Weddingbee Blog

I’ve been thinking a lot — OK, too much — about interesting ways to start my recaps. (For as long as it’s taken me to get them going, I figure I should at least try to make them entertaining to read!) After all of the brainstorming, I’ve come to the realization that there’s really only one way to go. I honestly can’t tell the story of the days leading up to our wedding without first sharing the words that guided and grounded me through the eleven months of our engagement and planning.

The words themselves are simple: Don’t let the details become bigger than the purpose.

In them I found clarity and focus, a reminder of what truly mattered. The phrase instantly became my wedding planning mantra which I repeated daily, sometimes hourly. I even scribbled it on Post-It notes and stuck them around my house and office.

Every time I’d start to feel the slightest tinge of anxiety over things like finding the perfect dress or the elusive fuchsia heels, I’d whisper the words to myself and remember that those were all just details. The purpose of the day was for Mr. Yorkie and I to pledge ourselves and our love to each other. It didn’t matter if I was wearing a Jim Hjelm gown or J.Crew jeans. We were getting married!

Even though I can’t remember where on the internet I found my little gem, I give credit for it to Whitney Deal of Darling Dexter. After all, that’s what I wrote on the original Post-It! Several months ago, I e-mailed her to try and confirm that it is indeed hers. While she couldn’t exactly recall saying it, she said she definitely felt that way while planning her own wedding… which is good enough for me! (So thanks again, Whitney, for sparing this Yorkie from much unnecessary fretting!)

Do you have a special phrase or mantra that has helped you keep your perspective (and sanity!) during the planning process?