April 21, 2011 Saying ‘I Do’ while in School
By: Sally LaJoie (Click to View)
A man kneels down on one knee, with ring in hand, and asks “Will you marry me?” While the engagement process often marks the moment when a couple decides to spend the rest of their lives together, it also serves as a period of planning for the big day. For some young couples at Truman, this may mean just the opposite.
Megan Mays, a third-year Truman student, began planning her wedding to fiancé and graduate student Brandon Ping shortly after he proposed in late August 2010. The couple intended to have a traditional ceremony, complete with a white dress and bridesmaids, but they found it was not right for them.
“We started planning and both hated it, and neither one of us cared enough. So, we were like, we’ll just elope,” Mays said.
It was a quiet wedding with a quiet announcement. The couple alerted family and friends using Facebook.
“We didn’t plan for his family to find out on Facebook, but we just got caught up in the excitement, I guess,” Megan said.
Although the couple intended to remain engaged until the completion of Megan’s Bachelor’s degree, the couple made the spontaneous decision to obtain a marriage license from the downtown Court House for financial reasons. Megan wanted to marry before April 1 in order to be applicable for Pell Grants through FAFSA.
Although the couple eloped, they still managed to have a traditional ceremony. The couple’s self-identifying agnostic reverend joined them as they said their vows in the Sunken Garden on campus. The garden is the site of the original Baldwin Hall, and now serves as the location for many student weddings. According to campus lore, the first person you see, or kiss, in the garden will be the person you marry, making it one of the more romantic spots on campus.
“I didn’t want to have a long relationship or a serious relationship when I first came to college,” Mays said. “My goal was to have a college life and date and not tie myself down. So, it was accidental.”
While Megan and Brandon’s wedding announcement and ceremony remained spontaneous and non-traditional, Truman students Danielle Noring and Tyler Madsen have begun planning far in advance for their more traditional June 2012 wedding.
Danielle and Tyler are both pursuing graduate degrees, meaning there is not a lot of time for planning. Over Spring Break, the couple picked a reception site and arranged for the wedding to be held at the Crossing Church. They have also both picked out a bridesmaids and groomsman.
“I’ve always planned to have a traditional wedding,” Danielle said. “It’s just something that has always been important to me.”
By: Meghann Henry
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