From This Day Forth

Beginnings are tricky things. That would be why I've been staring at a blank screen for the past five minutes, wondering what to write. That would also be why weddings are tricky things. A wedding is the beginning of a marriage. Note that I don't say only the beginning of a marriage. Beginnings are important things, the start of all that comes after. The wedding is important, and I wouldn't be writing this blog if I didn't think that.

It's important, and therefore it's important that it comes off in a way that you, your other half, and the people you care about are reasonably happy with. My purpose in writing this blog is, in some small way, to help you achieve that with the minimum of anger, debt, resentment, or outright bloodshed. I've learned some things. I want to share them.

The world is full of books, magazines, websites, future in-laws, best friends, and sales representatives, all of them queueing up to tell you how you should have your wedding. I don't want to do that. It will be easier for me, because I'm not trying to sell you pink organza favour bags, or uphold some crackpot family tradition, or run your life for you. I can say what I can think. Better than that, I can say that it's OK for you to think what you think. And that's something that Plan Your Perfect Wedding will never do.

I'll try not to tell you what you should do. I'll stay well clear of telling you what you have to do, other than in the 'it is a legal requirement that...' sense. I will say, 'Here is what I did, and here's why I think it worked', but I certainly won't expect you to do the same as me. I simply hope to offer moral support, a detached viewpoint, some perspective.