getright I think you have the answer in your own post. You said:
we celebrated my wife passing her exam to gain entrance into nursing school
and it's quite valid to celebrate that but not if
Those 2 days turned into about a week drinking and misery
Part of your plan needs to include how you will celebrate without drinking and there are many enjoyable ways to do that. Will it be a meal out? A meal in that you cook? A picnic? A special cake or dessert? Taking your wife to see film? You get the idea.