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How We Decided to Get Married

by Erika Torres
29 comments

On our three-year anniversary, I thought I would share how Eric and I decided to get married after three months of dating. You can read about how we met here.

We found ourselves on the floor of my dining room. I was holding onto him; we were both crying.

What’s the point of loving you if you’re just going to leave in a few months? I said through my tear-stained face. He just held onto me, with his lips quivering and tears streaming down his face not being able to say anything.

I had realized my awful predicament: I had fallen completely and hopelessly in love with a man who would be leaving in the late summer for the Air Force to train as a pararescuer.

We left each other that night without any answers to our questions.

The following morning, I called in late to work and went to see my mom at her office. I cried and cried as I told her I had no idea what to do. She told me to pray.

So as I drove the 45 minutes to work, I prayed out loud asking God to please help us figure this out. I was angry and told Him it wasn’t fair that He would do this to us. How could I suddenly find the man that I knew 100% I wanted to spend the rest of my life with only to have him leave in a few months for who knows how long?

And finally, I told Him, I put it in Your hands. And just like that–the tears stopped streaming down my face. I felt a complete wave of peace wash over me. And I knew that the answer would eventually present itself.

That Saturday, on a drunken St. Patrick’s Day-themed pub crawl, we decided to get married now. You would have thought that we had invented electricity; we were geniuses! Yes, let’s get married NOW.

By getting married, we could move in together for several months before he left and I would be given rights to his Air Force information, medical privileges, etc.

With only a few days of vacation time left at my job, I chose April 2 as our wedding date, because I had the day off work; it was Good Friday, and it was three weeks away. Within those three weeks, I met his parents for the first time, our parents met each other for the first time, and a small courthouse wedding with a backyard reception was planned (my mom was a saint for handling that part).

My dress was $40 off the rack at Macy’s and I absolutely loved it. We purchased our rings from Sam’s Club and had them engraved. We signed a lease on a new apartment. Looking back now, I have no idea how we were able to accomplish so much in three weeks.

A few months after we got married, we had several long conversations that eventually led to Eric withdrawing from the Air Force.

And here we are three years later. I can’t believe how crazy we were and yet it still feels like the best decision I ever made.

29 comments

Cassie December 4, 2015 - 9:30 am

Aww this is so sweet. Thank you for sharing your story. 🙂

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[…] That night, he showed up at my place with chocolate and cheese (be still, my foodie heart), and a week later, I told my mom I was going to marry him. And sure enough, we were engaged a month later. […]

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The Spark: That ‘Moment’ You Know | Newlyweds on a Budget November 20, 2013 - 3:31 am

[…] We ended up going on our first real date about a week or so later, and it was a couple of weeks after that, that I told my mom I knew I was going to marry him (And I did, just two months later). […]

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My Home Page November 10, 2013 - 2:18 am

It’s truly a great and useful piece of information. I am happy that you simply shared this helpful info with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.

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Camisha S @ Mishé Events October 2, 2013 - 7:48 am

I absolutely love this! When you know, you know!!!! This is sooooo meaningful, romantic and inspiring! Love….don’t let it wait! Congrats and may God continue to bless you both!!!!!

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A blog about newlyweds managing money in relationships. | Newlyweds on a Budget April 22, 2013 - 4:30 am

[…] wanted to get married at 30, and I wanted to be dating the guy for two years before we got engaged (hah! We all know how well that turned out), and so I knew my timeline for finding my husband would be about 27. At 25, that gave me two years […]

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A blog about newlyweds managing money in relationships. | Newlyweds on a Budget April 17, 2013 - 2:39 pm

[…] rarely has any guys-only events—unless you count that time he went hiking with his friend on our three-year anniversary while I was at work after I spent months begging him to take me […]

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monique grattan April 10, 2013 - 8:54 am

Hello,

I really believe that you just know when it is right. However when you get married that soon (as I did as well) you discover things about your husband over the course of the first year of marriage that you didn’t know. It’s a learning curve…but it’s okay. 🙂

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Lolo April 8, 2013 - 5:53 pm

Congrats! March 13 was my husband and I’s 3rd anniversary!
Yay to 3 years!! People say my dating period was short.
We got engaged in nov 2010 and I met him in may of 2010!
I am a believer in quick love! I wish you both many more!
Oh, and may I say I totally enjoy your blog! Keep it up!
(P.S) Great advice your mom gave.

