Ever since I eloped two years ago, people have been asking me, “What made you do it?” There have also been tons of women that said they wished they’d done the same. I’ve been amazed at how ‘popping up married’ has inspired such awe in conversations with other women. When I was asked to write about this topic, I began to wonder what it was about popping up married that appeals to so many women and, at the same time, what makes so many do the exact opposite instead. The only word that I could think of that answers both questions is Guilt.
All brides-to-be deal with guilt. I was no different. Let me give you a snapshot of what that looked like for me.
Initially, I entertained a small wedding service. My husband and I both have large families. We gave ourselves about 50 people each to invite to the wedding. I couldn’t even narrow my family down to 50 people. So that meant either all family, no friends or big family problems. Eventually, that small list began to expand. I began pulling names from my past of people that I felt should be at the wedding. I was convincing myself that they would be upset if they weren’t invited. I’m sure they weren’t even remotely concerned, but this is the trap I was falling into.
It got to a place where the more I thought about the wedding the more anxious I became. Having a mother who plans weddings as her career of choice was not easy to deal with either! There were so many things to consider: colour scheme, seating arrangements, location, accommodations, transportation, décor, bridal party selection, guest list finalization, and the list goes on! It was just all ballooning way out of hand.
When I looked up, there was a price tag that I could not afford. At this point, my mother was willing to pay for the reception. I wasn’t willing to let her. Eventually, I told myself I wasn’t going to let guilt have me go searching for money I didn’t have to spend.
This thought is the thought that sparked it all. It became my mantra: “I’m not gonna let Guilt make me!” I said that sentence to myself in many different ways: “I am not going to let the guilt of someone’s entitlement to be in this moment with me define how this moment will look for me.” This was another one of the sentences I repeated.
I am not going to let the guilt of someone’s entitlement to be in this moment with me define how this moment will look for me.
Guilt wasn’t enough to get me to change my mind. That tagline was my saving grace.
But what’s yours?
If you’re a bride-to-be that wants to pop up married do not allow yourself to be bullied and guilted into a wedding you nor your future husband desires.
– Yasmin Glinton Poitier
If you’re a bride-to-be that wants to pop up married do not allow yourself to be bullied and guilted into a wedding you nor your future husband desires. Putting your feet in the solid ground of eloping or popping up married is not hard, but it does take resolve. Once I stopped the back and forth with the idea of having a small wedding, and committed to the decision of Me + Hubby + 2 Witnesses it was smooth sailing.
Once I stopped the back and forth with the idea of having a small wedding and committed to the decision of Me + Hubby + 2 Witnesses it was smooth sailing.
We were able to set ourselves up financially for the first two years of our marriage without a hassle. That was huge for both of us. We knew we didn’t want to spend much on our wedding, but we did want to make sure the home we were making for ourselves was one where our marriage could thrive.
Popping up married was one of the best decisions we made for ourselves. And guess what? No one was upset. They may have been surprised, but there was no one weeping over not seeing us at the altar or dancing all night. Instead, there were tons of joyful phone calls and intimate dinners where people prayed over us, advised us, celebrated us, and poured out love into our marriage.
For those of you thinking about popping up married my advice is let go of the guilt of how other people will feel. Guilt is not a reason compelling enough to have a wedding you don’t want.
Send out a wedding announcement instead.
Guilt is not a reason compelling enough to have a wedding you don’t want. Send out a wedding announcement instead.
Light & Love
Yasmin Glinton Poitier
Married May 2020