This is the latest installment of the Covid Chronicles blog from a Castleton University Media Writing class detailing students’ experiences during the pandemic.

Planning a wedding is stressful, but planning a wedding in the middle of a pandemic is stressful stress that’s been drenched in palpable inconvenience.

If I had had it my way, we would have showed up by ourselves on a weekday at a courthouse to have a judge, that neither of us have ever met nor would we meet again, tell us, through a mask, while reading text from a piece of printer copy paper that we were now legally responsible for each other until we either decide to call it quits or until we die, whichever came first.

Needless to say, that idea was nixed real quick.

Instead, the future Mr. and I found middle ground, not in the lobby of a government building, but in the foyer of a castle.

The Wilson Castle is a lovely piece of history just outside of downtown Rutland in beautiful Proctor. Somehow, we agreed that it’s both our favorite place despite having never been inside the place together up until two days ago.

Eight Amazon packages, five phone calls, three exchanges, two returns, one argument, and one mental breakdown later, a wedding plan was made in just under five weeks (knock on wood).

So far, I would say the biggest problems came when organizing the guest list. Due to the pandemic, it was impossible for it to be a big party; I had heard horror stories on the news.

It ultimately meant that most of my extended family wouldn’t be able to attend since they lived in Massachusetts, a necessary but potentially lifesaving sacrifice. After a month of deliberation, we presented the list to the families on a strict need-to-know-basis.

It’s amazing how two families can hear the words, “I want to make this as simple as possible” and proceed to make every minute detail as unnecessarily complex as possible.

There were several times I was starting to miss my courthouse idea.

Yet after the dust had settled and the logistics finalized, I think everyone is just excited now. I’ve been overwhelmed by the love, support, and respect we’ve received. I’ve heard other people who are engaged say that it’s pointless to get married this year. And maybe they’re right.

But if this pandemic has shown me anything, if you have any opportunity to make your own happiness, you should take it because something as simple as the next 12 hours are never guaranteed.