This Couple Waited Nine Years to Open Their Wedding Present For a Surprising Reason

By: Lisa Lee | Last updated: Jul 08, 2021

The Wedding Invitation

Who hasn’t been excited to receive a wedding invitation from a friend, only to immediately panic about what gift to buy the newlyweds?

Sure, lots of people have registries and you could always go the same old route of buying the couple some towels or dishware, though it lacks a little sentiment.

The Perfect Present

Kathy and Brandon Gunn found themselves in this dilemma one day, after opening up a lovely invitation to their friend’s nuptials. 

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The wedding was to be in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the place that they’d fallen in love years ago when they attended the same college. This occasion required the perfect present.

What to Give?

They wanted their gift to be heartfelt and unique, something that would really have an impact on their friends’ new union. They sat down to brainstorm one night after the kids went to bed.

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As the couple pondered what to give, they suddenly remembered a special gift from their own wedding they’d forgotten years ago.

The Forgotten Gift

Kathy went right to the closet and retrieved a small box tucked away on the top shelf. She had no idea what she’d find inside. 

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The couple never imagined that re-discovering this item from 9 long years ago would teach them an important lesson about love, life, and commitment. 

How Could They Forget?

You might be wondering how a couple could forget to open a wedding gift, especially for almost a decade. 

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Actually, the couple had really good motivation for not unwrapping this particular present, and it turns out – the reason it stayed unopened would make it so much more meaningful. 

The Wedding

Kathy and Brandon thought back to the day they’d tied the knot, at a big wedding with friends and family in Jackson, Michigan. 

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They received many gifts from their guests, and a lot of them were typical items you’d expect. There was one in the pile, however, that was a little different from the rest.

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The Little White Box

It didn’t seem too strange at first glance – it was a small white box with a ribbon and a card. Pretty typical for a wedding gift, right?

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It wasn’t until the couple read the handwritten message on the front that they realized something was unique about this present.

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The Question

It was from Kathy’s Great Aunt Allison, whom she was very close with and considered an important figure in her life. 

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What she wrote on the card sparked the couples’ curiosity, but even so, they dared not open the gift right away. Are you wondering what could it possibly have said?

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The Message

Across the front of the envelope, in Aunt Allison’s familiar handwriting, read a message that was different from the congratulations and well wishes on their other wedding cards. 

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It said, “Do not open until first disagreement.” Little did they know they would end up discovering when they finally opened it.

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The Feeling

Now, of course, nothing was stopping Kathy and Brandon from just ignoring the instructions and taking a peek into the mysterious card as soon as they got home.

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Something inside them told them that it was important to listen to Aunt Allison and save the gift for a time when it was needed.

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The Greatest Gift of All

Years later, Kathy would speak with Love What Matters about this exceptional present, describing it as “by far the greatest wedding gift of all.” 

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She and her husband never expected just how much Aunt Allison’s thoughtful gesture would end up meaning to them. It was truly the perfect gift for this special couple. 

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The Decision

Kathy and Brandon decided together that they would put off opening the box until they truly felt it was the right time. They suspected there was something amazing inside. 

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They didn’t want to waste the moment on a trivial conflict or just a regular old night. They’d be surprised when they finally uncovered its contents.

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Life Happened

Days, then months and years passed, and the couple experienced life together while the box remained unopened. They faced many challenges together. 

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They got new jobs, moved houses, and welcomed a child…and then a couple more! Throughout all this, the gift from Aunt Allison remained on the shelf.

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The Tough Times

Sure, like all couples, they occasionally exchanged harsh words and slammed doors, and they endured nights where tears were shed. It wasn’t always easy.

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 Even though at times, their relationship was pushed to its limits, they still didn’t unwrap the gift. 

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The Trick

All along, Kathy and Brandon assumed that inside the box was some sort of secret trick for preserving a marriage, something Aunt Allison and Uncle Bill had learned in their 50 years together.

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They thought that the present within would “save” them, and in a way, it did – just not how they expected. 

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It Stayed Closed

Before the time came where they found what was inside, but well after their wedding day, Aunt Allison happened to ask Kathy if they had opened the gift yet. 

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With a laugh, Kathy told her beloved Aunt that they hadn’t opened the box – it was still wrapped up tight.

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Two Years Passed

Kathy and her Great Aunt Allison had a very close relationship. She was more like a grandmother to Kathy than an aunt. 

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When she heard that the couple still hadn’t opened the gift, even after almost two years, she thought they were crazy! Still, she and Kathy laughed it off. 

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The Family Joke

The news spread throughout the family that Aunt Allison’s gift remained unopened, and it began to become a joke amongst them all.  

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Every time they got together around the table for a birthday or holiday, someone would ask if they had finally opened the box. Yet they never had. 

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Mom's Worries

Eventually, it had been so long that Kathy’s mother actually started to get concerned. What if the item inside was perishable or had an expiration date? 

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They asked Aunt Allison and she told them that there was nothing time-sensitive inside. So what could it be? Everyone was scratching their heads. 

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Uncle Bill's Legacy

The couple got to thinking and decided that it must be some kind of keepsake from Aunt Allison and Uncle Bill’s marriage. After all, they had been married for nearly 50 years. 

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He had passed away in 2004, and the thought that the box might contain something special from dear Uncle Bill’s life made the gift all the more significant. 

