People tend to say that I am leaning towards drama. While I am better at hiding it a little, the older I become (just so that there is also space to recognize my sharp intellect, hehe), drama doesn’t always leave me alone. I tell you, it is a mutual love-hate relationship. The story of our wedding is positive proof. It is also proof that I tend to always get what I want.

After our engagement in January [read here], we quickly came up with 6 April as our preferred wedding date. We invited both our families and one friend each as witness. They all booked flights and hotels. We came up with ideas for the wedding. A small city clerk wedding. I would have been fine with eloping, but we didn’t agree there. Funnily enough, even our families differ. While Rich’s has been all for a big reception, mine has urged me to just elope.

In mid-March the president of this country announced a travel ban for E.U. citizens due to Coronavirus. It was suddenly clear that my parents couldn’t come and we also realized why their visa waiver application had been without reply. I then thought it highly unfair if we got married with only one of our families there. That’s how optimistic I was still in mid-March considering the whole situation. That was the first time though we postponed our wedding.

About two weeks later we reconsidered. We had everything, i.e. the wedding license, clothes and bands. The date was engraved on our rings, 6 April. Since I had insisted on the German date style, it read: 6.4.20 (day/month/year). The city clerk’s office was shut. Actually, the whole City was shut down. But that didn’t prevent us from finding an officiant online and setting a second wedding attempt up. Still on the same day, but in Central Park and with only one witness. Only then Rich developed a fever one and a half days before the wedding and I followed suit one day later. Nothing else remained to be done than cancelling our second wedding attempt. Instead of enjoying wedded bliss, I spent most of April in bed, sick with Covid-19. Let’s just say we were utterly devastated.

By the end of May we felt optimistic enough to discuss a third attempt. Having failed twice already, we were extremely cautious. We didn’t tell anyone except for our officiant (the same from April) and our one guest and witness (also the same from April). As a new great date we came up with 4 June because you can read the engraving on our rings also in the American way. 6.4.20 = 4 June, as Americans write the month first (month/day/year). We didn’t tell anyone else because it is tough when you have to tell people that something went wrong (again).

We only set this third attempt up about a week beforehand. Better safe than sorry. Actually, that was when the Black Lives Matter protests started. And a curfew was introduced. While we support and joined the protests, we were also spooked that even our third attempt wouldn’t take place. But last Thursday arrived and everything was quiet enough. I taught my classes like on every other Thursday. Once I finished at 3 p.m., we got ready.

The worst time were those thirty minutes between us being ready and us finally leaving for Bryant Park. It felt like a lot of waiting. And I am not exactly the most patient person. While Rich was sad that his family couldn’t be here, I contemplated bringing Canavar along. I ultimately decided against it because it was a hot and humid day. As much as I love my cat, I didn’t want to listen to his whining all wedding long. So he stayed at home when we eventually left the house at about 4.30 p.m. Bryant Park is just around the corner from us and we tend to spend a lot of time there. We love it esp. in summer when Rich meets his juggling friends in the park, I just go there to lie on the grass and read, or we play the community games they set up (not this year though).

Our witness and only guest was already waiting for us in Bryant Park. The officiant also arrived shortly after. Once the short wedding ceremony started, I was just immensely happy and relieved. There wasn’t any time to feel nervous. We said our “I do”s, exchanged our wedding bands and kissed – in the almost empty Bryant Park. There were only few people around, watching us and clapping. After the ceremony Rich asked me to dance with him. We also shortly talked to our families on the phone and announced that we had just eloped (and that I had basically gotten my way since I had preferred to elope from the start). And we took many photos of our special event – including some on which we are wearing the face masks I crocheted a few weeks ago [see here]. Afterwards, the four of us had a lovely Italian (takeout) dinner in the park. Since curfew started at 8 p.m., we set off for home just after 7 p.m. We wanted to make sure that both, our officiant and our guest also had enough time to drive home.

Almost a week later we are still happy with our decision. It feels amazing to be married to the person I love and who I didn’t even want to strangle once when we spent the last almost two months at home. Or when he gave me Covid-19.

And just in case you were wondering: For our wedding I wore a necklace from my granny on my mother’s side and a silver bangle from my granny on my dad’s side. The dress is by Aidan Mattox – it is the only wedding dress I ever tried on. My shoes are from Loeffler Randall and very comfortable.

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© janavar

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