Viewpoints of the Experienced

Just 30 years ago, Jeff and Robin Taylor decided they would tie the knot as Robin was preparing for graduation. They married just six days after Robin had walked across the stage at her commencement ceremony. For the Taylors, it was the most economical and logical thing to do after dating for five years and both moving to Charlotte for work.

They both recall the day as a simple one; much simpler than weddings are these days. It involved cake, punch, and nuts at the reception but not until after a photo-taking session that never seemed to end. The pictures after the wedding took so long that once they were actually ready for the reception many people had already left.

Typically, thinking about weddings, one expects to hear about the stress and hard times the bride goes through as she prepares for her perfect day. However, in the Taylors’ situation, it was Jeff that had the hardest time. He had just started a job and had not yet been rewarded with vacation time. He recalls having to work overtime to be able to take the time he needed with his bride on their special day. Listen to Jeff and Robin talk about some of the stress involved with planning a wedding so close to graduation.

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The Groom's take

Josh Stephens flips on his Ipod and plugs it into his car. He passes the time with Pink Floyd as he motors down the highway on his way to work. Halfway through the trip his cell phone rings. His fiance' wants to know if he has gotten his addresses together for the invitations to their wedding. "I'm working on it," he tells her. The conversation is cut short as he pulls into the parking lot at work.

His focus is now on the job at hand. A successful career has been his top desired goal to this point. He is one of the many college seniors who will be graduating and getting married at the same time. However, the class he just left 10 minutes ago at the University of South Carolina is now a distant memory.

Crunching numbers and analyzing sales data keeps him busy throughout the day. His lunch break is interrupted by his fiance', but he informs her that he's "still working on it." Along with addresses, she has assigned him the daunting task of “music supervisor.” This short break also gives him a chance to pick through tons of sappy love songs in order to find just the right ones to play at the reception.

Tune in to Josh's interview as he clues us in on how to balance a career, school, and his share of the wedding plans...getting addresses.

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A Bride's Outlook

Kathryn Taylor sits at a desk in her afternoon class trying ever so hard to pay attention. Her mind wonders from white wedding gowns to long lists of invitations waiting to be sent. School has always been a priority for her and her grades reflect this. However, her time spent studying and student teaching is now being split as her special day approaches. As if planning a wedding and taking exams isn't enough, Kathryn now eagerly awaits graduation as well. Four years of hard work and determination have all come down to this final semester.

Kathryn's dedication to her courses is unwavering. As each day passes and each assignment is completed her time at the University of South Carolina is winding down. For four years her major focus has been to maintain the high grade point average needed to graduate with honors. Her major fear is that this may not happen if she is too distracted by the wedding plans. Her calendar is now full of appointments with local florists, caterers, and musicians.

Grades, gowns, and graduations are all explained by Kathryn in person as she recounts the pros and cons of this chaotic combination in her interview.

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