Wedding in Reverse

          Just two weeks to go.  It was February, a little less than six months ago, when I found myself about to produce a play otherwise known as Alex and Aya's wedding.  You know those wedding planning guidelines with timeframes?  Well,  that got thrown out the window when I, as mother-of-the-groom, took on the role of sole wedding planner.  Due to international logistics and various circumstances this wedding couldn't be planned in the most conventional way.  So I just worked in reverse.
February:  Venues visited and one chosen.  check
                  Bridesmaid dresses ordered on line and mailed to Okinawa.    check
                  Florist confirmed.  check
                  DJ  interviewed.  check

March/April:  Photographer booked.  check
                       Invitations ordered.  check
                       One bridesmaid dress returned from Okinawa to be returned
                       to Lord&Taylor.
                       Guess what? Someone in shipping and handling forgot to remove        
                       the plastic security tag on the dress!
                        And, Lord& Taylor no longer had that particular dress anymore,
                       so had to order it from Nordstrom's.
                     
May:  groom arrives in the US.    check
          groom grinds his teeth anticipating his fiancee's visa to come through.

June:  invitations addressed and sent out.  check
          June 25th:  bride arrives in the US.  (Yay! her permanent visa has been approved)!   
          June 26th:  bride goes shopping for her wedding dress

July:  continued maintenance on the guest list RSVPs...  
          ...wedding gown alterations completed... wedding shoe shopping creates
          a challenge:  the bride wears a size 5 shoe.  Choices are limited.
         At one point we had four different pairs of shoes as she tried to find
         the perfect fit.  Why, you ask, couldn't Aya just get a pair of white shoes
         in Japan in her size before she came over?  Most Japanese weddings
         have rented dresses and shoes
          .....so finding white/dressy-wedding-appropriate shoes in her size is
         as elusive as looking for  Cinderella's glass slipper.

Now, where did that month go....

..... a hundred and eleven things to do every day.  Doesn't matter if I had a year or longer to plan a wedding, now it's down to the party-planning finish line and my things-to-do-must-complete list reproduces overnight.    
I have every wedding vendor's phone number on speed dial.  Next week one bridesmaid returns home after a year in Tokyo.  Five days later the other two bridesmaids arrive from Okinawa just in time to make rehearsal and of course the wedding day!
                                        .... remaining calm....