Writing Dailey

We just crossed the threshold into fall – a new season and the last quarterly fresh start in 2023. F. Scott Fitzgerald said it well: “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” *Chef’s kiss*

I used to dread September. It was the end of summer, which meant the dreaded start of a new school year. But now, as a full-grown adult who has 100% finished her formal education, I tip my hat to those ages four to 18+ as they get used to new classmates, new instructors, and new schedules. But students acclimating to a new year of education is just one of the fresh starts that can coincide with fall…

The other day, someone mentioned that September has morphed into a major wedding month, and I completely agree. Whereas peak summer nuptials used to be coveted, it seems September has just about taken the cake as the most popular wedding month, right behind October. So yes, September is traditionally marked as a new beginning in the world of academia, but what is marriage, if not a monumental fresh start? Move over school year.

Now, to be transparent, I did attend two August weddings – one in Germany and the other on the shores of Lake Huron – and both were utterly beautiful. September is not the bar-none best month for weddings because that’s entirely subjective, and a fresh start can occur on any day of any month. However, September does offer *typically* stunning weather and a variety of colors in nature – and that’s a backdrop you don’t have to pay a photographer extra for.

If you doubt the ninth month’s popularity, here’s a fun fact to share at the next wedding reception you’re milling about at: 36% of weddings in the U.S. occur during the fall season – more than one-third – with 15% happening in good ol’ September. The numbers don’t lie, but in case you’re still questioning, here are a few more facts to prove the month’s popularity, these being from the literary realm.

The following authors were all married in September – just ignore the fact that some of the marriages didn’t last…#irrelevant

Ralph Waldo Emerson – 9/14/1835

Leo Tolstoy – 9/23/1862

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – 9/18/1907

Ernest Hemingway – 9/3/1921

Margaret Mitchell – 9/2/1922

Agatha Christie – 9/11/1930

Kurt Vonnegut – 9/1/1945

Other notable September anniversaries include my parents’ (9/17/1988), a college friend’s (9/17/2017), my brother and sister-in-law’s (9/30/2017), and now a cousin’s (9/16/2023), in case you wanted to mark your calendars 😉 All I’m saying is this is a coveted time for celebrating commitments.

In general, I think there is something magical about the season of fall, and when it comes to nuptials, who doesn’t want their wedding to be magical?

The season itself is a marriage of many things, particularly opposites. You have sunshine and blue skies juxtaposed with rainy, cloud-covered days. There is a riot of color but also ample gray. The mornings are cool and sometimes cold, while afternoons can be quite warm or even hot. One day you might be curled up on the couch with a blanket and a book, and the next may bring you to the beach in your bathing suit for one last lakeside hoorah. It’s the time when you’re not quite sure if you should order an iced coffee or a hot one, and deciding between sandals and suede boots is a gamble.

But even with these differences, there’s a sense of balance, harmony, and reciprocation, much like what a marriage strives to achieve. Opposites attract, as proven by many husbands and wives and autumn days. So, really, isn’t fall the most fitting time to get hitched? Two unique individuals with their own strengths and weaknesses coming together to weather the challenges and triumphs of life as a team? Potentially mirroring the season’s characteristics with their own?

I know the old wives’ tales talk about June brides, but I’ve got to agree with the facts of September’s desirability for couples tying the proverbial knot. I’ve got one more wedding celebration this weekend before the month ends, plus another in October, but we’re not here to discuss the most desirable month for weddings; just the runner-up. Will September always be the bridesmaid and never the bride when it comes to the stats? Only time will tell. All I know is that fall is the season to get married and start afresh, as proven by literary greats, wedding websites, and family members.

And in all honesty, I hope a grand number of people get married on September 21 next year. For one, it’s a Saturday, and two, husbands will have a song to help them remember their anniversary for years to come: “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire. You’re welcome.

Cheers to the fresh starts of September and the anniversaries that mark them!

P.S. And speaking of fresh starts, I may have my own coming up soon, #newgig #thirddraft #newexperiences…

Coming up next:

October
Something spooky? New experiences? Who knows where the rambling will take me!