Wedding Date on Sep 29, 2018

Jason and I met in high school and developed a close friendship over a few years. We went to different middle schools that fed into the same high school, and once there, we met through my best guy friends who he had played competitive soccer with for years. Almost from the time I met him, I had a crush on him. As a really timid teenage girl, rather than pursue something more than a friendship with him, I settled for the time we spent chatting on AIM when I would listen to his 'girl problems' and offer advice. We went to Turnabout together our junior year, as friends, and remained close. It wasn't until we went to Homecoming our senior year with different dates that he realized he'd been 'stupid' in not pursuing me all along. Finally! From that moment, we spent a lot of our free time together (which we didn't have a lot of because we were both varsity athletes on state championship teams) and texted until the wee hours of the morning (we're both insomniacs), developing something we both knew was really special. By March of our Senior year, we knew we loved each other, and made the hopeful decision to officially start dating despite knowing we were heading to different colleges in the Fall. Best decision of our lives, truly. The next decade was one of incredible change, many milestones, ups and downs, celebrations and sadness, self-discovery, and some giant question marks. The one thing we were certain of amongst all of the unknowns and the moments when we might not have been so sure of ourselves, was our love. Ten and half years after that monumental decision (which included 4 years of long distance, moving back in with our parents's houses post-college, landing first jobs that consumed our lives, moving separately to Chicago, landing new jobs, launching a business, new apartments and then eventually becoming roommates) we got married in front of 300 of our family and friends that have been apart of our decade-long journey. We both feel so blessed to have found our soulmate so early in life, and for the 10 years of memories we made before officially starting our 'forever'. Every last detail of our wedding was meticulously thought out (type A problems) to reflect our personalities, our story, our family, our traditions and our love, while taking into consideration what would make the best environment for our loved ones who have believed in us, celebrated with us, loved and and encouraged us for an entire decade together, and individually well before there ever was an 'us'. From our Catholic ceremony with a twist (we wrote our own vows) to the donut truck that pulled into our reception space, it was a truly magical day, and everything we had imagined and more. It was the perfect way to celebrate a decade down, and our commitment to each other for all of the decades to come. As was alluded to many times throughout the day (and maybe poked fun at in a speech or two), it was a celebration ten years in the making, but entirely worth the wait. To future brides and grooms, we encourage you to truly savor every last moment leading up to the aisle. It's such an exciting, unique time in your life, and one unlike anything you'll experience again. Be thoughtful and intentional in your decisions and be present. Remember the amazing feeling of being engaged and excited to make your significant other your partner for life, and then bottle that up. Never forget that feeling, and carry it into your married life. Take mental photos on the day of. Look around at all of the people that have come to support you. Appreciate the 'buzz' you'll inevitably feel. It's all over in the blink of an eye, so make an extra effort to step back and soak in the magic, hand in hand, with your partner for life.