(I sincerely didn’t want to steal Paul’s thunder, so I’ve waited to post this. Hope I gave him enough lag time.)
After nearly ten years together, the Other Shoe and I are going down to the courthouse next week and getting the official paperwork. Then we’re going to go to the State Fair for a little mini-honeymoon. (Because really, what better way to celebrate our nuptuals than with fried butter?) We’ve already planned a trip in late October to a BBQ championship cookoff, and quite frankly, that suits us just fine as a honeymoon, cuz that’s how we roll. Maybe we’ll even have wedding rings by then - Mr. Horseshoe wants to make them himself. He wouldn’t hear of having it any other way, and it’s (a tiny part of) why I love him so much.
Inevitable, people are going to ask “why so long?” and “why now?” and oh God, I just now realized my co-workers probably suspect a shotgun wedding! 
It’s not that! I swear!
Anyway, to be perfectly honest, marriage has never really meant anything to either of us, and I feel like kind of an ass typing that out since I know how many people are fighting hard for the right to do what I’ve been all “meh, I’m busy this weekend” about. We just, I guess … had no real reason to get married. (Until now, that he’s unemployed and I have a job with benefits.) I genuinely did not give one iota of a shit about the whole wedding business - I hate being the center of attention - and since we plan to never have children and haven’t been able to afford a house, it simply didn’t matter.
Honestly? I’m marrying him so I can put him on my insurance. Romantic, eh?
I’m kind of excited, but mostly having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of being A Wife. A wifey - me, really? He’s been my non-lesbian partner for so long, I can’t really comprehend that he will now be My Husband. I’m more used to the sound of what I’ll be changing me name to than I am to that!
Anyway, I’m estranged from my parents - no, I haven’t yet decided if I’ll let them know, and if so, how (ideas? comments?) - and most of my friends live far away from me now anyway, so it’s not like I’m throwing a shower. (Errrrm … per Miss Manners: having one thrown for me.) When I asked The Other Shoe about his parents, all I got from him was, “They’ll probably have their feelings a little hurt if they find out after the fact.” (They live about three minutes away from us, and yes, we are being *that nonchalant about the whole thing.) So I haven’t told all that many people about it, and so, I wanted to post it here. I lurked for a long-ass time before joining, and I feel like I know many of you and I’ve genuinely found a warm little community here - and that includes the total dipsticks - and that made me want to tell y’all.
Thanks for listening. 
- This thread could be hijacked by: gay rights, the U.S. healthcare system and the Obamacare changes, wedding rings as loving symbol vs. patronizing ownership, women changing their names or not, couples co-habitating before marriage and living in sin … what else?