"What a Wonderful Web"

Posted Thursday, June 14, 2007 2:52 PM

This wedding would not have been possible without the generous support of the Internet.

In going over my checklist recently, I was able to trace almost everything involved in this wedding to a Web site. I hadn't thought of how much my life is wrapped up in the Internet – until it went down in the office for several hours.

The Internet saved us so much hassle that we were able to do the following all online:

- find my florist and my make up artist – both of whom I was referred to via TheKnot;

- research where to get the engagement ring;

- find my dress and my fiance's tux;

- research (and booked) our pre-honeymoon;

- upload processional songs to my iPod to pick which version we liked the best;

- trade ideas with other brides on message boards;

- find samples of the invitation that I could share with others;

- create a wedding web site where our guests could find information about hotels and airlines;

- book flights for the Chicago auf ruf and shower;

- keep in touch with various vendors at all hours of the day or night;

- find a ketubbah;

- connect with my bridesmaids, who are spread around the country;

- and the biggie: had it not have been for the Internet I would not have met my fiancé – we met via online dating site JDate.

And that's just a sampling. I was even able to investigate marriage workshops and seminars (both pre and post) online. So as much as all of us wish that technology was not a big deal in our lives, many of us can't help but make it one.

There are so many great resources on the Web, that you can find the answer to just about every wedding-related question -- except for "why does having a wedding make everyone crazy?" That's one that even the wisest of Internet sages won't be able to answer.