How To Make Sure Your Friends And Family Get It Right On Your Wedding Day
When my best friend was getting married, she was rushing around like a crazy thing with lists of people she wanted to invite and jobs which had to be done. There were deadlines for the flowers, the dress, the cake and so on. It was like being in the middle of a whirlwind with her rushing around everywhere.
Her wedding list started off as a couple of items scrawled on a piece of paper, but it soon took on a life of its own. Well, first she went round looking at all the things she needed but didn't have. So she put those on the list.
Then there were the people who phoned her up to tell her what they wanted to give her, so those things went on the list too. Her Great Aunt came round with a catalogue of quilt sets of all things. They sat there for a good afternoon looking at the different pictures and deciding on a good color scheme. As Aunty Bee said, she was shopping for two now, so she had to take her husband-to-be into consideration too. He had opinions too, she said.
Special relatives may want to get you something memorable. It can be nice to let people decide for themselves and get you a gift which they think is meaningful. This is a lovely gesture and you will find that people can be more generous than you could think. But this can also backfire hugely with someone thinking they are doing you a favor by buying you a dining room set if you don't have a dining room.
It can be very hard to be subtle and try to explain that you love what they have given but that you have no actual space for it. Elderly relatives can be very hard to dissuade. Especially if they think they are doing their best for you. They think in longer terms than the rest of us sometimes. They think that one day you will have a dining room after all and until then, you can just stash it somewhere.
So anyway, the day before the big day came and we were looking at all the presents which had already arrived. Mom's set was there, and my bracelet and tie pin and a load of other stuff. Most of the big bulky stuff was already there you know. But my friend was looking a bit puzzled like there was something missing.
Well, here it was, the big day at last. We were all gathered, looking fine and feeling great, when this huge car pulls up outside. And out of it staggers Aunt Bee, holding what can only be described as a gigantic present in her arms. I look at my friend and she looks at me, and we both say together: the quilt set!