Many girls patiently await the day that they will walk down the aisle towards their future spouse, planning the perfect dress, arranging decorations, and painting the picturesque day in their heads before the time comes. However, there are other young ladies that do not fit the stereotype of the of the over-anxious bride-to-be.

Amanda Fannin, a beloved staff member, was recently proposed to by her boyfriend of nine years, Michael McNeal, and will be wed at the end of this year. The process has thus far been a unique one, and the bride-to-be’s plans are far from ordinary.

“I imagine I will be appreciative of this later on in life, but I have a hard time stomaching spending this much money on something so materialistic,” Ms. Fannin said. “However, since Michael’s dad passed away, his mom is extremely sentimental, so it will all be worth it in the long run.”

Despite her nontraditional personality, Ms. Fannin has agreed to follow some of the traditional wedding procedures in order to please her parents, family members, and loved ones.

“I really don’t like some of the traditions because I think they are very sexist,” Ms. Fannin said. “I even argued with my mom over getting a florist to do flowers since I think they’re a waste of money, but she wanted them anyways.”

Even with her mother and sister planning the majority of the wedding, Ms. Fannin will still incorporate her unique and untraditional views into the wedding.
“We originally wanted to go to the courthouse, but we’ve now decided on getting married at a brewery, so I guess that will be untraditional,” Ms. Fannin said. “Our best friend, who just so happens to be the one who set us up, is officiating the ceremony, and that’s kind of different.”

In addition, Ms. Fannin gave into her mother’s ideals for the wedding dress instead of saying yes to a dress she was in love with.

“I tried on a few that I liked, but my mom did not like them,” Ms. Fannin said. “Then I tried on a dress that she picked out and she and my sister started crying, so I couldn’t say no. It’s a beautiful dress, just definitely not what I had in mind.”

Ms. Fannin’s family-oriented wedding is partially due to her rigorous and time-consuming school schedule, leaving her with little time to plan and prepare for the occasion.

“Since he proposed, it has been hard for me to step out of the classroom and make decisions,” Ms. Fannin said. “Due to this, my mom started calling around asking for availability to alleviate my pressures.”

All in all, Ms. Fannin genuinely cares for the sentiment behind her wedding and is focusing on the true meaning of this life-changing event.

“The only thing that matters to me is the marriage itself,” Fannin said. “So many people obsess over the tiny details and it causes them to stress, but it’s supposed to be a really happy day. What matters is that we are getting married and deciding to spend the rest of our lives together.”