weddings

"So how's married life?"

It's a question my new husband and I have received more than a few times since we married 18 days ago. Luckily, we developed a good retort for this while lounging in our hammocks on our honeymoon.

"Married life is great," we say. "We had a big party, got a lot of gifts and went on vacation. If I had known this was what marriage was all about, I would have signed up a heckuva lot earlier than I did."

Along with eating cake, creating a wedding registry has to be one of the best parts of the wedding planning process.

It's akin to being asked to put together a giant wish list that you actually have a pretty good chance of getting some stuff from (unlike any birthday or Christmas list that I ever wrote out).

I can finally say with almost complete confidence that we are getting married.

Last week, my fiance (I'll call him Chad - since that's his name) sent in the checks to reserve our date. So come July, at the very least he's getting married to someone (or having one heckuva "I'm-still-single" party).

We've got an appointment to talk food with the caterer and have even tackled the dreaded cake tasting. And yes, it was as horrible as you can imagine - five slices of cake so divine it would soften the grumpiest of demeanors.

There is nothing to stall wedding planning quicker than the flu.

Not long after we made plans to look at venues and even purchased tickets to a wedding fair, the fiance was struck with illness. After a full weekend spent nursing him back to health, I went down the same road (without the luxury of a nurse, I should mention).

Now that the hacking and nose-blowing and general yuckiness has subsided, we're ready to get back on track and try again.

I am engaged. That's right, folks. Off the market. Spoken for. Betrothed.

I guess technically I should be saying we are engaged. After all, it's no longer all about me (a darn shame).

We have actually been engaged since October, but due to unforseen circumstances, have only just begun to plan for what we hope will be a July 2008 wedding.