Wedding Perfection: The Art of Creating the Perfect Wedding

By Scott Messina

Wedding Perfection is an on-the-go reference guide, wedding planner, and therapist (rolled into one) with expert information, handy tools, and so much more. Empower yourself with knowledge, build confidence, and help eliminate unnecessary stress leading up to (and on) the most important day of your life.

Some of the items covered in this book are as follows:

> TIPS FOR SELECTING YOUR DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION
> HOW TO PROPERLY RESEARCH AND HIRE VENDORS
> THE PERFECT WEDDING ITINERARY (EXCLUSIVE)
> HOW TO DEAL WITH WEDDING STRESS
> TRUE WEDDING HAPPENINGS (& NIGHTMARES)
> COLORFUL PICTORIALS & CELEBRITY WEDDING RECAPS

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: May 23, 2012
• ISBN: 9781623090623

Book preview

Inc.

Why Wait?

On October 19, 1997, I asked my now incredible wife, Tammy, to marry me after courting her for over three years.

I had thought long and hard about how I wanted to ask her to spend the rest of her life with me. I made reservations at an amazing restaurant overlooking Washington DC with all of the nation’s famous monuments and streetscapes as the background setting.

I had arranged with the restaurant manager to have the best possible table with the best possible view. Even though it was cold and rainy, the view and the night were still perfect. No matter how well my plans were going, I was such a wreck that I thought I was going to either have a heart attack or pass out right there in my appetizer. What if she says no?

During our meal, Tammy kept asking me why I was sweating so much. My shirt was noticeably drenched with perspiration. Although this was embarrassing, there was nothing I could do. I told her that I was fine and that things could not be better.

In the midst of our five-star meal, I had one nagging question before I popped the big one. See, when I asked Tammy’s mom for her blessing days earlier we had discussed my desire to move from Maryland to Orlando, FL. While her mother was on board, I wasn’t sure how Tammy felt about relocating. I knew I couldn’t go through with the proposal unless we were on the same page. That moment of uncertainty was almost as nerve-wracking as the proposal itself, but when Tammy said she’d love to live in Florida, a choir of angels sang out; my prayers had been answered! It was time for me to now man up and make this official.

As the waiter brought our dessert over, Tammy’s was served in a covered silver platter. As she opened up the platter, there was a small white box with a gold engraved keychain inside. The plan was for her to have to flip over the keychain to see, Will You Marry Me? engraved on the back. Somehow, the keychain had flipped, and I was faced with an element of surprise! Caught off guard, I quickly dropped to one knee and formally asked for her hand in marriage. I’m sure if given the chance to do it over again, she would have had some beautiful, eloquent response, but like most women in this situation, the shock took over and she just blurted out YES, I would love to! The whole restaurant applauded. I stood up, walked over to the piano and started playing and singing Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight.

On the way home, I suggested we set the wedding date for December 27. Tammy said, Sure, December 27 of next year gives us plenty of time to plan. When I told her I actually meant I wanted our wedding to be in two months, she looked at me like I was crazy and asked me why so soon? I took her hand, looked her straight in the eye and told her, I’m pregnant. Following the laughter, the serious question I raised was, Why wait?

One false pretense many share is that a couple needs a huge amount of time to prepare for their wedding. The reality: too much time between the engagement and wedding day can create unforeseen challenges and difficulty between the couple, family members and friends. It also allows for over-planning, which we will address later on. Some people procrastinate as a safeguard and figure that if the relationship can withstand an extra long engagement, the chance of marriage failure is minimized. Though I do not claim to be a marital psychologist, I do believe this to be a myth in most instances.

When I proposed, the decision had been made. There was no one else I wanted to spend the rest of my life with but Tammy, and there was no reason to prolong the inevitable act of committing our lives to each other. At the time this book is being written, I’m proud to say that Tammy and I have experienced close to fifteen happy, adventurous and challenging years of marital bliss. But that’s a story for another book… or sitcom!

Following Your Gut Feeling

No one can predict marital success, but there are preplanning measures you can take that will give you and your fiancé the proper tools needed to thrive as a couple. A marriage counselor and/or spiritual leader can help you and your partner acquire skills to resolve conflicts both before and during your marital journey. Marriage is one of the ultimate acts of selflessness. It’s no longer just about you, but about the both of you, and then when children soon follow, it’s no longer about the both you, it’s all about them.

The best way to deal with life-changing decisions is to follow your gut instinct. I am a huge fan of Joel Osteen, Pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX. In his New York Times Best Seller, Live Your Best Life Now, Joel reminds us that God has ways of answering some of your most difficult questions, those feelings in the pit of your stomach, whether it’s a knot or butterflies, it is God’s way of helping you find the