Crunching numbers isn't just for accountants anymore. ASU students are putting a lot of thought into their wedding dates and their significance.Photo by Shawn Raymundo
Their eyes light up, as they reminisce about their first days meeting each other. Laughing at the irony of attending the same high school for three years and never crossing paths until near the end of her senior year.
Communications senior Emma Wentz, 21, and her fiancé Spencer Blaylock, 20, met at Valley Christian High School, during the production of the second semester’s school musical.
“That’s how we met,” Blaylock says. “Our friends became close friends, we became friends and then we got closer and closer…”
“And one thing led to another,” Wentz says with a smile.
It was a match made in geek heaven for the high school marching band drummer and the theater girl. Only after more than three years of being together, the two could easily be mistaken for an old married couple as they finish each other’s sentences or playfully argue about the minor details of shared events.
Wentz and Blaylock are now planning a wedding in the spring and their future together afterwards. But before Wentz can walk down an aisle in her wedding dress, she needs to cross the stage in her cap and gown this December.
“We wanted to wait until she was graduated with ASU before we got married,” Blaylock says. “We didn’t want to do it too soon like January, because that leaves hardly any time to prepare after she graduates and is done with finals.”
The summertime flew by quickly for Wentz, who spent half of it taking summer classes and the second half making the wedding arrangements.
“I actually had a small summer because my classes ended in the first or second week of July and then I had all the way until Aug. 23 that I didn’t have anything going on but work,” Wentz says. “So I was able to focus on a lot of that stuff.”
Spencer Blaylock, 20, proposed to Communications senior Emma Wentz on Christmas Eve 2011 and are preparing to tie the knot on March 23.Photo courtesy of Emma Wentz
Planning a wedding is difficult enough without the added pressure of school. But for Wentz, she says she can breathe easy during her final semester at ASU and focus more on her studies to graduate. She says her bridesmaids were a huge help during the summer as they were able to get the majority of the planning done.
“Now I’m mostly just meeting with people, which I have time for,” Wentz says. “And I have a lot of really good help. My bridesmaids are amazing so they’ve been all about, ‘What do you need? Just give me something to do.’”
Journalism senior Mike Hines and his wife Megan Hines, a masters student at Ottawa University, say this has been a hectic year as well, with both of them going back to school and finishing up degrees.
Despite the busy schedules of the two, Mike says if it were not for Megan, their 4-year-old son Elliot and the baby due in October, he would not have the same enthusiasm to graduate as he does now.
“To be honest, I wouldn’t be so motivated and doing so well in school if I didn’t have a family and know that what I wanted to do was right,” he says. “With her supporting me and having kids to feed and take care of it’s like, ‘All right, I’ve got to do this. (I’ve) got to actually go and learn and really be motivated to get better.’”
Planning a wedding is difficult enough without the added pressure of school. But for Wentz, she says she can breathe easy during her final semester at ASU and focus more on her studies to graduate. She says her bridesmaids were a huge help during the summer as they were able to get the majority of the planning done.
“Now I’m mostly just meeting with people, which I have time for,” Wentz says. “And I have a lot of really good help. My bridesmaids are amazing, so they’ve been all about ‘What do you need? Just give me something to do.’”
Journalism senior Mike Hines and his wife Megan Hines, a masters student at Ottawa University, say this has been a hectic year as well, with both of them going back to school and finishing up degrees.
Despite the busy schedules of the two, Mike says if it were not for Megan, their four-year-old son Elliot and the baby due in October, he would not have the same enthusiasm to graduate as he does now.
“To be honest I wouldn’t be so motivated and doing so well in school if I didn’t have a family and know that what I wanted to do was right,” he says. “With her supporting me and having kids to feed and take care of it’s like, ‘Alright I’ve got to do this. (I’ve) got to actually go and learn and really be motivated to get better.’”
Setting a date
Wentz and Blaylock began dating May 23, 2009. In an effort to keep their relationship’s dating anniversary the same as their wedding anniversary, they originally thought about tying the knot on their four-year anniversary.
