Babbling Bride hasn’t been so talkative lately. Truth is, there’s so much going on in my head, that I’m having trouble getting it out in writing. Which is funny, because that’s the way I’m accustomed to relieving myself of all the crazy up there. But with the many details I’m still working out, it almost feels too personal to share them.

Instead, I have frantically-written lists coming out of my ears. I write them as if writing a task seven different times on seven different pieces of scrap paper will help me get closer to completion. The other day I found a folded piece of paper on the floor near one of Bentley’s bones and felt "weird, just weird," as NYC Housewife Kelly Bensimon would say, like I may have a list-specific obsession. I tucked it back into the pouch of my Coach handbag, where others like it are stashed.

The past few weeks have been about assigning haricot vert to this dish and asparagus to that one; mapping out trips to the craft store to pick up materials needed for reception details; the mad dash to clean up and organize my registries (which were created about four months ago) before the shower invites go out; and all the while having to hear from The Knot about all of the to-do’s left on my planner, and how many days I have to do them. The pressure is on.

In an effort to refuel, I’ve decided to break my blogging silence. So I’m using this post as an opportunity to gather my thoughts of people and things that inspire me, to relax and remember what’s fun about planning a wedding and what’s really important when you look at the bigger picture — not the color of the ribbon around your cake, or the favors you hand out — but one of the biggest stepping stones in life, the marriage itself.

So, without further ado...

My bridesmaids. “It was hard enough to find one person who would love you no matter what. I was lucky enough to find three of them.” –Carrie Bradshaw. They’ve been with me through it all, from adolescence, to the college years and beyond. I’m so lucky to have seven special girls who'll be by my side on my wedding day.

My flower girl. Learning that my 5-year-old cousin is thrilled about her role as my flower girl puts a smile on my face. Oh, and her little brother, my godson, has just learned a new word: apple. 

My Bentley. Watching him play with the 3-year-old girl next door is such a joy. She’s laughing so hard she can hardly stand, he’s panting and prancing around the yard ... it’s a fun glimpse at what hopefully will be in our not-so-distant future.

My big brother and future sister-in-law. Celebrating their engagement last weekend helped me to stop and think about what it felt like those first few days, before everything became about the plans.

My dad. He cheers me up with emails and phone calls just about every single day. What a moment it will be to have him walk me down the aisle.

My mom. She’s always looking to the next adventure, and mostly recently it’s been blogging. In case you ever wondered where I got my writing chops...

My little sister. She and her husband recently celebrated their three-year wedding anniversary. She's been living on Guam and navigating life as a Navy wife. I'm getting choked up as I write this, because thinking about her homecoming in September is all the inspiration I need!

My grandparents. They're coming up on their 50th wedding anniversary. Enough said!

My fiancé. Besides the fact that there would be no Babbling Bride without BK, he's also the person I look forward to seeing after a long day, who makes everything better.

My older posts. Not that I inspire myself, but it’s satisfying to see how far we’ve come.

And just for fun:

Etsy. Where there are some really beautiful creations. Some I’ve bought for the wedding, some have given me ideas and others have simply made me happy just looking at them.

The “other” royal wedding. I mean, we’re talking about Grace Kelly’s son, people! His bride Charlene’s hair piece = A-mazing.