Some Wedding Planning

"So, she said Missy we'll be seeing more of each other on her way out." Summer says to Ana as they were meeting together at Society. She was telling Ana about her in laws anniversary party the other night and how Lincoln's biological mother Misty had crashed the party.

Ana makes a face. "Sounds intense." She remarks astutely. "And you say Linc is going to meet with her again?" She asks.

Summer eyes widen. "Yes. She states that she's currently staying at the GCAC. And her and Linc made a deal to meet there if she left my in laws party." Summer informs her.

"Ooh… and you're worried about that meeting?" Ana asks.

Summer nods. "Very worried." She admits in a concerned tone. "Things are so strained between my husband and his biological mother. And that was on full display the other night." Summer shivers a little.

"His mother definitely has a presence about her that is... chilly to say the least." She sighs. "His mother definitely seems like a handful, and believe me I know about people being a handful."

Ana gives her a sympathetic look. "Well hopefully things will somehow work itself out. Maybe Lincoln and his mom can work things out, or maybe he will find some way to deal with her." She pauses. "He's dealt with her before, right?"

Summer nods again. "Yes, he has, during times when she's floated in and out of his life. But…" Summer makes a face. "According to him, his interactions with her never really end well." She sighs again. "And the last time things got pretty rough when she confronted my mother-in-law."

"Paula?" Ana ask clarifying.

"Yes. She got in her face and things got pretty ugly. It got so bad, Lincoln practically disowned Misty." Summer reveals to her.

Ana leans back and frowns. "That does sound pretty rough."

"It is… but like you said hopefully things will work itself out." Summer says optimistically. "I will do my best to help mend fences if that is what needs to happen."

Ana raises her eyebrows. "Be careful."

"I'll will try." Summer promises her. They are quiet for a moment and then Summer smiles. "But enough about that for now." She remarks moving onto another subject. "We need to start planning your wedding and the events surrounding it. That's what we are here for."

Ana nods excitedly. "Right, so where do you think we should start first?"

"Well..." Summer says thinking. "I actually would like to start talking about your bridal shower. We will get to the wedding of course, but I think that Fen should be around too for some of that discussion."

Ana nods. "Yeah, he would probably want to be included at least to some degree." A thoughtful look comes across her face. "And I can get him to sit down with us some time this week and talk some more about that."

"Right." Summer says. She places her hands on the table. "So, let's talk about planning you a bridal shower." Summer looks at her tablet, and then at Ana. "So, I totally want to plan you a very nice shower. It can be here if you want, or at my house. Whatever you want." She tells Ana smiling.

"And we need to get a list of the people you want to invite to that, so we can send emails or texts to them..." Summer pauses and continues. "I know that formal invitations are good too, but you want to plan a quick wedding. So, a nice text or email would be sufficient. As long as we can give them at least a little time to RSVP."

"Okay." Ana agrees.

"So… who do you want to invite to your bridal shower?" Summer asks. "Some of the same people that will get invitations to your wedding, no doubt." She pauses thinking for a moment of a potential list of people to invite. "Your mom of course."

Ana smiles but then makes a disappointed face. "Yeah, but mom is kind of busy right now. I will definitely send her a text about it, though this might be too short of a notice for her to show up." Ana informs Summer.

Summer frowns. "But she will be at the wedding right?" She asks.

Ana nods. "Yes, she will be able to make that."

"Okay". Summer looks down at her tablet again and types some things. "Ok so mom will be invited and if she doesn't make it, she will still show up to the wedding." She looks back up at Ana. "Who else?" She asks. "Surely the rest of your family."

Ana starts thinking and listing off names. "Yeah, I definitely want to invite, Lily, Mattie, and Sophia... who is back for the time being." Ana informs her.

Summer types quickly on her tablet. "Gotcha." She looks up at Ana again. "What about your cousin Elena?" She asks. "I mean I know she is no longer dating your brother and he's moved on, but…"

Ana nods. "She's still family."

"Right." Summer agrees. "So, invite her?"

"Yes."

"Okay and who else?"

Ana thinks. "Tyra. It's a bit of a short notice, but I want to invite her. She might be able to make it."

Summer nods. "Okay. And…" Summer makes a face as she just remembers someone important. "Oh, and your sister-in-law…"

Ana sighs. "I would love to invite her, but she still has some stuff going on with her family. And I don't know if she will able to make it and be up to it. But you can invite her as well."

