When my second wedding anniversary came around I was depressed and moody that we had very little money available to spend on a great night. After a lot of sleepless nights and self-pity I came to realize that it was not what we did or where we went that mattered. With a little creativity and a lot of determination I could plan the perfect night and feel as much love as on my wedding day (but for a lot less).
My first adventure was to my local discount store where I purchased a tablecloth, two special plates, and ten candles. When I came home I dug through the closet with nothing particular in mind, but hoping I would find something. I found an old vase and a couple of silk flowers stashed away. I added them to my small collection of things and was already starting to feel better.
Then I called around and found out a local baseball team was playing that night and always ended the game with fireworks. I searched in hope of finding the perfect spot to see them. I ended up finding one that was secluded and while it was not perfect it would fit the purpose good enough.
My next goal was to figure out how to pull both dinner and the fireworks off as a surprise, since I would have to be home to cook it and the fireworks were too early to have dinner before hand. After many calls and some shed tears of frustration to people advertising domestic services in my local guide, I found someone I trusted to come to my home and setup everything. She was nice enough to have some compassion since it was our anniversary and offered to prepare dinner too, for just twenty dollars. I could not have been more elated and grateful for her generosity.
I had seen a carriage ride advertised in the paper a couple months before and was still thinking about it, although I was unable to afford the seventy-dollar a ride cost. I brainstormed with my sister on how to make it work. Like they say, two heads are better than one. We came up with an idea that I prayed would work. I printed up flyers from my computer at home that offered the ride for half price if someone was willing to share the ride with us. I found a couple and could not have been happier.
My husband was completely surprised; I had told him that we were not doing anything because of our current finances. The love I felt for my husband as we watched the fireworks from a distance that night was immeasurable. I was filled with pride as well, knowing that I had accomplished it all myself. It was much more personal and gratifying that I planned something special rather than just going to a restaurant or hotel for the night.
I am going to celebrate my fifth wedding anniversary soon and still look back at that night as the best. It doesn’t matter how much money you have or how luxurious a hotel is. Maybe the exact same thing won’t be possible for anyone else, but what does matter is how much you love each other and that you never give up on that. Renew your vows everyday, and never lose touch of the love you felt when you said, “I do.”
