No Surprises

I am not a fan of surprises.  Actually, I wouldn't know if I am or if I'm not, I've never been surprised. Well, not if it's something I am expecting. Even if I just suspect it, I figure it out.  I am a snooper (in my profession we just call it "research!")  My friends have only attempted a surprise party once, and bless their hearts they tried so hard, but I was dating a pretty poor liar at the time, and I pretty much badgered it out of him.   Mr. Lyre is a much better liar (ha!), sort of.  To be fair though, it's not lying.  He just withholds information and can keep things from me, no problem.  He will not budge no matter how hard I persist.  However, I have learned how to get around these things.  I bring up conversations that I think will lead me in the right direction, or spend hours analyzing conversations we've had to figure out things he tries to keep from (not big stuff but things I shouldn't know before they happen - stuff like presents for me, or say, my proposal).  Before his sister's friend practically told me he was going to propose (congratulating us a week too early - oops!), I already had it figured out.

So in terms of my wedding, I don't want my girls to try to surprise me with the shower and bachelorette parties.  Let's be honest.  Most of us know if we are or aren't having these parties, and if you're snooping researching ahead of time, it's pretty easy to figure out when these events will go down.  For mine, the details can be a surprise, but I want to know when they will be.  I have a super busy work schedule, and working every other weekend means I need to make sure I am off the weekend of my parties.  Even if I didn't work so much, I wouldn't want to be surprised because I know I would just drive myself (and my bridesmaids) crazy, trying to figure it out.

With those terms laid to my MOH very early on, I was also able to vocalize a lot of what I wanted in terms of these parties.  I know when my shower will be, so I can dress appropriately that day. And maybe even schedule my hair or make-up trial, so I don't look like a slob in pictures.  For my bachelorette party I have long specified what I want to do for this - and that is virtually spend the weekend with my girls away from home - can be down the shore or in the mountains or somewhere else easily driveable (2 hours max) - where we are NOT going to a club, or having a stripper or anything else I find abhorrent.  Ideally, we will spend the weekend drinking wine, relaxing in comfy clothes, playing some games, having lots of girl talk, and generally just enjoying each other's company. My sister said to me very early on, "I remember, you want your bachelorette party in your pajamas."  Pretty much.  And so it will be, and I couldn't be happier about it.

The transparency of knowing these few details has kept me from trying to figure everything else out.  I know when everything will happen, it gives me a time frame to shop for a dress for my shower, and allowed me to request off for some days I needed for my bachelorette party weekend. Knowing a little has helped me remain calm, A LOT.

Anyone else a snooper researcher like me?