"And…."

"Abby, I like her and have grown closer to her."

"Okay..."

"And oh, I would like to invite some ladies that I am friends with from work, Rochelle and Anastacia." Ana adds them to her list of invites.

"Cool." Summer types some more information on her tablet. "Alrighty, anybody else?" She asks.

Ana thinks some more and shakes her head. "I think that's all I have for now."

"Okay, well if you think of anyone else let me know." Summer tells her. "Meanwhile we are going to send invites to all of these people. "You have most of their information?"

"I do." Ana acknowledges.

"So, you can send them messages. And I will work on other details for the party for you. Like decorations and the catering." Summer looks around. "If we have it here, we can get the restaurant to cater it, or I can throw it for you in my home. And find you a great caterer." Summer puts the tablet down and looks at Ana. "Whatever you want."

Ana thinks. "I don't know. I might need to think about that. Here would be nice."

"And we can rent it out for you, like we did for my in laws." Summer suggests. "Or we could do it in my home." She offers again.

"Which might be more of an intimate setting." Ana muses.

"Right, think about what you want for a little and let me know, so we can give that information to your guests." She gives Ana a look. "So, we can send them out within a couple of days."

"I'm going to try and make a decision on where we have it by the end of tonight." Ana tells Summer. "Even if I have to text you my answer after I leave."

"Good, that way we can get those invites sent out and we can figure out what we need to do regarding food." She gives Ana a big smile. "I'm going to try and make this a fun event for you. You deserve it girlie." They talk a bit more about their plans for the bridal shower. And then talk turns to planning the wedding.

"So, I know that you definitely want to do some of this planning with Fen, but we can start getting some details sorted out now for your actual wedding." Summer remarks helpfully. "So, have you decided what type of wedding you want."

Ana nods. "I think that I have. I really like the thought of having it outdoors."

"Okay cool, and where outdoors? Like maybe a destination wedding?" Summer probes.

"That sounds nice, but because we are throwing it together quicker, I think that something closer to home would be more convenient for our guests and also nice." Ana states.

"Maybe in GC?" Summer asks. "Or at least nearby. There are some really nice resorts nearby where people wouldn't have to do a ton of traveling. You and Fen could have your wedding at one of those."

Ana nods. "That's definitely something to think about. Or maybe even Chancellor Park." Ana suggests. "That's where Fen proposed." She smiles, as she thinks back to his proposal.

"Sounds like that place definitely has significant meaning to you." Summer remarks smiling at her. "So maybe there?" She suggests. "And then you can have the reception someone else. Like maybe inside, like maybe the GCAC."

Ana thinks. "Yeah maybe. Though the resort idea, you mentioned sounds good, too." She remarks thoughtfully.

"You just figure out where you want to go, and we'll make it work. And once we sit down with Fen, I think that you'll be able to come to more definitive decisions." Summer puts her hands on the table tapping them. "And also find something that will suit whatever budget you have."

Ana raises her hand "Oh about that... We accepted an offer from Devon to pay for our wedding and our honeymoon." She informs Summer. "He said that would be his gift to us."

Summer eyes widen and she grins. "Okay, then you forget about the budget. Go as big as you want…." The two young ladies laugh.

"And Food?" Summer asks.

"Well Fen and I are foodies, and we really like ethnic foods." Ana informs her. "One of our favorite places to eat at is this Thai place that Fen took me on our first date, almost two years ago."

"You want that place to cater?" Summer asks.

Ana shakes her head. "You know what? no." She answers. "I want us to do something different." She thinks for a moment. "There are some new places we want to try like this Moroccan restaurant and this Greek place. Maybe will check one of those places out and if the food is good, see if one of them will cater for us."

"Alright, but you do want some type of ethnic cuisine." Summer puts some information in her tablet. "Okay sounds good." The ladies talk for a bit more.

"Well, we have accomplished some things today." Summer concludes. "Regarding your bridal shower and wedding. And once we sit down with Fen, we will accomplish more and narrow down/finally decide on some choices for you."

"Thanks for helping me." Ana tells her gratefully. "Especially since this is a short engagement and a more quicker put together wedding."

Summer smiles. "Not a problem, Girl. I want to help give you the best wedding possible." The two ladies smile and talk a little more before they part for the night.