marriage, schmarriage

I didn't think I'd ever want to get married again. Not with my general despise of the institution of marriage. Since going through a horrid divorce and all that subsequently ensued, I've been the person at any wedding who had to bite her tongue to stop from yelling out, "Don't do it!" Despite being in a ten year long, sometimes tumultuous but committed, live-together relationship, my partner and I have remained single, by choice and by disposition. But as the axiom goes, never say never. Apparently you can lead a horse to water and make him or her drink. We are now going to tie the knot (I'm trying not to picture ropes and necks), officially, next Summer. Something simple, if that can be managed. My mother is a Martha Stewart understudy, and I am not averse to over-planning and throwing a nice party, so we'll both have to struggle to rein in our decorative tendencies.