Exploiting Cancer for Free Cake

So Matt and I have let ourselves be talked into trying out for this wedding contest held by one of the local morning shows, to be held at this chapel I've been considering on Valentine's Day. And televised. I have reservations, because, well, televised, plus I think it's one of those things where the audience not only chooses the winner but also the dress, cake, etc., which, I already have my dress and I love it and I don't care what fancy designer labels are on the show's offerings, I'm wearing my dress, k'thx. But on the other hand, free wedding, and sooner than we can possibly afford to do on our own, and that leaves more money for the honeymoon. So. I wrote my essay and sent it in, and this is what it says:

Prior to about a year ago, I didn't date. I'd been on one or two blind dates in my early twenties, but for the most part, I didn't date, and I didn't have boyfriends. I knew what I wanted in a mate, and I also knew that I would rather be on my own than spend my life with anything less. I had pretty much given up on ever meeting my ideal and made my peace with being single.

And then I met Matt Bauhaus.

He was in a similar boat at the time: hadn't dated much, wasn't sure he wanted to get married, and had resigned himself to a life of bachelorhood. But when my sister, his co-worker, mentioned me to him, something piqued his interest, and he asked her to put us in touch. I reluctantly agreed, and after several weeks of trading e-mails and phone calls, we finally met for our first date. It was the best decision either of us ever made.

Considering the trepidation we both felt going in, it didn't take us long at all to fall in love. I think that by the time we met in person we were both already halfway there. It was clear right away to both of us that we'd each found The One. By the third date we were saying "I love you," and by the fifth we were discussing marriage. By the end of last year, after two months of dating, we agreed that getting married wasn't a question of "if", but "when".

"When" has been our biggest struggle over the last year. Matt's faith and strength of character, the things I admire most about him, were shaped by a long and hard won battle with bone cancer that ultimately claimed his left leg. As if that weren't enough, he also found out a few years ago that he's diabetic. Medical bills have prevented him from being able to provide us with all of the wedding trappings that he believes I deserve. My mother is a widow on a fixed income, and I'm a recent college graduate with student loans that make it difficult to pay for anything but a very modest wedding on our side as well.

We don't dream of a huge, extravagant wedding. All we want is the once-in-a-lifetime chance for me to walk down the aisle to the man I adore while wearing a beautiful white gown, and to declare our love and commitment before God and family and, if we're allowed the chance, all of Green Country. As long as we've waited for each other, in all senses of the word, I believe we both deserve that opportunity.

I've waited more than thirty years for the man I'm going to marry. He not only waited just as long, but also survived cancer, chemotherapy and loss of limb to get to me. We're both ready for the wait to be over. We're ready for "when" to become "now."

Now to sit back and wait. *crosses fingers*