As you wish

It is not surprising that many young girls look for a Prince Charming in their lives.

Growing up with all the Disney princesses, heads are filled with romantic dreams including all the perks…music, flowing dresses, dancing and magic kisses. From now until June, wedding bells are in the air. For it takes many months to create the wedding of one’s dreams.

Once the groom is determined, and the date set, the fun begins. Venues are researched and themes are discussed. Theme weddings are very big these days. Destination weddings, garden weddings, rustic weddings. From lavish to minimalist, sophisticated to bohemian. Book-themed weddings can be fun for bride, groom and guests. Alice in Wonderland with a tea party and everyone in hats. Harry Potter, where guests come in house colors and wands are encouraged. Even mystery-themed weddings where a faux murder occurs and a who-dun-it game is played during the reception. Of course you can’t go wrong with a vintage wedding. Traditional is still in, where colors are carefully picked and everything is tastefully coordinated, down to the flowers, personalized napkins and mints.

Many books are available to the bride and her entourage. “How to Plan an Elegant Wedding in 6 months or Less” by Sharon Naylor could be a lifesaver. This book helps to organize the process and the numerous details while keeping some fun in the mix. Wedding planning should not become onerous, but often does. Smart decisions and encouragement along the way helps.

“The Wedding Planner Checklist” comes in handy. As a portable guide, you can carry it along during your activities and preparations. It has prompts with spaces for lists and encourages the bride and party to check off achievements one by one. “Future Mrs.” does the same. There are numerous choices available for organizing. And if you are in need of a break and some comic relief and perspective, you can’t go wrong with “Fancy Nancy and the Wedding of the Century” by Jane O’Connor. One mustn’t forget the importance of a flower girl, especially from the heart and mind of the child herself.

All this being said, traditional, themed, elegant, colorful, I think it is important to include a very non-traditional wedding story. One that incorporates a genius, a Spanish fencing master, a wrestler, a masked man in black, sea monsters, Cliffs of Insanity, a dishonest Prince, quicksand, rodents of unusual size, a fire swamp, capture and an eventual wedding by a lisping priest. The Prince does not really want Buttercup. It is merely political, as he wants to start a war with a neighboring country. Buttercup’s death on her wedding night would be the perfect catalyst. In this story, instead of the prince kissing the princess awake, the princess kisses mostly dead Westley who is paralyzed and weak from the life-sucking machine. Westley easily dupes the Prince, who is basically a coward, into a sword fight. Princess Buttercup is saved. Westley regains his limbs, the fencing master gets his revenge and the wrestler saves the day with horses waiting for their escape. What a wedding night! After all this, a regular wedding should be a snap!

“The Princess Bride,” the book written by William Goldman is an abridged and “improved” version of the classic tale originally by S. Morgenstern. Entails the non-traditional wedding story that has captured the hearts of many a romantic. It has everything. A castle, crowns, dungeon, protagonists both human and animal and a happy ending. That is what everyone is really looking for, right? Happy endings? No matter how smoothly things go, from the perfect dresses to the buffet or sit down dinner, in the end it is that moment where the bride and groom ride off into the sunset, happily ever after. Or at least the chance for it. The rest is up to them!

If you are looking to create a wedding this year or participate in one, or even just be invited to one, keep your expectations open. It may be traditional or a fairy tale, or a combination of both when a well-planned wedding goes awry. I’ve known grooms to faint during vows and running mascara to create a monster bride as she cries hysterically down the aisle. It’s all good. No problem. The best man holds the groom upright by the seat of his pants and the maid of honor carefully wipes away the smudges before the bride turns toward her groom. It can still be as magical as a fairy tale when enough love is involved. With love, no matter what happens, it becomes the wedding of your dreams, just as you wish!

Good books.

Good reading.

*Midge Lyn’dee is a fictional character used for the purpose of entertainment though the reviews are real and sincere.