Engagements.

So recently, one of my good friends got engaged.  I am very happy for her - her fiance is a very nice, respectful person.  She is excited to register.

Let me revisit this one.  Why can't I, or others, pull this one?

Hi.  It's Carrie Bradshaw.  I wanted to let you know that I'm getting married.  To myself.  Oh, and I'm registered at Manolo Blahnik.  So thanks.  Bye!

Why not?

Another Guilty Pleasure....

TheKnot.com

The Wedding Website.

I know what you're gonna say - typical girl obsessed with weddings, etc. I like weddings a normal amount; it's more the wedding website that excites me. I love looking up people from high school and college when I hear they got engaged; I love seeing if they're still friends with people from way back when and if they made the wedding party. I love the cheesy, sometimes gag inducing proposal stories. I HATE it when I know an engaged couple who has purposely not created a knot page - what's the purpose of even being engaged then!?!

Anyhow. I'll stop. Anyone else love this site?

Traditions I Don't Like....

When the guy asks the girl's dad for her hand in marriage.

Now, don't get me wrong, this tradition is fine for others. I'm not criticizing other couples for having done it this way. However, I will not be having it.

First off, if I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with a guy, that's my decision and my decision alone (I get it that the asking of the dad is in addition to, not instead of asking the woman, but still). I know a lot of girls who have said they will be very upset if the guy does not ask her father. They feel it's tradition and it's cute and charming and will make the whole family happy. Fine for them. Not for me.

Second - the Jessie Spano in me does feel there's a slightly sexist component to this tradition. I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing this originated in a place where dowries were the thing and a man's wife was considered his 'property'. Why the father? Why not both the parents?! What is the old-fasioned thought at the base of this? One man has owned me thus far, now another man is asking to take me over, in a business-like transaction (in the same way one would buy or sell of a piece of a company to another)?

Perhaps a man sitting down both my parents asking them for my hand in marriage is a little more settling to me, but still, I am not a minor. It is my decision to make and their vote in the matter, is, in theory, moot point. Sure, if my parents really didn't want the guy I was dating in our family, it might affect my opinion, but if I had my heart set on him, it would not.

Anyhow. I know there's a lot of room for debate on a lot of these points and that some people just see this as cute/traditional/harmless. And, I suppose, it is all in the eye of the beholder. However, for me personally, as I said earlier - I will not be having it. If a guy were to ask my father, it would be an automatic no on my end. It would show to me that this guy doesn't really know me. It would also say that he cares more about following some soceital tradition than making me happy, which is a red flag to anyone. Actually, it would pretty much say he doesn't care about flat out pissing me off at a moment when he is supposed to be going out of his way to charm me and win me over.

However, as I said earlier, I know several girls who will be very upset/disappointed if their guy does not ask his future father-in-law's permission. Your thoughts? Does anyone else feel the same way I do on this tradition? Are there any other Jessie Spanos out there?

Summer of Love

So this past weekend, I had a bachelorette party Friday night and an engagement party on Saturday (which I will touch more on later). However, during the engagement party, I happened to see a large boat traveling down the Chicago river (not at all unusual). As I looked closer, I noticed there was a wedding taking place on said barge. How romantic and fun! I thought this was a cute place to get married. As I looked closer at the boat, I couldn't help but notice a certain hilarity to it (NOT keeping with the theme of romance).



For me, this is the icing on the cake. When I meet my future husband, I am going to have to look into renting out this one.

Jealousy....

So a friend of mine, Kat, recently got engaged to her long-term boyfriend Brian. Yay! Congrats Kat and Brian!

My good friend and Kat's best friend, Emily, is going to be the maid of honor in said wedding.

I am SO JEALOUS. I have never been maid of honor or even a bridesmaid yet! I have had a handful of friends get married - none of them close enough where I thought I might have been in the wedding party running. Maybe I need to better kiss-ass with my friends who are in serious relationships. Or maybe I should start putting pressure on the significant others of my close friends. Hmm. Anyhow. I think I am more eager about one day being a bridesmaid than one day being a bride.

Exciting News!

So my good friend, dance carpool buddy, and loyal blog reader Rachel got engaged this past weekend! I am truly totally excited about this couple/nuptials!