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The Realization

How had they managed to go nine whole years without opening Aunt Allison’s gift? Certainly, they’d had plenty of disagreements in that time period. 

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What they realized was that every time they had a fight, they took a moment to consider whether it was enough to make them open the box. 

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The Secret of the Box

Not knowing what was inside stopped them from opening the gift over a petty argument or something that would be forgotten. 

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They didn’t want to diminish its importance over something minor and regret having opened it, so it caused them to pause and take stock of what really mattered in that moment.

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The Feeling of Shock

This realization came to them that night, as they were thinking about their friend’s upcoming wedding. Sitting with the small white box between them, they were struck with emotion. 

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They were shocked that they’d managed to go so long without opening Aunt Allison’s present, they had simply forgotten it. 

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The Promise

The longer they thought about it, however, the more they realized how it had helped them look at their struggles from a different perspective. 

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It made them consider the promises they’d made to each other, and ask, “Over the span of a lifetime together, how much will this really matter?” 

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The Challenges

Any time a challenge came up, their resolve to not open the box caused them to put it off until it was something “bad enough” that they absolutely needed saving. 

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Sometimes they thought about opening the box, especially when times got tough. It was hard not to, but somehow, they never did. 

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The Strength of Their Bond

Over the years, it started to become a symbol of their strength as a couple. The longer it stayed closed, the more it represented their commitment to each other. 

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They started to realize that they didn’t need “rescuing” and that the secret to keeping their marriage strong was really within themselves. 

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They Didn't Need it Anymore

Perhaps it was their competitive natures that kept them going, or just plain old stubbornness, but nevertheless they had made it nearly ten years without opening the box to “save” them.

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They decided, if they had made it this long, perhaps they no longer needed it. But what could be inside?

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The Reveal

Buzzing with excitement, the couple carefully unwrapped the little present that had stayed a secret for almost a decade. They couldn’t believe this moment had finally come. 

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When the ribbon had been untied and the tissue paper unfolded, they couldn’t believe what was really inside after all this time. It certainly wasn’t what they thought. 

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What Was Inside

With the gift finally open, Kathy and Brandon found two smaller packages within. One was addressed to Kathy and the other, to her husband. 

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These packages also had a message on the outside. There were yet more instructions for the happy couple, and when they read them, they laughed out loud. 

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Kathy's Note

Kathy’s note said, “Go get a pizza, shrimp, or something you both like.” It contained enough cash to order a takeout dinner and maybe a couple of extra treats. 

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Aunt Allison’s note also said to run a hot bath, a sure de-stresser after a tough night. Brandon’s note came with some instructions, too. 

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Brandon's Note

Brandon also got some cash, but on his note, Aunt Allison had written, “Go get flowers and a bottle of wine.” She’d also included a couple of wine glasses. 

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Their sweet Aunt Allison had planned a romantic date night just for them. The couple couldn’t help but smile when they read her notes.

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What They Had Learned

Of course Kathy and Brandon were thankful for their Aunt’s thoughtful gesture, and they called her up to let her know they’d finally opened her present. 

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What surprised them, though, was how this little box had come to symbolize something much larger. They realized how much it had inadvertently taught them.

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Thanking Aunt Allison

When they told Aunt Allison they had finally opened her present, she was thoroughly amused at how long it had taken the couple to unwrap this particular wedding gift. 

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Kathy and Brandon explained what her small gesture had come to mean to them as a couple, and she was truly touched.

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Inspiration Strikes

Though it seemed a little crazy at the time, it became clear how much the little present had come to mean to Kathy and Brandon. 

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Inspired, Kathy wanted to share their story with more than just their family. Little did she know that the amazing story of this wedding gift wasn’t over yet.

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Reminiscing

As the happy couple thought back over their years together, they remembered how the present had started to become a token of their commitment to one another. 

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The longer they waited to open the box, the stronger their resolve became. They refused to let life’s stumbling blocks tear them apart. 

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Writing it Down

It soon occurred to them that other couples might be able to use the lessons they had learned from this beautiful experience. 

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But how would they share their story? Kathy had an idea – and set off to work writing down the whole tale of Aunt Allison’s wedding gift. 

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Sharing the Story

Kathy was a member of the Love What Matters Facebook page, and enjoyed their heartwarming posts. They featured stories about the uplifting side of humanity. 

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She posted what she’d written about the little box that had been forgotten, and hoped people would be touched by her words. She would be shocked at what happened next.

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Going Viral

Just a few hours later, Kathy checked her notifications and nearly dropped her phone on the floor. She stared at the screen in disbelief. 

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Her post had racked up thousands of likes and shares from people all over the world. They loved reading about Aunt Allison’s present and were truly moved.

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The Reaction

The comment section was full of people sharing what they had learned about marriage, and thanking Kathy for publishing her story. 

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The response was overwhelming, and lots of people were so inspired by how a small gesture had grown to be such an important factor in their relationship.  

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The Lessons Learned

It’s pretty amazing how one gift made such a huge impact on Kathy and Brandon’s marriage. They learned some big lessons from the little box. 

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Not only did it help them keep their perspective in check, it taught them the importance of patience and communication, and helped them teach those lessons to many more people.

We wonder if Aunt Allison knew what she was doing all along…

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