The Date (For Realsies, This Time)

So after the last date-setting debacle of insanity-inducing run-arounds and craziness, Chris and I are proud to announce our formal, official, 100% solid-gold wedding date!!

Christopher and I

will be married on

Saturday

May 14th

2011

(Confession: writing that, my stomach drops some and, despite my serious fatigue, I can't help smiling and maybe even starting to cry some.)

We have settled now on the place listed previously: Rush Ranch, part of Solano County land trust and located in Suisun City, CA (about an hour north of Oakland and just over an hour northeast of San Francisco). I have even emailed the reservationist and she has set aside this date for us and our wedding.

Our choice of date was locked in for sure when we went back to view Rush Ranch again and do two things: (1) make sure that's where we wanted the wedding and, (2) do some scouting of the lands to decide where things would be.

Hiking to the top of the small hill upon which we have very nearly decided we will be married, I just looked at Chris and decided that there's no way we're not getting married right there.

With that, and with the admonition from the groundskeeper (sidebar: he lives on-site and was totally rad to chat with about the whole thing, basically saying that the Ranch has rules for events....but they don't count for much since he'll be the one there during the actual wedding and why should anyone else care?)....where was I? Oh yeah, what he told us: that once you creep past Mid-May, the weather gets too hot for comfort (there no A/C anywhere at the Ranch) and that the buggies come out for serious.

We had been considering three dates in May and the only things holding me back from choosing were the idea that it would be too cold on the 14th compared to the other two dates (both later) AND the knowledge that my sister will be living in Italy during that time and her finals schedule might be the week before or after the wedding...and I'd kind of like her to be there!

So, since the weather's better then AND it means less likely to conflict with sister's finals: voila!

I'm so relieved and happy to have a date set and cleared with all parents and important others.

I know that this date may not be the most convenient for everyone who will be invited but, dang it, there are SOOOOOOOO many of y'all that if we waited for one that were even convenient for most there would be no wedding.

Part of what's been so difficult for me is knowing just that and needing to make a decision anyways; I wanted to pick a date that works for most people, even if only because I don't want to feel like I need to apologize for picking a wedding date that works for me and my husband-to-be (and our immediate family members and bridal party). So, I won't apologize. I will just say that, I understand conflicts, and I hope that all who are invited can and will choose to come show us off into that land of marriage.