When I got home from dinner that night I burst through the door and said Mum, Dad, Mick has asked me to marry him and I said yes.  They were happy for me and asked about an engagement party.  I said we wanted it quickly, would two weeks be okay if we had a simple party in the backyard.  “Yes of course”, was Mum’s reply.

Mick went along with everything we said.  He took me to the city on the weekend and we chose a ring.  Invitation was by word of mouth.  There wasn’t time for fancy invitations and RSVPs. 

As the time was getting closer I was busy shopping for everything we would need.  I walked around the corner and bumped into one of Micks close friends.  He asked me what I was doing and I said I was shopping for our engagement party on Saturday.  Carl looked shocked.  He didn’t even know we were engaged.  As we talked I realised no one in Mick’s family knew we were engaged. He hadn’t told anyone.

As you can imagine that created a massive fight between the two of us.  I told him everything was off until he had told his parents about the engagement.  The plan was to have the engagement party and then a few days later break the news of an early wedding.  Timing was critical if our plans were to fall into place.

The next day Mick came over and said everything was okay his family would show up.  You can’t imagine how relieved I was. 

The day of the engagement arrived.  I was busy organising food, tables chairs.  Time went really fast and before I knew it, it was time for our guests to arrive.  Slowly they came.  It ended up being a very small gathering and only members of my family and friends came.  Mick’s family and friends were no where to be seen.  I started to wonder if they even really knew.

Mick said they did but they must of changed their mind and not to worry he would sort it when he got home.

The next day he came over and he said they had all got the day wrong they thought it was the next weekend.  I was so young and naive at the time I believed him.

My parents were angry and didn’t believe him but they kept this to themselves.

Our next step was to announce the wedding date.  It would be  in 11 weeks  just after I turned 18.  That would give us time to plan and to make sure we could do it properly.

This too was not going to be an easy slog.  Both sets of parents were really difficult.  They thought it was too quick and we were rushing in.  We simply did not listen.  We were in love and we were going to be married.  How perfect life would be.