Organization, Shmorganization.

I wish I could start out by saying, "I haven't always been this way" or, "Wedding planning brings out the crazy in me," but the truth is, I've been a Type A personality since was in the womb. I was probably in there planning out my escape strategy. Of course, nothing went as planned - I arrived much too early and immediately started crying. Not much has changed. I am the ultimate planner. I make plans to make plans. I write out lists of things I need to pack a month before vacation. When someone won't give me information that I need in order to make a plan, I silently seethe. When my plans don't go right (which, honestly, when do things ever go as planned?), I cry for 5 minutes and then make a new plan. Hence, the Wedding Binder (referred to hereafter as WB).

After getting engaged, running out to get myself a binder and plastic sleeves was the 2nd thing I did (the 1st was to buy at least 5 wedding magazines, obviously. I think that's actually some kind of unwritten bridal rite of passage). It started out with only 5 or 6 sub-folders, but as time went on I realized I would need more. It's an ever-evolving beast, this thing.

Whenever we have meetings with vendors, I drag this puppy along with me. It always gets a few looks and a couple of laughs, but in general vendors tend to like it. I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "no, it's okay, I love an organized bride!" Honestly though, I'm a little bit shocked that people are surprised when they see it. I personally can't imagine why anyone spending over $10K on a party wouldn't want to know exactly where everything is! The thought of not having all of those papers and contracts in order actually terrifies me.



The WB in all its glory. My most used pen, Save-The-Date samples, ticket to my first ever Bridal Show and, yes, practicing my signature like a 6th grader writing a boy's name all over her binder.

 

I think I need a bigger binder!





Do you think I have enough labels?

Front page houses the color palette. Yes, that is in a plastic sleeve. Yes, all of the pages are in sleeves. Yes, I do realize that I have a problem. Don't worry, I won't subject you to every page. One is enough to grasp the depth of my crazy.

Don't worry though, even crazy organized people have things that don't make sense to anyone but them. I keep a notepad inside the front pocket of the WB that houses all of my thoughts and to-do lists before the organization kicks in. Eventually, things get condensed and put onto much, much cleaner pieces of paper, but every idea and task starts here.

*shudder*



And, if you still doubt my ability to be messy, I present to you our spare room.

Please don't judge me!

At least there is SOME proof of organization in here??



While I'm obviously very excited to get married, I am also kind of at the point where I'm ready for it to just BE HERE ALREADY, OMG. My whole house (and, um, life) are consumed by it right now and I'm ready for things to go back to normal. I'd like to eat on my dining table and put a couch in that room, I don't really think that's too much to ask. The good thing is that while I am as Type A as it gets (and going crazy with all the STUFF around), my wonderful fiance is... well... not. Of course there are times when that drives me bonkers, but the truth is, he balances out my crazy. If I'm honest with myself, I need someone who is laid back. I could never deal with someone as anal and high-strung as I am, bless him for putting up with me. It's a good thing I found him. <3

Basically, what you can take away from this post is that if you want to play the ultimate prank on me right now, just hide my WB. Total. Bridal. Meltdown. I'm not even confident that my uber cool-headed fiance could talk me down from that one.

Next post: Table signage. I know, you can hardly contain yourselves for all the excitement!

(seriously though, please don't hide my WB. I'm not sure our friendship would survive the devastation.)