A Matter of Space and Money...But Not Love...

261 days to go...

Wow! You see that number up there? When we started this crazy trip back when I tripped over my heart in Disney and went to one knee to ask Elizabeth for her hand in marriage we had nearly 800 days to plan this little thing called a wedding. But look how the time has flown by! Like Elizabeth said in her own blog post, when we first compiled a list of guest it was well over 400 people! All of our friends and family that we would love to be with us on the day we become husband and wife. Then the harsh reality of it slapped us across the face.

We just can't have that many people. And it simply comes down to the fact that it has to do with two things. Our church can only hold 115 people in it. And that is with everybody cramped in together in the pews like in a sardine can. Then there is the reception! We want this to be a wonderful party! Not just a quick toast and sharing cake and then everybody leaves. That just wouldn't be fun for either of us. I want people there to dance and laugh at my Godzilla cake as the song 'Godzilla' by Blue Oyster Cult is played in the background when I cut my first slice off.

So it comes down to space at our little church and money for this little wedding that we are putting together. And believe me, it has been a painful time looking through our guest list and having to try to decide who we send an invite to and who we don't. If I had my way and had the money Will Smith gets off of one movie like 'After Earth'(which sucked, but that is another topic unto itself) we would have this wedding at the big cathedral in St. Louis and have the reception at the Fox Theater with lobster tails and stakes to eat. But...we are poor. Very poor, and me getting laid off when I did ruined and hindered me from being able to donate money to the wedding fund we had put together. Even when I got me my job at SIUE it was at a rate of nearly four dollars less than at my job at the factory so our money was still tight.

So now, here we are with only 261 days to go and with a guest list of 191 that needs to be paired down to 115. I have already dropped family and friends that hurt my heart to have to do so. People I have met since I have become a writer and started to attend conventions as a author that I look up to and admire. People who became Elizabeth's and I's biggest cheerleaders when they found out that we were in love and were keeping their fingers crossed that I would pop the question to her and that she would say yes to me. Guys that I have shared drinks with at parties at the cons and laughed with and that I consider brothers and family.

Members of my family that I love more than anything and that I wish to God above they could be there with me on the day I see Elizabeth walk down the isle toward me with her wedding dress on. But it all comes down to money and space. And no...we can't have people streaming live video of the wedding so others can watch online or in another room at the church. Photography of any kind is not allowed at our church during the wedding. Why not get married at a larger place so more people can come? Because this little church we go to is special to us. It is where we go to worship and where I serve as a chalice bearer for communion. It is the home of my soul for God and that is where we want to be joined together as husband and wife.

Why am I saying all of this? Because we both wanted people to know that if you don't receive an invite it is not because we did not wish you to be there. It is because of lack of space and money. But no lack of love for all of you. We hope and pray that people who are not invited will understand and still wish us happiness and good luck. Who will look forward to seeing all of the pictures of Elizabeth in her wedding gown and me wearing a tux with tails acting like I'm singing the song 'Puttin on the Ritz' with her father and my sons and friends who have done me the honor to be groomsmen and usher. We hope that if you are not there in the flesh, you will be with us there in spirit sending all of your love and happiness to us.

Bottom line...please don't hate us. We beg you. Now that that is out of the way...does anybody have any ideas how we can cut another 76 people off of the list. We sure could use the help. I need a rum and coke the size of Godzilla right now.