Today is my fiance's birthday, so this post is dedicated to him. I actually haven’t provided much background on Niall in this blog, mostly because he is a pretty private person. Oh and wedding planning isn’t exactly his go-to hobby. But there is one thing I am particularly proud of about Niall that we plan on highlighting in our wedding. Niall is a Marine so we are planning to have a sword ceremony at our wedding.

A sword ceremony gives a symbolic pledge of loyalty to the newly married couple from their Marine family. Immediately after the marriage ceremony is officiated, the Marines position themselves just outside the doorway of where the ceremony took place. On the command, the Marines raise their swords into a high arch and the newly married couple proceeds through the arch. Oh and sometimes they tap the bride's behind...

Although no longer in active duty, Niall left a promising career in finance as a 26-year old to enter Officer Candidates School and later deploy to Iraq. I didn’t know him then and am truly grateful for that, because I think his deployment would have driven me crazy with worry. I had actually never met anyone my age who was in the military before meeting Niall. So to meet someone who left his career in his mid-twenties to serve his country was astonishing to me, completely selfless and brave, but astonishing.

Isn’t he handsome…

He gets uncomfortable when people thank him for his service, because, as he says, there are plenty of people who gave their life and he got to come home. Nor does he think he has done anything all that special or worth bragging about (I am sure he will be very embarrassed by this post!). But to me, he is one of the most gallant and honorable men I have ever met.

The sword ceremony is just a small tip of the hat to Niall’s life as a Marine and of course to all those men and women who have served our country. I am so proud to be marrying a man like Niall, and I bet Madeline and all of the other soon-to-be wives and husbands of our military feel the same.

So on that note, and because I am tearing up too much to see my computer screen, Happy Birthday, Niall! I am truly honored that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. Teammates…

Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10