simple, but like mine, has a little bit of detail which makes it different. It's white gold, as mine will be, and will be ready in a few weeks.

While we were sitting there, I started quizzing him about the kind of ring I've been looking for (a small diamond tension set white gold band) and was surprised to find he would be happy to make one. Most places I've been have told me they don't do that kind of work and the only studio in Melbourne I managed to find who do make them are rude and just a bit on the expensive side. We went through some more details and he made some great recommendations, both about setting and stones. I was really happy with his service, and have made an appointment with him to come back and put together a final design when Himself's band is ready to be fitted.

Another detail which has fallen into place so simply it seems unbelievable. Is this all going to prove you can have a low stress wedding if you want one? I'm not sure, but I can still try to dream.

It's a nice day for a Green Wedding

I'm pretty pleased with how enviro-friendly this wedding is shaping up to be. After reading this article recently on a site I love, I was happy to see that most (if not all) of their suggestions we had already considered/planned for/implemented. To recap:

* While I still don't have this damn dress yet, it won't be made overseas and shipped here. Local design will (fingers crossed) be made here if possible.

* The ceremony and reception are being held in the same place, saving the need for added transport by ourselves and/or guests. Also means we don't require wedding cars.

* Our guest list is relatively small, with few people travelling far to attend. Exceptions are our essential guests; Himself's father coming in from United Arab Emirates where he currently works and a few close friends travelling from Brisbane and Sydney.

* Our catering is predominantly local produce, with an emphasis on vegan and vegetarian food (and organic of course). The lighter meat options mean a real difference in ecological footprints. We are also selecting local wine and champagne (I'm hoping we will have some organic options there, too).

* Invitations are in the works, and it looks like we will have them printed on 100% post-consumer recycled stock, complete with vegetable dye inks. At a minimum it will be 100% recycled, but I'm reeeaaally hoping our printer can get hold of the post-consumer stock we want.

* Our rings are both locally made, with mine coming from a conflict-free diamond and gold mining zone.

* My hair/makeup is being done by an awesome woman who uses only cruelty free products (not so much green, but fits with the whole ethos).

* We are having wedding photography provided by a woman happy to supply us with digital images only (you would be surprised how many photographers insist on massive albums and high end glossy prints for each shot they take as part of a 'basic' package), leaving us to print only the photos we want, at the size we want, offering less wastage.

* Gift registry has been created at Myer (saving all the questions that have already started to pile up about what we want from all our relatives), but with our invitations we will be sending a card explaining that we understand people like to be traditional and 'give' us something for our new life, we're much more concerned about the impact our life (and lifestyle) has on our planet. As such, we're providing information of a great online store where you can purchase carbon offset packages which can pay for our travel emissions for the honeymoon, or for our power usage in the first year of our marriage.

* Bonbonniere is a fun way for us to give back to guests and thank them for sharing our wedding day, so we're thanking them with a fun 'party bag' with a few locally made treats. More importantly, for each guest who attends we are purchasing a tree as part of another carbon offset program and including a little card (same post-consumer recycled stock) which outlines how the tree helps to offset the impact of our wedding and get us all off to a happy new start for our future.

* While we are travelling for our honeymoon, we are hoping to have this offset by guests participating in carbon trading. While away, we're hoping to stay at an eco-friendly resort and to either volunteer for a short time in our destination or to find a charity we feel puts back into the country in a positive way.

Let's be positive.

Ok... So what if there is less than three months. Let's count the positives.

1. I looked at the wedding gallery that my first choice photographer was kind enough to load up to her site. It's lovely. I get a great vibe from her (even via email), and I adore her art photography and comissioned work. I was really nervous that I'd see her weddings and her style wouldn't translate to such a different context. So wrong! She has such an eye for light and colour, as well as a lovely way of framing people. There is no sign of 15 locations over 40 minutes, just capturing the event as it takes place and a few nice shots of wedding parties (minus the overtly staged hilarity). You should check out her site:

http://www.illyphotography.com/

2. My first choice hair/makeup person is available on the day, and very affordable. She also works in mainly non-wedding areas, and most importantly uses 100% cruelty free products. Hoorah! Who knew you could actually have a wedding with morals attached?

3. Three months is heaps of time. Loads. I've planned events in less and there is almost every key area taken care of. Well... thought about and partly planned, anyway. Am I convincing anyone but myself here?

Panic stations

Oh dear. It has struck... that nagging panic that perhaps, just perhaps, this isn't as in control as it feels. Mostly I think it is how quickly all this time has passed. So many other things have come up, so many distractions, and now I am LESS THAN three months away from my wedding.

I'm convinced I won't find this 'easy' dress, and that I did the wrong thing not having the gorgeous one made I had intended to. I'm convinced I'm going to wake up and all my details will be out of control. So far this has been the low-stress affair I wanted it to be, but I think my rising fear is about to overwhelm.