The Most Asked Questions About Our Wedding

With less than six months left to enjoy our engagement, we are in full wedding mode.

We’ve had lots of questions about our upcoming wedding, so I thought it would be fun to answer the most common questions in this post. As always, we are enjoying the process of documenting this tremendous occasion in our lives. We are working hard to make sure our wedding reflects “us”. And we are surely a mixed bag!

But Didn’t You Break Up?

We did break up for a few months back in February. After dating for 3 years, we felt as if our relationship had become stagnant. It was time to decide whether to go our separate ways or to make a formal commitment. Sometimes you don’t appreciate what you have until it’s gone. The time apart made us see things more clearly. Had it not been for our breakup earlier, we wouldn’t be engaged now!

Why Don’t You Just Elope?

That was never an option for us. We knew we wanted our families to share the ceremony with us.

Why Duke Chapel?

We had considered having the ceremony at a vineyard, being that we both love wine. However, the fear of bad weather during an outside event was too stressful for me. When Eric, a Duke graduate, suggested Duke Chapel, I eagerly accepted. Not every girl gets that opportunity!

Will it be a Big, Extravagant Wedding?

Although Duke Chapel is tremendously huge, we will have a very small conservative wedding. Being our third wedding each, we’ve both done large weddings. As we have a house payment, car payments, kids…and the list of responsibilities goes on….we are definitely staying within a modest budget. It will be simple, but hopefully, pretty. It will definitely be special because it is our last- and the one in which we’ve waited a lifetime. Of course, I will make it very glam as inexpensively as possible!

Will You Wear White?

I consider this the only marriage that really counts because this one will last forever. ‘Til death. So yes, I will definitely wear white. Proper or not, it’s what I want to wear!

Why Did You Share Your Dress Before the Wedding?

I was excited! We are breaking many of the traditional wedding rules this time anyway. Eric was very instrumental in helping me choose my dress, so of course, he’d already seen it. The whole process of finding the dress was fun and memorable for both of us. Still, he won’t see the final look until that day.

Will You Wear Two Different Dresses for Your Wedding?

I do have a short dress that coordinates with my long dress. I’m thinking that I’ll change after dinner so that I will be able to better enjoy dancing. I didn’t invest a lot in the short dress, so if I decide not to wear it, it won’t be a big deal. I love my long dress so much, I may not be able to part with it!

Will You Do Your Own Hair and Makeup?

I’m really bad at that and it would be a disaster. So, no! I wanted to pamper my girls- and feel pampered myself- on the morning of the wedding, so I hired a beauty team. I want lots of girl talk, fuzzy slippers, and champagne. We are doing without a lot of extras we felt weren’t worth the extra money. Professional hair and makeup, as well as pictures of it all, were non-negotiable for me.

What are Your Wedding Colors?

We decided to use navy (marine blue, actually) for the bridesmaid dresses. The bridesmaid’s dressing robes are also a navy print. Our floral designer, who I absolutely love, suggested the arrangements compliment the reception room to avoid a “bubble gum wedding look”. I am totally leaving the decor for him, but I’m thinking it will be very muted tones with gold accents. Again, simple, inexpensive, and pretty is the goal. My invitations will include a personalized monogram on white paper. I love the look of all things classic.

Will the Bridesmaids Wear the Same Dresses?

We are purchasing all of the bridesmaids’ dresses at David’s Bridal because they have great prices and a huge variety. Each will choose her own dress in marine blue. After all, we girls are a variety of ages and like a variety of different things. I want them to choose a dress they love!

Are You Making a Lot of Things for the Wedding?

Absolutely, no! This is my break from being an art teacher. I want to make everything as easy and as stress-free for myself as possible.

Will You Keep Your Last Name?

I was on the fence about this for a while. Because I’ve always been so fiercely independent, I had planned on keeping my own name. However, as the months have passed and I’ve seen the commitments that Eric has made to me, I have decided that I want to most definitely share his last name. So, yes! I will be changing my name again!

Will You See Each Other on Your Wedding Day Before the Ceremony?

Yes. Eric is so much a part of everything I do that I can’t imagine him not being there with me. Besides, the entire wedding party will be sharing the same transportation to the chapel. Since I will wait to dress at the chapel, he won’t actually see me all put together until I walk down the aisle.

Where Will You Honeymoon?

We’ve booked a European cruise on the Celebrity Apex (which is still being built at the moment). We will fly into Barcelona a few days after the wedding and will spend a little time there before we board the ship to travel to France and Italy. We will depart from Rome. So, WOW. I’ve never been to Europe. This will be the trip of a lifetime for me! We really haven’t even begun planning the details of the honeymoon yet. It just doesn’t even seem real! Because we won’t leave for our honeymoon until later, we plan to stay at the Umstead for our wedding night and relax with spa treatments the next day.

Although it’s not my first wedding, it really feels like the first. I’m so glad that today’s society has been more accepting of bending the traditional wedding rules. Eric and I, most definitely, have not been traditional with this wedding! I believe that the goal of each wedding should be to make it as meaningful and individual as each couple.

Happy wedding planning to all my fellow brides. Enjoy every moment!