Weddings and Graduations, oh my! It’s that (expensive) time of year

As you read this, I’m in New York attending my nephew’s weekend wedding.

Summer is a big time for weddings and graduations and even birthdays (the result of trying to stay warm on cold winter nights) but my nephew Nick and his new bride are definitely overachiever.

She graduated from med school on May 9. Nick graduated from med school on May 18. As if that weren’t enough, her bachelorette party is May 21, their wedding rehearsal dinner is on May 22, the wedding is on May 23, and an all-day post-wedding barbecue bash (to which everyone who attended the wedding is invited) is scheduled for May 24. On Sunday the 25th Nick and his undoubtedly exhausted new bride will fly off on their Jamaican honeymoon.

Oh, and did I forget to mention that the bride’s birthday is May 18?

Phew. I am in awe of the sheer nerve and determination (and the amount of money!) it took to pull all this off.

You would think that as a simple guest at these two milestone events (med school graduations and nephew’s wedding) my part would be easier on the pocketbook. Wrong. There’s graduation gifts, the cost of a dress for the rehearsal dinner, another dress for the wedding, the cost of the wedding gift itself, and since I live in Florida, round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations when I get to New York.

And this is just one nephew out of a large Italian family.

My mom keeps telling anyone who’ll listen that when she and dad got married, their wedding reception was at the local Knights of Columbus Hall, and their wedding night was spent in a Holiday Inn. Heck, even for my own wedding, hubby and I decided to tie the knot just two weeks before the event, sent out invitations only to close family, and 35 people showed up. These days, weddings are ‘events.’

Oh, the good old (inexpensive) days!

But don’t get me wrong. I can’t begrudge my nephew his month to celebrate. He’s spent eight long, grueling years in med school. I know how hard he’s worked, and how difficult it’s been. He’s had to put off the wedding until his schooling was done, even though he and his fiancée have been together since high school.

So I’m happy for him. Incredibly proud, and really, really happy that all his dreams are finally coming true.

I’m just dreading the other sixteen nieces and nephews waiting in the wings.

How about you? Ever had one of those “expensive” years?

Leigh


No comments: