Wedding Vs Real World

It occurred to me when my dad exclaimed "what's a save the date?". I have taken up residence in a whole other country with a language of it's own. I can't think of any other event that has a pre-invitation. While I'm on the subject when was the last time white was the standard dress color for a party? I don't know any other time you have to have a final guest list for anything 6-9mo in advance.

Beyond practices you only undertake during wedding planning there's all those acronyms. Let's see...

• MOB-Mother of the Bride
• FOB-Father of the Bride
• MOG-Mother of the Groom
• FOG-Father of the Groom
• WP or BP-Wedding/Bridal Party
• WC or DOC-Wedding/Day of Coordinator
• BM or GM-Bridesmaid/Groomsman
• FMIL or FFIL-Future Mother/Future Father in Law, etc

I think you get the idea. Wedding planning has it's own languages and clubs. It also has rules. LOTS of rules. Way too many rules.

They call it "wedding etiquette" (pardon my gag reflex). There are websites and books a plenty outlining it in great detail. It's overwhelming. I also find it's tangled up with tradition and superstition in a lot of cases. Etiquette dictates who pays, when you can use your monogram, how to inform people of your registry, when to send thank you notes and a whole universe of other things. As if planning a party for 100+ guests wasn't stressful enough without boat loads of rules for me to fret over.

Don't get me wrong I'm quite cozy outside the box, but I am always over analyzing. Always wondering if there's a solid reason behind some piece of etiquette that I'm missing. Like the card box anxiety. Most things I've chosen to ignore are obviously unfounded superstition or outdated practices, but somethings are so interesting or complicated I'm not sure.

Sometimes you get enmeshed in the wedding planning world and you forgot not everyone is in it with you. Of course my dad in his 60's hasn't a clue what a save the date is. Of course your friends giggle when you scroll STD instead of save the date on your calendar. Of course your aunt thinking green at weddings is unlucky worries you for a moment before it becomes humorous. Of course no one outside your wedding party cares about your wedding events calendar.

I take a break and re-enter the real world often curtsey of my kids and Mike's absent mindedness. Day to day seems alternately less interesting and far more pressing in comparison to all the planning. Especially, with my hip surgery looming. Ugh, Is this post even interesting? I'm doubtful.