Bride

Let me start this post by saying that Sam absolutely hates to go shopping! In fact, I typically have to bribe him with food just to get him to consider it. So needless to say, the thought of going shopping for suits for the wedding was harder than pulling teeth. But we did it, and we survived. And, we went out to eat after. Because we want to keep things true to who we are in real life (not just playing dress up for a day), we decided together that tuxedos were out of the question.

As I recently found myself in the middle of a cigar shop buying cigars for the groomsmen I realized one important rule that all brides (and women in general) must learn -- the art of delegating. First thing's first -- I do not belong in a cigar shop and now know that after all the strange stares and laughs (yes, the workers laughed at me) that this is a prime example of a task I should have delegated, definitely to a man. While I did make it out alive I learned a lot from this experience.

As I have mentioned before, I think it's important for a person like myself to have a day-of coordinator. My friends who have used them say wonderful things about being less stressed and being able to enjoy the day to its fullest potential. I understand that they are useful in terms of the flow of the wedding and troubleshooting but I also believe wedding coordinators have a tendency to go above and beyond. For example, one coordinator pulled the mother of the groom out of the bathroom so she didn't miss a family photo opportunity.

Nicole Lynndell Fishpaw and Joshua Wayne Schantz were united in marriage on Sept. 22, 2012 at Grimmel Farms in Jarrettsville. The groom is the son of Michelle Sexton of Darlington. The maid of honor was Stacy Steams, friend of bride. Bridesmaids included Jenna Grace, friend of the bride, and Lacey Szymusiak, cousin of groom. Flower girl was Evelyn Szymusiak, cousin of groom. The best man was Harry Mitzel, uncle of the groom. Groomsmen were Todd Szymusiak, uncle of the groom, and Darren Mitzel, brother of the groom.

The holidays are an exciting but sometimes stressful time, especially as a bride-to-be. Not only are you dealing with the stresses of holiday shopping, but you also have to keep an extra eye on your budget, watch what you eat and juggle your family and your fiancé's family -- all while trying to be joyful and bright!  You're right, that doesn't sound easy at all. But it can be.  I've noticed a lot of brides are always SO overwhelmed and they often forget that being engaged is an exciting time that was never meant to be stressful.

I recently attended a wedding at the beautiful On The Bay in Pasadena, Md. It was a Friday evening, with a planned outdoor ceremony and tented reception. And then came the rain. But to clarify, by rain, I mean torrential downpour and tornado watch. The ceremony was set to start at 5 p.m. The rain started promptly at 4:58 p.m. Needless to say the ceremony was moved inside at the last minute with a quick shuffle to get in before getting soaked. Now, I may not have walked down the aisle yet but I can definitely say this would have stressed me out to the ninth degree!

Yes, it's all the rage and yes, there are great ideas and money saving tips, but it's time to remind my fellow brides out there that Pinterest is not the end-all to wedding planning. In fact, if you are planning what I like to call a #Pinwed , I'd strongly advise you to consider these two questions first. Are you actually saving money with the DIY Pinterest mentality? Don't get me wrong; you can absolutely save money using the tips and crafty ideas Pinterest has to offer.

The minute Janeen Simon found her perfect wedding dress, she knew she had to get another one. Her first dress - a Maggie Sottero diamond-white, sweetheart-style frock adorned in ruffles and anchored by an asymmetrical train - was stunning, but she imagined it was going to be difficult to maneuver in it on a hot August day. Plus, she wanted to dance and show off her rhinestone-encrusted Jimmy Choo heels. "I knew it would be hard to balance the dress and shoes on the dance floor," the 26-year-old Owings Mills resident said.

Our wedding is almost here, so this will be my last post as a legally single lady. I wasn't the best bride, and often joked that writing this blog was the only way I was able to get through my planning: If I didn't work on the wedding, I would have nothing to write about. So thank you to whomever read this -- you forced me to actually accomplish tasks, and we will have a real wedding as a result. I am sad to move on from this blog, but excited for our wedding to (finally) happen, and way more excited for all the after.

Wedding day: Sept. 2, 2012 The bride: Julie Straus-Harris, 32, grew up in Potomac. She is a law clerk in the Baltimore chambers of Judge Diana Gribbon Motz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. Her late father, Dr. Stephen E. Straus, was the director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda. Her mother, Barbara E. Straus, retired as the assistant to the principal at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville.