Turning a legal formality into fun

Because we’re getting married in Puerto Vallarta, we decided to get our marriage license here in Colorado where we live, and that way we don’t have through the hassle (minor, but still a hassle) of getting it in Mexico. So Groomasaurus Gal came up with this great idea…

Since it really doesn ‘t matter when we get our marriage license, we thought we could pick it up next Friday, July 17, which is the 9th anniversary of our first date. (Funny aside: Our first date was in a downtown Denver restaurant that neither of us really like that much. Groomasaurus Gal picked it because it was between both of our offices and, more importantly, because if you sit at the bar – which we did – you can have a quick escape through the front door if the date starts to go south. She told me that years later. No lie.)

Then, after we pick up the license at the courthouse, we will pay a visit to our friend John who introduced us and who also conveniently is a mail-order officiant. Where we will visit him is in the record store that he owns, which is also the place where we first ran into each other. There, he will conduct a short legal ceremony in front of 10 family and close friends, sign the license and we will toast to the occasion, afterward going out for drinks and a nice meal.

Isn’t that a great idea or what. And to make it even more special, there are a few friends who won’t be able to make it to our wedding in Mexico, so we asked them to join us. I thought that was especially neat. So I guess a week from now I will legally be married, although our actual wedding will still be for me the day when I “get married.” More on that later…

Oh, and I haven’t done this much, but a quick shameless self promotion … the wedding website I own that provides wedding planning software tools to brides is getting a facelift next week. It’s taken me away from blogging this week, but now that it’s almost done, I can breathe a bit easier. More to come on that too…