I usually enjoy the first weeks of January as it’s a nice quiet time after all the frenzy of the Holiday season. But after another 4 - 6 weeks have passed, I find I’m tired of winter and can only look forward to Spring. It shouldn’t be too much longer before I am finally able to see the buds swell on the trees and the birds come back.

With the advent of warmer weather, more celebrations are on the calendar. Spring is the time for graduations and weddings. Some families will see both which can be a challenge.

If you’ve got family members soon to graduate (like a niece or nephew) you are sure to get a graduation party invitation. If you are lucky, you will be invited to a laid back event held in the backyard where the fare is simple but full of favorite foods and you can come and go when you want.

I’ve got a son getting married and unlike graduation parties this is a more organized event. His fiancee has been planning this wedding for months (it almost seems like years). Of course she has a lot to do with getting all the moving parts of a wedding ceremony settled like the wedding dress, the cake, the reception, the bridal party. It’s a lot of work.

Weddings can sometimes be simpler without losing any elegance. Instead of a pricy room to rent you could, just as you do with a graduation party, have the reception in your backyard with a large tent. If you have sufficient electrical outlets on the outside of your home, you can rent a portable dance floor and DJ to provide music.

Outdoor weddings like this are best done during the day and in locales where it isn’t likely to be too hot or too windy. Because the crowds tend to be larger for a wedding than for a graduation party, you’ll need to be sure your house can hold the group should foul weather sneak up on you.

I’m not sure what the groomsmen will be wearing. They may just go with suits instead of heavy tuxedos. I do know the bridesmaids will be wearing cocktail length coral dresses.

Because the wedding will be outside, we’ve arranged to have a manned table set up for the gift giving. That way we don’t have to worry about someone who was not invited showing up just to help themselves to the gifts.

I can’t wait for Spring. Weddings and graduations make us look to the future and dream big dreams. It’s a lovely time for all.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 20th, 2008 at 7:26 am and is filed under Marriage. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.