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A Norwegian Tourist Attraction & Saturday Link » The Norwegian GirlThe Norwegian Girl April 8, 2013 - 6:00 am

[…] How We Decided on Get Married – Newlyweds on a Budget […]

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Jessica April 8, 2013 - 5:56 am

I love this post congrats! sometimes waiting too long and it never happens ya know? I was with someone 6 years before he proposed and within 2 months of the proposal things just fell apart all crazy!!. Now I have been with my fiance 1 year and it feels so right to just go ahead and wing it the more I planned and planned it didnt happen! I think I’m just going to jump right in this time around! lol I hate saying it but yolo!.

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Link Love/Week in Review 4/5/13 | Budget and the Beach April 4, 2013 - 9:54 pm

[…] met Erika from Newlyweds on a Budget in real life, I never knew about her wedding story!  How We Decided to Get Married. Happy […]

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Rebecca April 3, 2013 - 7:11 pm

Happy anniversary! April 2 is ours too. We’ve been married two years and it’s been a joy but full of craziness! Wishing you many more years of happiness!

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jobo April 3, 2013 - 5:49 am

Gah! I love this story so much, no matter how many times I hear it or recall it. It DOES feel like just yesterday, I cannot believe it has been 3 years, and we meet just a few months after you got married!! So awesome. Happy anniversary to one of the best couples I know 🙂 XOXO! (and I LOVE that pic of you two, one of my faves!)

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One Frugal Girl April 2, 2013 - 8:18 pm

I always wondered why you were married so quickly. It took my husband and I seven years to get married (of course we met at 19 :)) Have you ever written about Eric’s decision not to join the Air Force? I don’t remember reading about that before.

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newlywedsonabudget April 3, 2013 - 8:43 am

No I never expanded on it fully. But basically, we both realized that it would really really suck to be apart. I mean, we had this whole grand plan that he would leave, and then I would move in with my parents (for emotional support). After two years of training, I would be allowed to move on base with him. And that’s pretty much how the plan went. Also, he figured that once he finished, he wanted to be a firefighter, and you get an additional 10 points automatically added to your final score where you test because you worked in the military. But basically, I was like “well screw all that, just start working on becoming a firefighter now” and that’s what he did. Within a month of us deciding for him to withdraw his application, he was hired as an EMT for an ambulance company and we’ve never looked back.

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sanibel April 2, 2013 - 7:21 pm

I feel like this juuuust happened. I can’t believe it has been 3 years!! Congrats your guys! Lots of love!

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Catherine April 2, 2013 - 11:25 am

Happy Anniversary! Cute story, it’s amazing how things have a way of working out sometimes. Sometimes things are just meant to be.

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SavvyFinancialLatina April 2, 2013 - 10:11 am

Happy Anniversary! Wonderful story! And of course, I’m glad it has all worked out.

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CeCe @Frugalista Married April 2, 2013 - 8:32 am

What a great story. It sounds so similar to ours. Totally crazy but a great game time decision. So crazy in fact that it’s kind of a secret. Wink, wink. Happy three year anniversary.

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My Shiny Pennies April 2, 2013 - 7:34 am

Aww, happy anniversary! You two look so happy in your wedding photo. B proposed after two years together, and we’re getting hitched in September. We’re having a small reception at his parents’s house. I think his mom is super onboard with a small wedding because she had 700 people at her reception!

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Akirah April 2, 2013 - 7:15 am

We planned ours in two weeks, so I understand the urgency! Dan was having some medical issues and getting married allowed us to face them head on as a team. Some days have been extremely difficult, but like you, I knew he was the one. And we’re figuring it out. Happy anniversary!

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Budget & the Beach April 2, 2013 - 7:10 am

3 months! I had no idea! Well when you know you know! I hope to find that someday! Congrats to you and Eric!

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JW_Umbrella Treasury April 2, 2013 - 6:50 am

What a wonderful and remarkable story. You both showed such incredible faith — in each other, in your relationship, and in God. Congrats on three happy years! Wishing you many more to come!

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The Norwegian Girl April 2, 2013 - 6:05 am

aw, I loved your story! it`s just like a romantic movie plot!

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Amanda April 2, 2013 - 6:02 am

That’s amazing! I guess when you know you know.

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Michelle April 2, 2013 - 5:28 am

Love this! Happy Anniversary!

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Mrs. Pop @ Planting Our Pennies April 2, 2013 - 5:21 am

With the exception of the price of our wedding dresses (I think mine was $35!), our stories could not be more opposite. So glad that it still feels like the best decision three years later! And wow time flies… Our 4th anniversary will be this summer – so hard to believe!

Happy Anniversary!

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Jordann @ My Alternate Life April 2, 2013 - 4:48 am

Wow that’s insanely romantic! I’m the complete opposite, my fiancĂ© and I were together for nine years before he proposed, and it was almost too soon! We’re getting married this summer, and in October we’ll be celebrating our tenth anniversary.

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