by Claire Brady, EdD

“Our people showed up. People who helped raise us, grow us, support us, and make us laugh on the days we weren’t sure we could. That circle of love and connection — that’s what I’ll carry with me.”

Getting married for the first time at 48 years old comes with a few advantages: you know who you are, you know what you want, and you’re not afraid to toss out the wedding playbook if it doesn’t fit. So, when Ben and I set out to plan our big day, we didn’t just check boxes — we chose meaning, joy, and a little bit of grown up magic.

As a higher education consultant, I no longer live by the academic calendar (though it still lives rent-free in my head). Planning a wedding and taking a honeymoon didn’t involve submitting leave forms or executive coverage plans, just careful coordination around clients, deadlines, and one very full Google calendar.

But beyond the seating charts and spreadsheets was something far more important: the people.

Our wedding party wasn’t just chosen — they are woven into the fabric of our lives. Ben’s best friend John has been by his side since second grade, and my best friend Jenni has walked with me through 20+ years of job changes, cross-country moves, and every milestone in between. They stood beside us at the altar, just as they’ve stood beside us through life.

My brother Paul and his lovely partner Chantal brought wisdom and warmth, and our dear friend Jenn added her signature calm, loving support, and sparkle. Our niece and nephew made us smile every time they walked into the room. And our son— his joy lit up the entire day (and the dance floor!)

We were married by Larry, a longtime family friend who didn’t just officiate — he honored us with every word. He reminded us, and everyone present, that love isn’t about the timeline — it’s about the timing.

One of the moments that hit me hardest? Looking out during the ceremony and seeing a room filled with every era of our lives. Guests traveled from England, Canada, and across the US — Idaho, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, and more. Our people showed up. Family, friends, former colleagues, mentors, clients-turned-friends. Aunts, uncles, my godmother. People who helped raise us, grow us, support us, and make us laugh on the days we weren’t sure we could. That circle of love and connection — that’s what I’ll carry with me.

We didn’t take our honeymoon right after the wedding. As a consultant, I was back to work just a few days later — diving into trainings, campus visits, and strategy sessions. Since then, I’ve traveled every few weeks, supporting amazing higher ed teams and squeezing in the occasional moment to remember, “Oh right, we just got married!”

But now, four months later, we just celebrated our honeymoon — toes in the sand, fruity drinks in hand, and a calendar that said “OOO.” The delay made it even sweeter. We had time to reflect, laugh, recharge, and soak up every bit of sunshine and gratitude that this season of life has to offer.

So if you’re ever wondering whether it’s “too late” for anything — for love, for change, for big joy — please hear me when I say: it’s not. It’s just a different kind of beginning.

And sometimes, when you wait a little longer, the view from the starting line is that much sweeter.