My 40 year old daughter is marrying for the first time on June 24th. While we’ve had the normal calamities since the November engagement it hasn’t been horrific. Early on I decided to give a check for a certain amount for the event and otherwise stay out of it. I have cringed at the dress, and put my foot down about the restaurant, but overall left it up to them. The other side who I have not yet met have had the same philosophy, and am grateful for that.

Initially it was to be a 10 person event at a Long Island Town Hall with a dinner at a restaurant across the street, but somehow that mushroomed into 60 people with the groom’s side, then 60 of my daughter’s friends. Once I heard that I offered a stipend and said work it out. The groom’s side decided on an after wedding event in Wisconsin on a river boat as his 60 family members live in the Chicago area, and 45 friends and family will attend a destiny wedding at a friend’s home in Amish Country, Pennsylvania.

Today my daughter, the future bride, texted me a picture of her wedding band and it hit me – she’s really doing this.

Funny, how things like that make you wake to reality.