We're getting married! (AGAIN)

Brett: "Do you wanna get married?" Me: "Yes, when?" Brett: "Well, soon." Me: "Like next month?" Brett: "Go buy a dress and book the flights." Brett and I: *Go elope in Joshua Tree without any family or friends 2 months after getting engaged* Me 2 years later: "Do you wanna invite all of our family and friends across the country to watch us exchange vows again and throw a party in the woods?" Brett: "Oh honey, send the invites." Me: *Builds a website* Brett proposed September 19th, 2024, while we sat next to the fire with Otto. It was simple, perfect, and "us". We were in the process of finalising all the details for our first international trip together, a 16-day trip to Europe, so the timing was absolutely spot on. He knew I would be stressing every day of the trip, asking when he would pop the question. So instead, he asked beforehand, and we treated the trip as an engagement celebration. I was due to deploy in February, and he was in August, so we decided that we wanted to get married before we both left. Over the next 6 weeks, we planned the travel details, found an AMAZING photographer and applied for the necessary permits for Joshua Tree. November 1st, we flew to Palm Springs, CA and checked into our AirBnb, went to the courthouse and applied for our license. We found the coolest retro diner to share dinner at in Joshua Tree, CA. Surrounded by Day of the Dead decorations, Brett ate a piece of "the best wildberry pie" as I watched. He has kept true to the refusal to share desserts. The next morning, he made me his famous fridge eggs - made of any edible cheese, veggies and meat he can find, and we started to get ready. We listened to Childers as we got ready and sipped on Champagne. We shared our first look with Joshua Trees and the desert as our background. Brett scouted out a brewery in town, which he is always so good at, and we walked into the music of a British Cover band and all of their friends. We picked our beers and sat and shared a moment - to breathe it all in and let the emotions feel full together. We found a beautiful spot to hike out to, exchanged our vows, soaked up the desert sun and sat for a picnic. Brett brought a bottle of 2016 Banfi Brunello di Montalcino, the first bottle we shared together, and we read letters from our parents, siblings and best friends. He is always good at the details. The only thing that was missing from our big day was all of our people. We want to have many more of the special memories, shared with all of you. So this time, we’re bringing everyone with us. We want to laugh, to celebrate, and to make the memories we didn’t get to share the first time around with all of the people that mean the most to us.