I am a wedding addict.

Hello, my name is Robin, and I am a weddingholic. I think about it an incredible amount. I couldn't go to sleep last night because I was imagining what the ceremony would be like at the Riverside Tavern. The bridesmaids and groomsmen would each come in two different doors, up two different aisles. They would stand behind the officiant, helping to make a circle with the room. I very much believe that a wedding is sanctioned by the community, and I like the idea of having a *circle* of friends and family. J and I would then come in the two different doors, from the inside. We'd meet at the dance floor in the center. Perhaps we would address our circle. We'd swear undying love, protection, and trust. The officiant would declare us legal, then J and I would go out one of the patio doors, where we'd have a sweetheart table set up: table cloths and seat covers. The bridal party would retreat back the way they came in and would grab us food, inviting everyone else to eat. The matron of honor and the best man would bring us our meal and we'd have some moments of privacy. Then we'd come back inside to dance the first dance. Later we'd cut the cake. (I'm far too excited by the cake, by the way. Cake first!). Normally in cake cutting ceremonies, the bride holds the knife with her right hand and the groom places his right hand over it. Somewhat awkward. One photographer I read about likes to take a pictures of the couple holding it with their left hands, so the rings would show. J is a lefty, so in our case, we'd use my right hand and his left, very comfortable.

I heard that the tradition of sharing the cake is that the bride and groom promise to share what each has with the other. I'd like us to announce that before sharing the cake and drinking the toast.

I'm thinking we won't have any posed shots except some before the ceremony. Everything else candids. I dislike feeling like I can't relax and have fun because I want to take pictures of how much fun I'm having. Formal pictures before the ceremony, while the guests are arriving. Then candids of the ceremony, vows, kiss, dance, cake, and of our friends having a good time. I'd like to have table cameras, too, so the guests can take fun shots. Jessica can even take her traditional "dead" shots.

Centerpieces: I would wish that we could be outside, but that became inconvenient for a variety of reasons. So I'd like to bring outside in by having some live plants on the tables. Maybe some sapphire beads or crystals drizzled on the table surrounding them, or maybe wrapped in a sapphire bow. I read about buying your own tulle to make pew bows--we aren't having pews of course, but I could use those bows on the cake table very well.

I found a fabulous book: How to Have an Elegant Wedding for $5000 or Less. Since that's our budget, I was drawn by the title. It's well written and I've enjoyed the advice.

I'm clearly going to have to take a sleeping pill or I'll be up all night again, fantasizing about a day that's 11 months in the future.