Marlene Fischer - Gained a Daughter But Nearly Lost My Mind: How I Planned a Backyard Wedding During a Pandemic

Gained a Daughter But NearlyLost My Mind:

How I Planned a BackyardWedding During a Pandemic

by

Marlene KernFischer

This book is a work of non-fiction. Theevents and characters are real. Believe me, you cant make thisstuff up

Gained a Daughter But Nearly Lost My Mind:How I Planned a Backyard Wedding During a Pandemic

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Copyright 2020 MarleneKern Fischer . All rights reserved,including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, inany form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted,downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in orintroduced into any information storage and retrieval system, inany form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical withoutthe express written permission of the author. The scanning,uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or viaany other means without the permission of the author and publisheris illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorizedelectronic editions and do not participate in or encourageelectronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

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Cover art and design by Danielle Clemons

Interior and cover images used withpermission or individually credited inside the book.

Published by Telemachus Press, LLC atSmashwords

7652 Sawmill Road

Suite 304

Dublin, Ohio 43016

http://www.telemachuspress.com

ISBN: 978-1-951744-42-7 (eBook)

ISBN: 978-1-951744-43-4 (Paperback)

Category: FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS / Marriage & Long-TermRelationships

Version 2020.09.14

Id like to thank Eric and Danielle forfalling in love, deciding to get married and sticking with theiroriginal wedding date, despite everything. Your love for each otheris truly an inspiration.

Id like to thank my husband Mark who isalways supportive and has encouraged my writing from the beginning.You had me at Hello 39 years ago as I entered Cable dormitory atBrandeis.

Id like to thank my other kids, Jonah andIsaac, who read, like and share almost everything I write. Plus,they were super patient during the wedding planning. You areamazing sons and brothers.

Thank you to my extended family, new andold, who helped us pull off this pandemic wedding.

Special shout-out to my friend, editor andEssay Moms partner, Helene Hirsch Wingens. You make everything Iwrite sound better. Plus, you know all my stories.

Thank you to my friend and beta reader SaraPodrasky. You did an awesome job and I really appreciate yourhelp.

Thank you to all myreaders on Thoughts From Aisle4 ; you have helped me create an amazingtribe and I am grateful for each and every one of you.

This book is for everyone who likes a goodstory as well as anyone who has had to plan a wedding during thiscrazy time.

I didnt set out to write a book. Its notlike I woke up one morning and thought Ive organized all myclosets during this pandemic and I have some free time on my handsso I think Id like to write a book.

Many of the posts in Gained a DaughterBut Almost Lost My Mind originally appeared on my Facebookpage, Thoughts From Aisle 4. I noticed that my columns aboutthe wedding did really well; my readers seemed to appreciate whatmy family was going through. And when I was in town, people wouldstop me to tell me how much they enjoyed hearing about the weddingplans and then the wedding itself. I am still getting the nicestcomments and well wishes.

I realized that people love, love. And theylove to laugh. Especially these days. This was a story that wasboth sweet and funny. So, I decided to edit and add to the originalposts and compile them into a book. I figured that, at the veryleast, it would be a nice legacy to leave my not-yet-borngrandchildren.

What you are about to read is a collectionof vignettes about a wedding that happened despite a small thinglike a global pandemic. Its a tribute to my family and the verytrue story of my experience.

I hope you enjoy,

XO

Marlene

Gained a Daughter But NearlyLost My Mind:

How I Planned a BackyardWedding During a Pandemic

When you realize you want to spend therest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life tostart as soon as possible.

When Harry Met Sally

February 2013April2019

The Girlfriend/The Engagement

We met her the weekend of our sons collegegraduation. Although they had only been together a few months, wealready knew she was special to him. She sat with us duringcommencement and a few people asked if she was our daughter becauseshe has similar coloring to our youngest son.

Fast forward six years

My son proposed to his girlfriend and shesaid yes! Although she had felt like family for a long time andit was almost a foregone conclusion that they would get married, itwas still nice when it became official.

I had made no secret of the fact that Ireally liked her, and I thought that they were a perfect fit. Plus,I was finally going to have a daughter!

The proposal was incredibly romantic. Sincethey met at Washington University in St. Louis, my son flew outthere early in the morning and left a plane ticket for her forlater in the day with a note which basically said, Meet me in St.Louis. I had helped him choose an engagement ring weeksearlier.

He asked her to marry him on their formercollege campus. We were able to watch as it was live streamed froma friends phonethe wonders of modern technology. I cried.

Thus began the whole wedding planningphase.

Down on one knee in St. Louis

The PlanningPhase

Immediately after their engagement, we jumped intoplanning the wedding. My husband and I have been married for 33years and I had forgotten how much angst goes into figuring out allthe little and big things that make up a perfect wedding.

Being mom of the groom and not mom of the bride, Isuspected that mine would be more of a walk-on role. I was happy tolisten, give financial and emotional support and offer advice whenneeded, which I imagined wouldnt be all that often.

My son wanted a New Years Eve wedding in New York.My almost daughter wanted a summer wedding in D.C. They looked atvenues in both places and decided D.C. made the most sense. Therewasnt enough time to plan a wedding for December 31, so they choseThursday, July 2, 2020 as their wedding date. They figured aholiday weekend would make it easier for friends and family totravel.

There were so many details to work through. Theyended up booking a wharf for the ceremony and a nearby hotel forthe party. Flowers, invitations (which never ended up going toprint), the band, photographer and restaurant for the rehearsaldinner were all chosen. The guest list was carefully andpainstakingly curated. Things were starting to fall into place. Ischlepped into Manhattan to have a dress custom made for myself,meeting with a designer a good friend had recommended.