I have been keeping a running list of people I am going to invite to my wedding. I started this list about a year after seminary when I decided to be organized.
The list began as a Word document which became an Excel spreadsheet. I realized what a project it can be to track down addresses after I helped my sister create her own mailing list when she was getting married. I transferred what I had to a spreadsheet and starting filling in all the information I could. Now I review my list about every six months, adding, deleting, and editing as needed.
I do feel a pang each time I update the list. This regular reminder of the passage of time is bittersweet (but mostly sweet). It’s a trip down memory lane, when I think about all the wonderful people who have filled my life these past years. Friends and acquaintances have married, moved, or faded from my life, but there are always new names to add. New coworkers and supervisors, friends of friends I’ve gotten to know better, people I keep meeting at weddings or classes…all sorts of nice people I’ve gotten to know along the way. Being open to making friends of all ages and backgrounds has been very meaningful.
I’ve added some addresses for fun: the President and First Lady (The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20500), Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip (Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA, United Kingdom), and J. K. Rowling (℅ Bloomsbury Publishing, 38 Soho Square, London W1V 5DF, United Kingdom).
One day I know I’ll thank me for keeping this list!
Do you keep a list like this? I’d love to know.
Yessss I have a list like this 🙂 It’s a google sheet and on an additional sheet, I have weddings I’ve attended.
I LOVE that idea! Wish I had a list like that!