Wedding [Kitchen] Planning

A kitchen remodel, really no different than planning a wedding.

Ah so young...so rested

As I started to look over all my different options for cabinet hardware, it hit me.  I have had this feeling before.  No, I have never done a renovation before, but I had planned something that [at the time] every teeny-tiny decision mattered and they all added up to one huge life event.  Our wedding.

The questions:

What do I really want? What does my husband want? What does this say about me? What does this say about us?  What is my dream? What is reasonable?  What would make me happy? What is in the budget?  Is this functional?  Will everyone enjoy it?  Will I look back in 10 years and think this was classic?

The steps:

Decision to start a new life with a new partner [er...Kitchen]

Research

10,000 pictures reviewed
Date Set

Big decisions made

Stressed over small decisions

Modify big decisions

Still don't have small decisions made

Realized what I thought I wanted, wasn't what I wanted
Designers selected
Vendors selected

Finalize things that have to be ordered way in advance

Prepare for the big day

Changing things up until the last minute

Big day arrives!

Something always goes wrong

and hopefully [in 2-3 months] soon...

The honeymoon period!

Would I change some small things about my wedding? Of course! I probably would have changed things the very next day. But that's just me and I think I would have wanted to change things no matter how perfect it was. 

Luckily, I wouldn't change a thing about the really big decisions!  Sticking with the same groom [even though he won't read my blog], making God the center of our marriage, when my wedding happened in the timeline of my life, wedding dress shopping with my mom, and wearing my hair down [yes, that quantifies as a big decision].  I'm sure there were many others, but 7 years later, it is hard to remember everything. 

The big things I [think] I'm going to love forever [or as long as they last] will be my new hardwood floors, the custom cabinets, and my countertops.  Majorly stressing over little things like the backsplash, paint color, and cabinet pulls. 

I can imagine being with my kids and husband making Christmas cookies on the gigantic island while listening to Judy Garland's "Merry Little Christmas."   I think that was same dream I had on my heart both on my wedding day and as I am finalizing the plans for my new kitchen.

Steve and I got married 7 years ago, even though honestly, it feels like yesterday.  Living together in 3 homes [the Treehouse, the Asian mid-century modern, and the Stack-A-Shack] prior to this one has really helped hone our tastes.  I told Steve every decision about this house matters, because it is the home we will raise our children in.  He's giving it 8 years until something else calls to me.