Backtracking: Part 1 - How it all came to be

It's already been a little over a week since our surprise wedding! It definitely gets better everyday! HUGE sigh of relief and bliss? Yes, please! I can't tell you how hard it was NOT to blog about our plans in detail this whole time!

How did this all come about? We've been asked that A LOT!

As many of you know, things are still uncertain for us in terms of moving to HI. When we got engaged in December, we agreed to wait to set a date until we knew for sure where we were with HI.

You all know that in March, we flew out there for two weeks so that he could take the physical agility test for HFD and he passed! Not too long after we got back to FL, though, he found out through the Honolulu Star Bulletin (he tries to read it online every day) that HFD was suspending the hiring process until August. Which meant we REALLY weren't able to set a date for sure!! [sad face]

We were both so ready to just get married, but we just waited... and waited...

Until one day, one of us (I forget if it was me or him that said it) jokingly blurted out: "Wouldn't it be cool if we threw an engagement party and surprised everyone there and got married?"

I had read through one of the [many] wedding blogs that I follow on my Google reader, about a few surprise weddings--usually taking place during the rehearsal dinner. I believe actress Kimberly Williams and country singer Brad Paisley did that to their guests (surprised them and got married during the rehearsal dinner, I mean). We didn't discuss it with anyone, but the more we joked around about it, the more excited we got!

Then we got the idea to make it a luau. If we can't bring people to HI, we can bring HI to people here! Just one problem... Where are we going to host a party like this??

[Insert Divine Intervention here...]

I was at work one day and IM'ing with Katie. We chit chatted for a bit before she asked me what everyone else always asked me: "So, how's the wedding planning going?"

All I told her was: "It's not going, really... but there may be an engagement party on the horizon."

I kid you not... She pauses for a moment before typing out: "Wait... are you guys just saying it's an engagement party, but you're gonna surprise everyone and get married??"

WHA WHA WHADJU SAY???? I froze and thought "Dang it! How did she know that?!?!" This is the problem when you're such good friends with someone and know them so well that you practically share a brain...

So I had to tell her. She got super excited--1.) about being right and nailing it and 2.) that we were getting married! I'm telling you, it was Divine Intervention that she found out. Because if you recall this post, Katie was the one who found our venue for us! I never would've even remotely thought of looking at the Winter Park Farmers Market if it wasn't for her! So the ball got rolling from there...

Next up: deciding who to let in on our little secret...