You don't need to tell me, I know I'm crazy

It only took eight years, but Jess and I are finally engaged (if you want to know the details, you can find it at my wedding website. The link is located in the "Stuff I Like" sidebar). Yippee!!

As happy as I am to be marrying this wonderful person, the actual process of wedding planning is downright scary and confusing. We are definitely not going to have a traditional wedding which makes it a bit easier, but it's still overwhelming.

Luckily, I have some pretty darn creative friends who are helping me with this process.

Since I am an avid knitter and crocheter, my friend Kellie (who's a florist) gave me the wonderful idea of crocheting my own flowers. What a great idea! That is definitely my style! And the best part is, they won't die! They may fall apart, but we can keep them for a long time.

Here's a picture:

I am also going to add some orchids to my bouquet:
Our theme was formed: A homemade wedding. Jess likes to make his own alcohol (beer, wine, mead) and I like to do every craft under the sun. And I like purple and green (well, more like lavender and sage). So I would crochet our bouquets.

Of course, I have to take into consideration that Jesse's family is huge; he wants five people to be at his side (our henchmen and women). Therefore, I picked five people to be on my side. I have to crochet flowers for six bouquets. That shouldn't be too hard, right?

Well, then I got the crazy idea that the flowers could also be the centerpieces at the tables. This idea was quickly dismissed because in order to get them to stand up straight in the "vases" I would have to put some kind of floral wire in them. Plus, I have an even better idea for the centerpieces (hand made of course).

In the end, I decided that I could make a bunch of little flowers for party favors. Anyone who wants to take one home is more than welcome. For the men who may not want crocheted flowers, we will have special cups made.

Okay, so I will have to get busy making all those flowers. I think I've made enough for my bouquet. I will just have to keep chugging alone so that my crocheted garden can grow. Not a problem. And I've recruited my Mom to help me since she's the one who taught me how to crochet in the first place.

But since the theme is homemade, I am constantly getting ideas for decorations or accessories or food.

I was at Barnes and Noble the other day and spotted this cute little book that I just had to have:

Even when I showed it to Jess, he said, "Oh, you had to have this! It's awesome!" Anyone who knows us knows that we are big zombie movie fans. And we like anything with other scary things and ninjas. There is even a little skeleton bride and groom pattern in this book! How perfect! If only we were having a wedding cake! They could be the toppers. But I figured that we could keep them on the dessert table.

Now I am inspired to make a bunch of every pattern in this book and have them on the tables. People can take them home or just enjoy their company at the wedding. And I'm thinking of sneaking some pygmy puffs in there as well :) (I'm going to put as many Harry Potter themes in this wedding that I can get away with).

Then I found this shawl in an Interweave Crochet magazine:

So cute! I will have to make it purple and green, though.

I'm doing an awful lot of crocheting. I should add some knitting in there too.

But I have a million other ideas in my overworked little head. I just hope I have the patient and energy to finish it all. I have less than a year, but I think I can do it. And yes, I know I'm insane for trying to do all of this, but I think it'll be worth it.