One year of marriage has sped by. We unintentionally packed it full of travel, hosting visitors, and yet another road trip back to Minnesota. We spent time with friends, watched plenty of movies, found good restaurants, and made excellent meals. Throughout it all was a comfort, security, and joint responsibility of finally being married and working through what that means to us.
A month before Erin and I were married, my dad asked me how I was feeling. He told me it was okay to be nervous, to be fumbling around or unsure or excited or any other set of feelings that come with such a shift in one’s life.
Until 4:30 PM on September 17, I didn’t feel anything other than a general excitement and confidence that everything would go off without a hitch. We’d been engaged for nearly two years, and together as a couple for nine. We started planning this day almost immediately and were likely the most organized bride and groom without being overbearing or stressing over details. I let myself focus on helping the day run smoothly, and besides an errant bee sting during pictures and a small threat of rain during the reception, no real issues arose.
When the ceremony came around, my brain switched completely from being a calm planner to being, very soon, someone’s husband. I felt tangibly different after that day.
There is an additional level of responsibility and commitment once a couple is married. While in some regards this is obviously the whole point, it’s easy to neglect this fact and instead consider the act of marriage a mere formality. It’s much more than that, much more than a day or a moment. It’s a promise of a lifetime. Those traditional vows I heard growing up took on a different meaning when saying them to Erin, and I had an innate knowledge that I would fulfill them to the utmost possible.
In some ways it’s only been one year. For us, it’s also been ten years, and in another way it’s already been one year. We’ll continue to explore what our marriage means as our lives change, and go back to what is most important to us to stay grounded. I’m grateful for this past year, and thrilled for every one to come.