The "Wedding" Budget

My wife and I, like most loving parents,

(who are terrified that this upcoming wedding will bankrupt them)

sat down with our lovely "engaged daughter" early in this pre-wedding journey to discuss,

"The Budget".

I must admit, that even though I wore my most somber "budgeting dad" expression, that I was very pleased and relieved at the budget number decided upon. I am not totally naive, so I did realize that there would be overruns, (as there is in any budget), and although I had my "budget overrun scowl" already practiced and stored away for certain use, secretly I was in a very good fiscal mood.

What I did not count on, were the "Off Budget Items!"

(I should have got a clue from our current federal government situation)

No, I am not talking about my wife's "mother of the bride dress" or the fact that there is a "mother of the bride" dress for each wedding shower, for the rehearsal and for the wedding, nor am I talking about the fact the there will be shoes, accessories and possibly jewelry to complete the look for each of the aforementioned events.

Nope, I am talking about the

"OFF, OFF, OFF BUDGET ITEMS!"

I was recently sitting in my very nicely decorated, very comfortable family room in my equally pleasant domicile, when my wife brought up the idea of a new sectional for said room. Huh? I thought our couch and loveseat were fine.

I was wrong!

Our furniture was not suitable at all (Silly man)! Okay, I will indulge said nesting mood and help shop for a new sectional.

That is when the flood gates burst!

And I thought the carnage from Katrina was bad! Where oh where is FEMA!

I now realize that not only was our couch and loveseat inadequate but:

Our "comfy" blue chair needed recovering,

The two small family room chairs needed help,

The formal dining room chairs required recovering,

The front room, entry way, dining room, family room, kitchen, breakfast nook, main hallway and second guest room needed paint,

The front porch needed not only a fresh coat of floor paint but an entire replacement of the railing system,

and the entire house had to be re-carpeted!

Oh, and a darling cabinent was found that needs to be stripped and repainted.

(It was a deal!)

Now, what makes this really interesting is the fact that;

No wedding events are happening at our house.

That's right. Nothing, nada, zilch!

No backyard wedding, no picnic reception, not even a shower!

I can't even imagine if..............

And so we enter yet another chapter of:

Poor Wedding Dad

(Have pity)