When I was young, I never really dreamed about my wedding, and I certainly never dreamed about my proposal. I think part of that is because I never saw examples of the proposal I wanted portrayed on TV or in movies. Now I know that my dream proposal exists, because I got to create it — it just doesn’t look like what was expected of me, and that’s okay.

Dane and I are about to enter another phase: wedding planning. While we don't intend to get hitched right away, we are starting to talk about what we might want to do, and we are aware that this phase will likely present a whole new set of challenges. We may do a courthouse wedding in New York and throw a big party back in California with all our friends and family. We may decide not to get wedding rings at all. If we do decide to do a bigger ceremony, one thing is for sure — we want to walk down the aisle together.

We see each other as equal partners, and we want to have a ceremony that truly reflects our relationship, as well as our values and the life we want to lead. Yes, we want to have a day of celebration with the people we love, but we also want to put our relationship at the forefront. It’ll be challenging, but I think we’re ready for it. After all, we make a pretty good team — and if we're willing to buck one tradition, why not take on the whole wedding industrial complex?