A Viable Vision: Prologue

Choosing a theme or overall vision for one's wedding is, I think, one of the most important and difficult hurdles in the planning process. How can anything be decided without it? Especially in this sea of ideas and resources known as the Internet. Without direction, one can be kicking and clicking and thrashing around for days, drowning in color swatches, fonts and feathered-sequined-beaded-lace veils. A centralized idea is the backbone of all future decisions. It's why us cubicle-dwelling corporate folk have bosses, and boss' bosses, and boss' boss' bosses. The high point on the totem pole that tells everyone else, "This is where we are going, get me there."

When Sak & I first got engaged, we went to the library and checked out a DVD called "Wedding Planning for Dummies".

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Dummies, indeed. One of the first things recommended was to take a moment and think about what we wanted our wedding to be like. I paused the video, and asked Sak what he thought.

You're thinking - Hawaii wedding, right? Beach, palm trees, gorgeous weather?

"No beaches or touristy things whatsoever." Sak stated in his 'I am man and this is my unchangeable law' voice.

Well, okay. I could live with that. I'm a sucker for air conditioning, and it'll keep me from turning into a slippery sweat-monster.

I asked what he wanted in place of beaches.

"I don't know. Whatever. Just no touristy things. And I want final veto power on any crazy ideas you come up with."

Vetoes? What is this, a government operation now? In any case, I agreed, but it still left me with the task of coming up with an overall vibe. I turned to others for help. We'd just need one or two concrete ideas to formulate our type of wedding.

"Like Disney Epcot Center, you could do a variety of different food stations scattered around the reception hall, and seat people in different "Country" tables. Filipino food in one corner, Japanese in another, Chinese in another, etc. etc." - Mom. She is ultimately, like any respectable person in my family, all about the food.

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"Build an obstacle course like 'Ninja Warrior' and have all the wedding party wear katanas (swords) and yakuza(mafia) floor length jackets! Then when you exit the ceremony they can line up and make sword arches for you to run under!" - Best friend. As cool as this sounds, I think preventing people from leaving early in this manner might be considered a fire hazard.

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"I once went to a wedding where the couple had a mashed potato bar. They put mashed potatoes in martini glasses and had all the toppings: cheese, gravy, chives, etc. We were all full by the time dinner arrived! Or, you could hire those kimchi burrito guys that drive the taco truck around!" - Aunt. Once again, all about the food. Unfortunately, I don't think the taco truck leaves the L.A. area. But kimchi burritos are oh, so very, very good.

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Three or four months later, we did decide on a sort-of loose theme, which Sak attached his seal of approval to. But I still enjoy hearing other people's ideas. We'll also have an at-home reception in my hometown of Salinas, California after the wedding, so anything is possible.

How long did it take you to come up with a vision for your wedding? Did you receive interesting theme ideas from others, either solicited or unsolicited?