theparkerfamily

first picture together

I guess it is about time for me to become weepy and sentimental, but first … where the heck did all that time go?

We had an 18 month engagement (April 15, 2006) and it seems like it was only yesterday that The Lady Sparkler was having trouble explaining to all of her Texas friends how a couple could be together since the first term of the Bush II administration and not be common-law wed yet.

A couple of lesson’s learned for anyone who is going to try throwing one of these themselves:

• Simplify — We did everything we could think of to simplify the wedding, and we still needed the whole 18 moths to pull it off (assuming tomorrow goes smoothly, of course).
• Avoid wedding magazines — Go your own path. Magazines are only good if you don’t already have too many preconcieved notions, and besides … nothing is ever *that* simple anyway.
• You and your betrothed are on the *same* side — And, frankly, if you aren’t then you should probably rethink the whole “wedding” thing.

… but the last one is really is the key. I can honestly say that the wedding has made The Lady Sparkler and I better partners, and that fact has been a real strength in seeing us through the last 18 months.

Oh, that, and the promise of a 10 day honeymoon when it’s all done. Which is tomorrow.

*whew*