We had a decent sized wedding planned for late October at a somewhat fancy place.

Since we don't really have a family pastor or preacher we're close too and we did not know who we were going to have do the service, on a Whim, I said, lets have Gunguy/Daniel do it, since he was the one that brought us together...

She said, that's an awesome idea. She then called him on speaker phone and asked him if he would be willing to do it.  
He said he would be honored and later on that week, got Ordained so that he could do the service for us.

A month or so ago, my G/f told me, I think we should cancel the big wedding, get the money back and put it towards paying off debts.
I was kind of shock that a woman would say this.  I asked, several times are you sure.  I don't want you coming back in two years or down the road upset that we never had a fancy wedding.  I mean, its mostly planned and the money is already spent.  
She said No, we've both been married before and I think we'd do better to use that money to pay off some of our debts and just do something small with just a few people.   We've been working really hard to get out of debt.

I said OK, but this is your idea, not mine.

So, several weeks ago, she says your 45th Bday is coming up (Sept 7th). We should have a few friends over for your 45th Bday, Shoot Skeet and have some food.

The weekend of my bithday or the weekend we had wanted to do it, another wedding that several folks that were invited to our gig were in it and we were to be guests at it as well... So we could not do it that weekend or next.  So last weekend it was.

She said, I wanted to surprise you but I didn't know what all you'd need to shoot skeet or clays. I didn't want to buy a bunch of the wrong stuff and waste money, so I'm letting the cat out of the bag to get your input.

So we get planning. In the mean time we get our wedding license planning on still having GunGuy do it at our house.  
The thought occurs, the license is only good for 30 days and we are coming up on that...  We don't want to have to pay for another one, so we decide, hey, lets do the wedding same day as the Birthday party.

So we invite a few friends and our closest family to come Saturday and have a small Bday party and be with us for our Wedding.

1pm everyone shows up.  We shoot clays till about 4.
4 Pm'ish we gather around out in the back yard and Gunguy marries us.
5 Pm we eat a bunch of food.
6 pm we shoot for another hour or so, then put the guns up and start the drinking...
Last guests left about 1:30am...

Overall it was a great day, great weather, got to shoot some guns, got married and hung out with our closest friends and family.

We both agree that we could have spent many thousands more and we don't think it would have made it one bit better.

I know ARfcom knocks marriage, but April is a really awesome person.  She is selfless and does so much for our kids, me our friends and family.
I hate the thought of growing old, but she is the one I want to do it with. I do love her with all of my heart.

I enjoy our time together whether we are doing something cool, or doing nothing at all.
It helps that we enjoy doing a lot of things together. There is no Jealousy or Trust issues. That is something I've never had. All my past relationships the girls seems to be jealous and controlling. None of this.  If I want to go out with the guys, I say, Hey, the guys and I are going to go to........   She says OK have fun!  I do her the same way.

She means the world too me and my daughter and the rest of my family love her too.

I just thought I'd share as if it were not for ARFcom, none of this would have taken place.  
I met Gunguy/Daniel at a HTF shoot years ago at (now absent) RJTCCW's place, he lived down by our Cabin and gun Club.  When I'd some down, we'd hang out, shoot guns, drink and whatever came up.  We became really good friends.
When I went though my divorce I avoided my house as much as possible and Daniel along with a few other close friends where really there for me. Always checking on me and doing things to keep my mind off the B.S. at home.  After awhile Daniel, said "Let me hook you up with some country girls."  I said no at 1st, but eventually, gave in.  One of the ones he introduced me to was April.  They had worked together for years and were close friends.  We hit it off and started dating.
After a year or so, I was spending most of my time down here and I wanted to move down here for her and I loved it down here and wanted to get out of the City.
We started looking for places and about a year later we found and bought one...
About another year later, we decided we wanted to get Married. And so the story goes...

I hope I did not bore you all to death with our story.   But, based on how it started, I thought I should share.

Congratulations !

I like stories with happy endings.

Thanks for the invite, dick!

LOL  J/K.  Congrats!

Sorry, I thought about inviting the rest of the HTF, but figured people hate weddings and would not want to take time out of their day and be awkward only knowing one or two peeps...

If I get this Champion Whirlybird 2.0 Clay thrower working right, (Its throwing doubles, triples and going full auto, must have an SKS parts) later this fall, I was thinking about making a post to gauge interest in a Clay shoot and afterwards we could grill and drink beer.  Nothing fancy, I'm poor...

Winning!

Congrats!  

I’ve never met you two, but sounds like fun to me!
I’m not gonna poo poo a good girl to marry, and it sounds like you got one of the few!
I’m down in Ftown often at my buddy’s place, so I may run in to y’all some day, until then, take care. (WH hopes April has a younger sister )

Congrats dude. Sounds like you found a real winner this time around.

Congrats!

Make it a bring your own event for food/clays/beer.

ETA:  A 90 pack of clays in Walmart is only $6.00.

Yup that is my plan...   Also, Most flats of shells are like 19-22.00 depending on what ya get.

Before this shindig (kinda before I knew about it) I was picking up a box of each, every week for a month or so, I didn't have to blow it all at once.

cool story & congrats on both yall's good fortune.

Congratulations!

That's exactly the way it should happen.

My wife & I went down to the city courthouse on a Friday with my best man and her bridesmaid and some close family. The Bottle Works in Maplewood agreed to host a small reception afterwards. We didn't do any shooting but there were a few nice motorcycles involved. Very casual event. Good times had by all.

Sounds like you all had a wonderful wedding. Best wishes for your lives together.

congratulations

Thanks for letting me be a part of it. I never thought I'd be a minister

Congrats again you two!

Me neither!!!!!LOL

Ive got a headache from reading all that shit, but congratulations man !!! Hope it lasts until one of you die.... Good luck

Yup

Congratulations!

Congratulations dude. Sounds like a real good choice you have made this time around. She's got her feet firmly planted on the ground.