"We have to postpone our wedding until we have a combined household income of at least three hundred thousand dollars a year," Kurt announced.

Blaine slid down from the couch to join Kurt on the floor, where he was surrounded by brochures from wedding venues and vendors of all types. "I think you're maybe being a bit overdramatic," he said, rubbing Kurt's shoulder. "We just have to make a few compromises, is all."

"No, Blaine, you don't understand. Everything is out of our price range. Every location. Every vendor. If we cut the invite list down to twenty-five people and feed them only cocktails and appetizers, we still could barely afford it. And neither of us wants that. It's not a few compromises. It's completely impossible."

"We'll ... we'll think of something."

"Blaine. I have thought of everything. It does not work."

"What if we get married in Ohio?" Blaine asked.

Kurt blinked at him. "Gay marriage isn't legal in Ohio."

Blaine grinned, his eyes sparking. "That doesn't matter. We're already married. We're just throwing a big party and saying vows. We don't need New York's legal system for that."

"Everything is so much cheaper in Ohio," Kurt said softly. "We could have the wedding at Dalton, I know they rent out the space. New Directions could be the band. We wouldn't even have to hire an officiant, since we wouldn't be trying to convince everyone that it's the real thing."

"The only question is what we'll tell everyone about the legal aspect," Blaine said.

Kurt's eyes sparkled.

-----------------------------------

"But gay marriage isn't legal in Ohio," Burt said into the phone.

"I know that, Dad, obviously, but it makes so much more sense for us to have the wedding there. It's affordable, is the main thing. It's cheaper for all our guests, too, because either they live there or they have family they can stay with when they visit for the wedding. And it's a place that's meaningful for us, where we met and where we fell in love."

"So you're not really getting married?" Burt asked. "It's all going to be a fake?"

"We'll do the legal part of it separately," Kurt said carefully. "At the New York City courthouse, with a judge. It's no big deal. The point of the wedding is to celebrate with friends and family."

"I don't like it," Burt said. "After all the work we all did, advocating for marriage equality, you're not even taking advantage of it."

"But we are," Kurt said. "Plenty of people have separate civil and religious ceremonies. It's just the same as that."

"You're not religious."

"It's the principle of the thing," Kurt said, exasperated.

"Fine," Burt said grudgingly. "But I want to be there for the real one, too. In New York, with the judge and whatever."

Kurt's eyes widened in panic. "Oh, that's not really necessary."

"Forget it, kid. I'm gonna see you get married in the eyes of the state. I'm gonna sign the damn form as your witness."

"But—"

"I insist."

"Okay, we'll ... we'll see what we can do."

"You let me know when you're gettin' hitched, whether it's before or after the quote-unquote wedding, and I will make sure I'm there. You're my son. I'm gonna be there."

"Thanks, Dad. I love you."

"Love you too, kid."

Kurt hung up the phone and turned to Blaine. "We have a problem."