In April of 2021, I got married in my dining room.

Earlier that week, my husband asked me if I wanted to get married on Friday. We’d been engaged since December. I was leaving my job and needed health insurance. So, on a Friday in April, we took the day off from work and went to the health office of our town to apply for a marriage license. Later that day, my brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew came over to bear witness to our dining room nuptials. The officiant who performed the ceremony even wore her robe.

We stood in front of all the drinks that had taken over the entire corner of the room since quarantine. I wore shoes. My husband didn’t. We took family pictures in front of our fire place and drank festive cocktails. My sister-in-law brought a cake.

I never imagined my wedding. I never thought about what my dress would look like or what song my husband and I would dance to for our first dance. I never thought about venues or honeymoons.

And when my husband and I got engaged, to be perfectly honest, I was more excited about the marriage than the wedding. The party is nice, but I was looking forward to the life after. We’ve been together for seven years now, and he has seen me through some of my roughest moments so far. He is peaceful and loyal and laugh to the point of tears funny.

And, just like me, he doesn’t like to be the center of attention. So, a dining room wedding was perfect.

We eventually had a big wedding at a venue complete with ice sculptures, more food than you could reasonably eat in a lifetime, and millennial music blasted at full volume. But it was the dining room wedding for me that was my perfect day. Just me, my guy, and my family celebrating the rest of our lives.

And one final note.

I was in the dating world for a long time. And there were plenty of relationships that I wanted so badly to work out and was heartbroken when they didn’t. I believe the universe has a hand in conspiring for our favor. It was never meant to work out with anyone else. And because of those endings, it made room for someone incredible. I love him without doubt, without question. And I look forward to 100 more years of anniversaries to celebrate.

Until next week, friends.