“Because we decided to have an outdoor wedding, it was going to be too hot in May,” Wentz says, “and that’s when everyone’s graduating and traveling, so we figured there would be a better compromise.”
Setting the wedding date was not difficult for the couple because Wentz and Blaylock were dead set to have it on the 23 of any month, Wentz says.
“We moved it to April at first, then February, and we kind of toyed around with it but we wanted it to be on the 23. So (the day) never changed,” Wentz says. “So when we settled on March 23, it ended up being a Saturday and being perfect.”
Challenging weather
Because of the blistering and unforgiving Phoenix summers, most weddings in the Valley occur during March, May, October and November, says Jennifer Hoffman, Encore Creative Weddings planner and designer. Another popular wedding date in the Valley is New Year’s Eve.
“If a bride has an amazing dress that is huge and has tons of layers of different fabrics and material, trust me, it is not fun for her to have that on in the middle of July in Arizona!” Hoffman says. “I always tell my couples that you want to be respectful of your guests, as well as yourself and what your comfort zone is with the Arizona weather.”
The Hines exchanged vows on April 8, 2006 after having been engaged for almost a year and a half. Mike proposed in December 2004, but the couple prolonged the engagement knowing they wanted an April wedding, though not the daunting task of planning one in four months.
“I like spring better than fall just in general,” Megan says. “(In the) spring season, there’s more flowers. It’s pretty, and fall is more like falling leaves.”
Hoffman says in her experiences with clients, picking the actual date is chosen quickly rather than a drawn-out process. Most couples already have an idea or know what season they want to get married in. It usually comes down to finding the right weekend in any given season.
“I feel as if work, weekends and guests’ availability play a huge part when couples decide on their wedding date,” Hoffman says. “Couples typically get married on the weekends because it is easier for their work schedule and it is easier for guests to make it.”
What’s today again?
Wentz and Blaylock show off the beautiful engagement ring.Photo by Shawn Raymundo
The wedding date begins to hold more meaning and importance with every anniversary the couple celebrates, says Hoffman. As each year passes, the couple stands the test of time, making every anniversary that much more unique.
“A wedding day isn’t just one day out of the year that you celebrate your new life together,” Hoffman says. “It is a day that you will remember for the rest of your life and celebrate that day every year when it comes.”
Both Mike and Blaylock are thoughtful in planning dates, especially when they are of great importance, their significant others say. For one, Mike says the stereotype of men forgetting anniversaries or other important dates is definitely a fallacy — at least in his marriage.
“I don’t think I forget anything,” he says. “I think I’m always trying to be romantic and get her something. Even when she’s like, ‘We’re not getting each other anything this year. We’re too broke.’ I still try to come home with something or make a date out of it.”
The Hines have made it a tradition to go somewhere interesting in Arizona for their anniversary, but in the past two years, financial constraints and classes have gotten in the way of their annual outings. Even with busy schedules, however, Megan and Mike will acknowledge their time with one another whether they make an event out of their anniversary or not.
“I think recognize it, sometimes be spontaneous but also again don’t put too much pressure on yourself or on it,” Mike says. “It’s not going to make or break it.”
After being married for more than six years, Mike and Megan say their dating anniversary is somewhat insignificant in the grand scheme of their marriage. The last time they recognized their dating anniversary was in May after Mike turned 31 years-old.
“When he just turned 31 this past May I was like, ‘Wow I met you when you had just turned 21, and now you’re 31,’” Megan says.
This does not mean that their dating anniversary goes unnoticed however.
“We still think about it. It’s still significant to us like when we first met each other,” Mike says, “but it’s not something that we celebrate.”
Keeping it simple
In regards to the day of the wedding, the Hines say the bride and groom should just enjoy the day and not stress. As long as the couple are having fun, the guests will have enjoy the festivities as well.
“I’d say really try to relax, try not to put too much pressure on it to make it perfect because it’s never going to be perfect,” Mike says with a chuckle. “People are there to celebrate with you, but they’re there to get free food and drink and dance and make an a-- out of themselves.”
Reach the writer at sraymund@asu.edu or via Twitter @ShawnFVRaymundo
