I now pronounce you... totally exhausted!
By Anne- Kathryn Bultman Anne@TheColumbiaStar.com

Girl has spent the majority of the engagement trying to find out the names and addresses of the people who will be invited to the big day. It takes a lot of persistence; basically Girl has to harass people, in order to get all of that information. But if Girl wants the invitations to be done properly, this is necessary.

Eventually every name and address has been found, the envelopes are addressed, stuffed, stamped, (don't forget postage went up), and mailed. Girl feels a huge relief. However, now that people have been invited, Girl begins to wonder if people know what an invitation really means.

A friend told Girl her cousin goes to every "important" wedding in town. She hasn't been invited to any. How absolutely tacky!

There are many people who are invited, but just the Mr. and Mrs., not their entire family or everyone on their street.

However, some people will bring all of their children, friends, cousins, pets; even if their names aren't on the invitation.

Girl doesn't understand why people would think it's okay to bring their children if they weren't invited. After all, if Girl wanted to invite everyone in the free world, then she would have.

How will Girl stand a screaming baby while saying her vows.

These children aren't well- behaved, they can't understand why it's so loud in the church, and then all of a sudden it's necessary to bequiet.

Any mother holding a baby or small child in the back of the church is being considerate, but only if that baby or small child she's holding was supposed to be in the church in the first place.

Girl can't stop the ceremony, walk back down the aisle, and ask this person to take her screaming child elsewhere.

Girl hopes for the best when she sends out her invitations. Maybe people will think before they bring their children to the wedding. And if they don't, Girl will have to give those screaming babies something to scream about.