Updated Dec 4, 2025 • ~7 min read
Being engaged was different than Savannah expected.
She’d always imagined it would be stressful—immediate pressure to plan a wedding, pick dates, make a thousand decisions.
But Barry had been right. They were just enjoying it. Savoring the engagement before diving into logistics.
“Have you set a date yet?” her mom asked for the third time in two weeks.
“Not yet. We’re taking our time.”
“But you need to book a venue! The good ones fill up a year in advance!”
“Mom, we’ll figure it out. We’re not in a rush.”
Though privately, Savannah was starting to think about logistics. They’d been engaged for six weeks. Blissfully happy, showing off her ring, calling each other “fiancé” with delight.
But eventually they’d need to actually plan a wedding.
“We should probably talk about it,” Barry said one December evening. They were decorating their apartment for Christmas—their second Christmas together, first as an engaged couple.
“About what?”
“The wedding. Timeline, location, all of that.”
Savannah hung an ornament. “What are you thinking?”
“I was thinking—what if we did it next fall? That gives us almost a year to plan.”
“Fall wedding. I like that.”
“And location-wise—do we do it here in Seattle or back home?”
“That’s the question, isn’t it?” Savannah sat on the couch, considering. “Most of our family and friends are back east. It would be easier for them.”
“But we live here now. This is our home.”
“So what do we do? Pick one or the other? Try to do something in between?”
They debated for an hour, weighing options. Finally landed on a solution.
“What if we go back to where it started?” Barry suggested. “The vineyard. Where we got together.”
Savannah’s eyes widened. “The vineyard where Skylar and Roman got married?”
“Yeah. It’s meaningful to us. It’s roughly in between Seattle and where our families live. And—it’s where our story really began.”
“I love that. It’s perfect.”
“So fall wedding at the vineyard?”
“Fall wedding at the vineyard,” Savannah agreed. “Let’s do it.”
They called the vineyard the next day. Booked for next October—fourteen months away.
“It’s really happening,” Savannah said after confirming the booking. “We’re getting married in fourteen months.”
“Still nervous?”
“Not nervous. Just—processing. This is real. We’re actually doing this.”
“Having second thoughts?”
“Never. I just keep thinking about how much has changed. Two years ago, we were just friends. Now we’re engaged, living across the country, planning a wedding.”
“That’s a lot of change.”
“The best change.”
Christmas brought both families to Seattle. Savannah’s parents had never visited before—this was their first time seeing the life she and Barry had built.
“This apartment is lovely,” Tricia said, looking around. “And the city is beautiful.”
“We love it here,” Savannah said. “It’s home now.”
“I’m glad. Though I miss having you nearby.”
“I know, Mom. We miss you too.”
Barry’s parents arrived the next day. Between both families, the apartment was chaotic and loud and perfect.
“A toast,” Eddie said Christmas Eve, raising his glass. “To Barry and Savannah. To their engagement and upcoming wedding. May your marriage be as happy as your friendship has been.”
“To Barry and Savannah,” everyone echoed.
Later, doing dishes while everyone else watched a movie, Savannah’s mom pulled her aside.
“I need to tell you something,” Tricia said quietly.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just—I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. You took this huge risk, moving across the country for your career. Letting Barry come with you. Building this life. And look at you now—thriving in your job, engaged to a wonderful man, happy.”
Savannah’s eyes stung. “Thanks, Mom.”
“I know I gave you a hard time about the move at first. But you were right. This was the right choice.”
“I couldn’t have done it without Barry.”
“That’s what partnership is. Supporting each other’s dreams. Making sacrifices. Choosing each other every day.” Tricia squeezed her hand. “You two have that. Hold onto it.”
The holidays passed in a blur of family time and celebrations. January brought everyone back to their normal lives and Savannah and Barry back to reality.
“We should probably start actually planning,” Savannah said one evening. They were looking at wedding planning websites, overwhelmed by options.
“Where do we even start?”
“Guest list, maybe? Figure out how many people we’re inviting?”
They spent the next week creating the list. Family, close friends, important colleagues. It kept growing.
“This is already at 150 people,” Barry said, staring at the spreadsheet. Of course he’d made a spreadsheet.
“Is that too many?”
“I don’t know. What’s a normal wedding size?”
“No idea. We’ve only been to like five weddings.”
They settled on 175 as the max. Sent save-the-dates in February—beautiful cards with a photo from their San Juan Islands proposal weekend.
Save the Date
Savannah Mitchell & Barry Dale
October 15th
Napa Valley, California
“It’s really happening,” Emery said when she got hers. “You’re actually getting married.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that like it’s shocking?”
“Because two years ago you were both convinced you were just friends. Now you’re planning a wedding. It’s a big shift.”
Fair point.
February brought the first dress shopping trip. Savannah flew back east with her mom, Emery, and Skylar for a weekend of trying on dresses.
“I don’t even know what I want,” Savannah admitted at the first boutique.
“You’ll know when you find it,” the consultant, Marion, assured her. “Let’s start trying things on.”
Dress after dress. Too poofy, too plain, wrong neckline, weird fit.
By the fourth boutique, Savannah was discouraged.
“Maybe I’m not a wedding dress person.”
“You’re a wedding dress person,” Skylar said firmly. “We just haven’t found the right one yet.”
At the fifth boutique, Marion pulled a dress. Simple but elegant—fitted lace bodice, flowing skirt, delicate straps.
“Try this one.”
Savannah changed, stepped onto the platform, looked in the mirror.
And burst into tears.
“This is it,” she gasped. “This is the one.”
Her mom was crying too. “You look beautiful, sweetheart.”
“Barry’s going to lose his mind when he sees you,” Emery added.
They ordered the dress. Savannah floated through the rest of the weekend on cloud nine.
“How was dress shopping?” Barry asked when she got back to Seattle.
“Perfect. I found the one.”
“Can I see pictures?”
“Absolutely not. It’s bad luck.”
“That’s an outdated superstition.”
“Too bad. You’re waiting until the wedding.”
He groaned but smiled. “Fine. Keep your secrets.”
March and April flew by in wedding planning chaos. Picking flowers, finalizing the menu, choosing music. It was overwhelming and exciting and stressful all at once.
“Are you having fun?” Barry asked one night. They’d just spent three hours debating centerpiece options.
“Fun isn’t the word I’d use. This is exhausting.”
“We can simplify. Have a smaller wedding. Elope.”
“No. I want this. The big wedding, our families together, celebrating properly. I just—didn’t realize how much work it would be.”
“We’re doing it together. That helps.”
“It does.”
By May, most major decisions were made. Vendors booked, timeline set, details falling into place.
“Five months until the wedding,” Savannah said one evening. They were on their balcony, watching the sunset.
“Nervous?”
“Not about marrying you. Maybe a little about the wedding itself. What if something goes wrong?”
“Then we deal with it together. The wedding is one day. The marriage is forever.”
“When did you get so wise?”
“I’ve always been wise. You just didn’t notice because you were too busy being in denial about loving me.”
She swatted his arm, laughing. “Fair point.”
“I’m excited, Sav. To marry you. To officially make this permanent. To call you my wife.”
“Wife,” she repeated, testing the word. “That’s going to take some getting used to.”
“We have forever to get used to it.”
“Forever,” she echoed. “I like the sound of that.”
They sat in comfortable silence, the Seattle skyline glittering before them, five months away from the wedding that would make everything official.
Five months away from always.
From forever.
From the beginning of the rest of their lives.
And Savannah couldn’t wait.
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