“She always has an opinion, but I’m not comfortable with you being swayed by it.”
“Enough said. I will make sure to put her on ignore when she starts going on a big wedding tangent.” Marcie smiled. “At the same time, I’m just going to tell you that you’re in a unique position.”
“Okay…”
Marcie clapped her hands together. “You said that you’re not on any particular budget, and that your husband trusts you to put this wedding together and just not bother him about it so he can work. Am I right so far?”
“Yes. I mean, I’m not comfortable spending ridiculous amounts of money just to spend it, just to show off.”
“And I’m not saying you should, sweetheart. Not at all. What I will tell you is that you can afford to invite your family, your extended family, and friends. Most of the time when people do a small affair, its at least in part due to the prohibitive cost of feeding folks and serving alcohol and having seats and room for so many people.”
Nicole licked her lips, suddenly uncertain. “I guess.”
“The other reason to have a really small wedding is if that’s just what makes you comfortable, and you want an intimate affair without all of the bells and whistles. People often choose this when they do a destination wedding or if they elope.”
“I suppose I’m sort of in the middle.”
Marcie’s expression grew serious. “Oh, honey. When it comes to weddings, you better not be in the middle, you better know what you want. Being undecided when it comes to your guest list is like standing in the center of a bull ring and swinging a big red cape around and hoping the bull don’t come stampeding right over you.”
Nicole laughed at the image. “I don’t see how.”
“Because,” Marcie said, her voice falling to a whisper. “People want to be offended and they want to find things to complain about and blame you for.” She pointed at Nicole. “When you’re weak and indecisive, the vultures sense it and they come circling. You need to be strong and you need to know what you want and why you want it. If you want a small, fifty person wedding, you should already know who you’re inviting and why. But it seems to me that you just basically picked that number out of a hat.”
Nicole sat back, surprised. Marcie might have been large and brash and loud, but she was more perceptive than she’d led Nicole to believe at first glance. “I suppose I did just pick it at random. It sounded small and intimate and understated.”
“Nothing wrong with any of that. But why are you going to exclude so many people? Do you not want to declare your intentions before friends and family and community?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then why so small?”
Nicole sat there. “I—I really have no idea.”
Marcie smiled brightly at her and patted her purse. “Listen, I don’t want to take up any more of your time. I’ve had an absolute blast coming here and talking with you. Of course this is a free consultation.”
“I appreciate that, Marcie, and I so appreciate you coming all the way out here just to chat with me.”
“It’s my business,” Marcie replied, standing up with some trouble. “Why don’t you think over what we talked about today, and then you can let me know what you’ve decided? I’d love to work with you and help make your wedding exactly the kind of day that you dream it will be. And if you decide to go in a different direction, I will sincerely wish the best for you.” She started for the exit. “Of course, I’ll be sad that I never got to lay eyes on that big hunk of man meat you call a fiancé.” She roared with laughter again as they left.
They hugged outside the house and Nicole watched the large woman hoisting herself into her station wagon. “You call me anytime, day or night, honey!” she yelled out, before starting the car and driving down the private way and out of sight.
Nicole stared after her, smiling but also puzzled. Half of her positively loved Marcie’s energy, but there was something about the woman that made her distinctly uncomfortable as well. She couldn’t really put her finger on it.
Maybe I just need to talk to Red, she thought.
But when Red came out of his meeting, he was with two of his new employees. Talking, laughing. He saw Nicole and waved her over. “Hey,” he said, obviously in full-on business mode, as usual these days. “Are you finished with the wedding planner?”
“Yeah,” she said. “She was really surprisingly cool!”
“Oh, good. You have time to run with me to the office and conduct a few interviews for your replacement?”
The two employees looked uncomfortable, as if he was telling her she was being let go right in front of them.
“You mean my temporary replacement.”
He nodded. “Yeah. Yeah. Do you have time to come with me right now?”
“Sure. Can we have a talk on the way about wedding stuff?”
He glanced at his coworkers. “I was hoping me and the guys could keep riffing on the way to Hartford. We’re on a roll.”
“Come on, Red. I just want a little time.”