DIY Life

From June 23rd to August 2nd of this year, I was in a frenzy of planning. So was my fiancé, as we both tried to carry on with our daily lives while planning a full-blown wedding by ourselves at the very same time.

You see, I asked my now-wife to marry me on the eve of our one-year date anniversary, and from there, the happiness and subsequent semi-madness ensued.

You see, with my then-fiancé, being an elementary schoolteacher, there was little time to actually get married, go on an extended honeymoon and then have a little decompression time after all the festivities were over.

We both did not want to wait an entire year (until next summer, during her break), nor did we want to squeeze in a fall wedding at the end of November when a few days out from school would have been possible. My schedule was pretty flexible, but hers? Not so much.

Our solution? Throw our collective sanities in the trash can and plan a full wedding and reception in only five weeks. We were exceedingly lucky to find our dream wedding location available on such short notice, and once we booked that, we were on a roll that would not stop for five straight weeks

Since we literally did not have time to hire a wedding planner, we took it upon ourselves to plan and orchestrate multiple, daily projects to bring together the most picture-perfect wedding we could. Those five weeks were the testament to the teamwork, compromise and commitment that had already set the tone for our marriage. Yes, we both knew we had found "the right one" -- and once everything was over, we 100% knew it.

Starting this week, I'll be embarking on a multi-month voyage that will take you -- the reader -- through every step of the way in the frenzied but orderly pace of choosing a location for a wedding and reception to the reception table favors to the ceremony's music and pacing to the honeymoon at one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

It wasn't easy, but since we both made our wedding dreams come true in such short time and by ourselves, the rest, as they say, will become history.

Today's introduction hopefully gave you a taste of what is to come this time every week until, well, I've covered everything (including costs). I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I'll enjoy reliving the experience that just concluded over a month ago.

Yes, it's taken that long to get my head screwed back on straight after such a circus of putting together a massive wedding with my true love. Was it worth it? 100%. Absolutely. Positively. Affirmative.

See you here next week, as I'll begin with the very first step -- deciding on a date and "interviewing" possible places of holy matrimony beginnings. Stay tuned!