This was how we celebrated our three year anniversary.
Marriage wasn’t on my radar, but I found a husband in JT.
What wedding gift could I give to a man who already has everything?
You know how sometimes a person works on themself to attract a partner, but forgoes that same lifestyle once they’re partnered up? Not JT.
On our first date, I asked him what his life’s purpose was and he plainly told me it was to serve his community. Over the years, I got to witness him do just that. You would never hear him personally speak highly of himself; I often joke that he’s humble enough for the both of us combined.
JT is consistently improving in all aspects of his life—emotionally, mentally, physically, and financially. He has integrity, is psychologically stable, reads 20+ books annually, frequents the gym, and is well respected in his industry.
I decided the best gift I could give to him as his partner was a confident and stronger version of me.
For the better part of last year, my self-esteem was damaged and it prevented me from showing up as my whole person with my favorite person. Coming to terms with letting go of a part of my social identity allowed me to heal and move forward in my relationship with JT.
Sharing that vulnerability let me discover that the two of our authentic selves are incredibly in sync.
It was a mental hurdle I finally overcame as I prepared for our marriage in lieu of making wedding plans.
Dress
I had three criteria in mind: a sweetheart neckline, a sweep train, and under $300.
10 days before the big day, the third dress I tried on overall from Macy’s cost about half of the budget and was six inches too long.
It was perfect.
I altered the length for my height. Despite having a casual courthouse wedding, I knew I wanted to have a sweep train to achieve that romantic look:
11/10 would do again.
Officiant
JT asked my brother to officiate, and it added a special touch to our wedding.
He wrote a long and thoughtful speech, but had to cut it short due to working under a time constraint. In spite of that, he did a wonderful job marrying us!
Thanks lil bro.
Flowers
I couldn’t justify the cost of bridal bouquets, so I created my own!
Two days before our ceremony, we went to Trader Joe’s and Michaels to buy flowers, ribbons, and boutonnière pins. It took 45 minutes to make the bridal bouquet and 30 minutes for two boutonnières.
My sister caught the bouquet toss and got to take it home. Good luck sis!
Venue
I had no desire to invest time and energy into planning a full-on traditional wedding. I was down to get married at the express window at the clerk recorder’s office because the force is that strong with this one.
However, JT wanted to have a ceremony at the very least for our families to attend, so we chose to rent the indoor chapel at the county office.
On the day of, my now-husband elected to work a half day before getting ready for our nuptials. That extra vacation day is valuable considering the amount of trips we take—no ragrets!
And we didn’t miss a beat.
Becoming JT’s wife felt effortless; our dynamic felt exactly the same the day after the wedding (all that marriage planning paid off!).
He is the best man I know, and anyone would be so lucky to find another one of him out there. I secretly think my dad and brother sent him to me because they’re well aware of my wounds that needed tending to.
♡ Thanks dad and big brudder. ♡
Here’s our itemized list:
- Marriage license: $80 + $2.50 credit card convenience fee (be better than me and bring cash)
- Chapel rental: $40 + $2.50 CC fee (remember to bring cash)
- Dress: $162.20
- Bouquet, ribbons, and boutonnières: $48.06
- Marriage certificate: $19 + $2.50 CC fee (seriously, don’t forget the cash)
Total wedding cost: ~$355.