Quealy has also written for the Vows column of The New York Times, as well as the Style desk of the Times.

In the nine years since I began the Vows column on the Weddings pages, I have learned only a handful of things.

To the Editor: Not too many nuptials get published in the Vows column.

"Well, we were set up by our nanas four years ago," Ms. Kargman said; they had a wedding that was reported in the Vows column of this newspaper.

A. No, no fees are charged for announcements in the Weddings & Celebrations pages, or for the Vows column that features one couple s story.

In 2001, after nine years of writing the Vows column every week since its inception, I moved to Aspen, Colo., where my husband had gotten a great job.

One area already discussed involves specialized Times features like obituaries and the Vows column, informally known as "wedding of the week."

The State of the Unions column will update the lives of couples who have been profiled in the Vows column.