This could get long.
Some knotties know this (mostly the old WP regs), but many of you don't. The May 29, 2011 date in my profile isn't our wedding date. Our wedding date was February 12, 2010. The May date is yes (the dreaded) vow renewal.
When we were buying our house last year we got some bad/incomplete advice from our mortgage officer that pushed us to go to the courthouse. In order to get a VA loan, and for both parties to be on the mortgage, you have to be married. No biggie, Lucas is former Navy, he had a VA loan in the past. We told our friends and family. I told my dad we could cancel the May date (we already had deposits and stuff down), but he didn't want to. I was the last of his kids to get married and he wanted me to be able to celebrate with friends and family like my brother and sister did.
Fast forward to the 11th hour (literally, the day before closing on the house), we find out we were denied the VA loan because Lucas had short sold his previous home, rendering his entitlements useless. If he wants his full entitlements back from the VA he has to pay the different in the sale of the house vs. what was owed.
So, in the end, we got married, and didn't have to (at least not right then). We ended up having to get an FHA loan, with a down payment. Again, I told my dad to cancel the "wedding" because we would have to use the funds we had set aside for the down payment on the home. He wouldn't do it. He loaned us the money for the down payment, and we are quickly paying him back.
I was a first time homebuyer, and had we not gotten married, I would have been eligible for the tax credit. Unfortunately, since we were then married (when we didn't really have to be), I was no longer eligible because Lucas had previously owned a home.
I don't really talk about this much around here, because there can be some definite judgement about vow renewals. That's one of the reasons why you never see me ask planning questions even though May 29th is fast approaching.
I hope you ladies have gotten to know me well enough (as well as internet strangers can get to know one another) to understand that this isn't about a PPD.
It's actually turned into more of a family reunion/my sister's 30th birthday celebration. I'm totally fine with that. But we will be doing the vows, and we will be having a reception. When we went to the courthouse we actually didn't even think about bringing rings so we skipped that part of the ceremony.
Looking back I kind of wish we had thought to take some pictures as it was just me, Lucas, the officiant, and a mural of Native Americans watching the first settlers land in Jamestown.
CN: May 29, 2011 is a vow renewal for us, got married in February of 2010 for a reason that didn't end up being needed. Friends & family all know it's a vow renewal.
Now someone else PLEASE confess something so I'm not the only one!!
