Cheers to City Hall

A sneaky couple's portrait at Cave Taureau.

This week we touched base with our officiant Kathleen on the structure of our ceremony. Action-oriented young professionals that we all are (with matching backgrounds in, and retirements from advertising to prove it), we left the meeting with timelines and next steps. For Micah and I, it was simply finding an application for our North Carolina marriage license. When we found out you could apply online, one thing led to another... and that same afternoon we found ourselves at City Hall to pick up the documents. In less than 10 minutes we were out, license in hand, and a bit taken aback by the enormity of what we'd just done. The lack of ceremony for this seemingly important, legally-binding step was disconcerting, so we decided to add some meaning to it the only way we knew how: with alcohol. 

But in a classy way! We went to Cave Taureau, an effortlessly cool little wine shop downtown. We giddily shared our secret news with the owner, then asked him for guidance in choosing a wine. The plan is to have two bottles of the same wine, drink one on our wedding night, and seal the other in a box not to be opened until our first anniversary (but more on that later).

We asked for something big and bold, deep and complex – so our hopes for our marriage and lives together could be reflected in our celebratory toasts. Cheers, indeed.