Free When Girlfriends Chase Dreams by Savannah Page

take an awkward sip from my water bottle.
    “I went to a wedding conference recently—a super luxurious one, over in the Caribbean with really big names in the industry—and girl, let me tell you…” She closes her eyes and very dramatically shakes her head. “Social media— tweeting —about what you’re doing, like meeting with clients, setting up events, picking up vases and stuff…it’s our livelihood. We have to tweet and post, like, everything we do.” She smiles and adds enthusiastically, “But it’s so much fun! I seriously have the best job in the world!”
    “That’s nice,” I say politely. “I don’t twitter, or, whatever it’s called. But, uh…what about the venues?” I flash a smile, hoping the “Welcome to the Chi Omega Sorority House!” talk is over.
    “Oh, right!” Melissa says. “Have you given any more thought to venues?”
    I blow on my piping hot beverage and tell her that I’m still out of luck. Conner’s going to talk to his parents tonight and with any luck we can be granted, they’ll agree to go through with a church wedding. I told him to tell them that we’d make the ceremony really short. We’d be in and out so fast they wouldn’t have time to notice where they were.
    Now, I know that’s not entirely true. Weddings always take longer than you think, and there’s always some kind of glitch that can cause things to run late, no matter how foolproof you make your plan.
    Melissa told me a planner’s job is to make a solid plan and stick to it, but no one can be surprised if everything ends up taking longer than planned, or if something goes slightly awry. Even with added time buffers for family photos, bride and groom portraits, preening and prepping, traffic, and something referred to as “unexpected emergencies,” it can all end up taking a tad longer than anticipated, which means backup plans are a necessity.
    “Melissa, I don’t think there’s a way out of this church thing, and I quite frankly don’t care anymore,” I tell her point blank. “I have my dream venue in mind, but it’s probably just going to have to stay a dream.” I pause for a heavy sigh. “Right now I need to find a way to have a ceremony at a Lutheran church that allows dogs, fresh flowers, has lots of natural light—for really nice photos, you know?” She nods voraciously. “And I need a quick ceremony. In and out. Moving on and keeping the family at bay. Kay?”
    Melissa is jotting notes down wildly, looking up and nodding every now and then.
    “Now,” she finally says, setting down her pink pen, “you have to stop stressing about this, Claire. In the end it’ll all be fine. Trust me. This is my job. I know weddings. Like the back of my hand!” She grins. “I think we can use Chanfield Manor as your reception site. What would you say to that?”
    “I’d love you forever if that could happen.” My ears start to prick up. Is it possible I could actually manage some of my wedding at this dream venue? “Even with the slim time slot?” I query. “You know I booked the only thing Chanfield had on August   sixteenth?”
    Melissa doesn’t look the least bit fazed. She’s all-smiles and says reassuringly, “I’ve got this, girl. No worries.” She pulls out a slip of pink paper. It matches the shade of her notepad and her pen. “Here,” she says, handing it to me. “These are two very beautiful Lutheran churches. I think they’d be perfect, and they’re both reasonably close to Chanfield.”
    “Okay,” I say, mulling over her neatly printed note. “So when do we check them out?”
    “Oh!” she says. “You and Conner just go there whenever. I figure it’s probably easiest for you two to just go on your own time.” She brings her beverage up to her high-glossed lips. “Then you can let me know which you like best and I’ll book it for you.” She tilts her cup back, and I take notice of her fresh French manicure.
    I casually glance down at my own hands and wish