Wedding planning

We walked up to our new house and my fiance Kaitlyn tried to unlock the door with the key the realtor had given her. She jogged the key a bit and tried to get the lock to turn. It seemed stuck though and wouldn’t budge.

She tried a couple more times thinking she had the key in the wrong way or that the lock was just stuck but when she turned around to ask for help, she didn’t meet my eye level. I was down on one knee with the actual key to the house which was tied to an engagement ring.

Thankfully, that key did work and after years of dating, we were engaged and homeowners at the same time. In that moment, nothing could have been more perfect. Now, we’re close to the wedding date and its about that time where the stress levels ratchet up. I’d be lying to you if I told you we each worked on the wedding equally.

Kaitlyn has been planning this wedding seemingly on her own. Sure I’ve helped here and there but she wakes up and thinks about her day and what she can get done for the wedding. The ceremony and celebration isn’t until September but she has most everything all planned out and ready to go.

I was really taken aback by how much goes into a wedding. My naive self thought, you secure a venue, caterer and rent or buy a tux and voila, a wedding happens. There is much, much more that goes into these celebrations in our case anyway. Things like a photographer, videographer, decorator, DJ, bartenders, wedding favors, save-the-dates, invites, bridal showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, hotel reservations, shuttles and any number of other options that make the night perfect are things that I didn’t account for.

Then the biggest question: how do you pay for it all? Don’t get me wrong, we have been saving for this for awhile but nothing could have prepared me for the financial strain that planning a wedding while simultaneously owning and actively upgrading a house might present.

The planning has definitely caused some stress but there have been so many people that have been there to help us through the process. Our friends who have already gotten married have been there to offer us ideas and support whenever possible.

Our parents have helped us with planning, been super flexible with day of events like getting hair done and have been there for us to talk to when we are at a dead end.

It all adds up to one day that is going to be the best day of our lives and although it might be stressful now, it’ll all be worth it to see the smile on each other’s faces that day.

SPEEDING

THROUGH

L

IFE

NEAL H OGDEN EDITOR