The other day my office mate twirled toward me in her chair and asked what we had left to arrange, plan, gather, whatnot for the wedding. I did the major things checklist in my head quickly: Caterer? Check. Venue? Check. Photographer? Check. Cake? Check. Flowers? Check. Dress? Check. Ceremony musicians? Not yet.
What am I missing? I can read a million wedding checklists but after I realize how out of order we’ve been doing everything, it becomes garble. Or I obsess over one small piece of etiquette. So while I can check off the biggest of things, I wonder about the smaller things.
Gifts for the bridal party? We’re thinking personal gifts over a themed gift for everyone. Why? Because our different relationships can’t be summed up into adorable matching bags and money clips. That and my maid of honor happens to be male, so y’know… Breaking those gender roles.
The big stuff is out of the way. Or so I thought… Y’see in the all the planning and the dress trip, I kinda forgot that we’re not officially engaged.
Saturday, the 19th: Ryan’s 32nd birthday party at Dick’s Sporting Goods Field. A soccer game. In the cold rain. It was awesome. We were a hardcore group of 14 friends (mostly family). The game ended how all Americans hate soccer games to end–in a scoreless tie. And the majority of us continued on to La Sandia Cantina afterward. It’s a nondescript Mexican restaurant in the walking mall near the field; Ryan picked it out because it covers our collective dietary restrictions… And he’d been there once on a bad date, so he knew the food.
We ate. We talked. And then Ryan clinked his glass. He thanked everyone for coming, said it was his favorite birthday in years, and then looked at me as he pulled a book from his bag. This is the part of the story he tells better than I do because my head was instantly white noise… So my side of the story goes And then Ryan said some words… I’m sure they were great words, but I just remember the surprise.
I know… I know… We’re planning our wedding, there is no way the proposal could be a surprise.
Well… You’re wrong. There was a book we had just discovered the other day with a ring box carved out of it and an excerpt from Astrophel & Stella stuck to the opposite page. And a ring, duh. One that my best friend since high school made for me.
It’s all about books. And the color green.
They had been working since September together to design this ring. And I didn’t have a clue. /curses. I pride myself on sniffing out surprises as I’m not a huge fan of them as they happening, but I love the stories they create. This is quite the story. Ryan had only one co-conspirator at the table; everyone else was as surprised as me… This included his mother, his sister, two of his cousins and their boyfriends, and my sister. My little brother happened to swing by right as Ryan was kneeling, so he was also taken aback.
It’s a good story. Again, especially to hear Ryan tell it. Maybe he will later.
So… We’re a big milestone closer to the event. And I’ve a shiny. It’s all good.