8/12 has always been our day. 7 years ago on 8/12/2015 James asked me to be his girlfriend. 2 years ago he asked me to marry him. On 8/12/22, we finally became man and wife. It’s a day where everything seems just so dang meant to be.
The day exceeded our expectations in every way. The weather was beyond beautiful — 70 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. The perfect day for an outdoor garden wedding at Phipps Conservatory. We both grew up going to Phipps and it holds special memories for us and our families.
Getting ready for the wedding we were both so excited and emotional. I got ready downtown surrounded by the support of my mom and sisters. It was an intimate and fun morning and I felt so overjoyed to see everything coming together. James had a “bachelor pad” in Oakland with his groomsmen. They woke up, had breakfast, and played 9 holes before getting ready for the wedding. Full of excitement and nerves, James was eager to do something active. He was so happy for the quality time spent with his groomsmen and dad.
One of the happiest moments of my life was walking down the aisle and seeing James teary-eyed. It felt like I was floating and I’ve never been more sure of anything than I was in that moment. We locked eyes and stayed that way for the entire ceremony. It felt like we were the only two people in the world as we read the vows that we wrote for each other.
I didn’t look at anyone else until after we said “I do!” and kissed (for probably longer than was appropriate). After that, it was so amazing to realize that we were surrounded by all of our friends and family.
The rest of the evening was so magical. Some highlights were definitely the speeches and dances. My mom, twin brother, James’ brother, and our mutual best friend all spoke. The sentiments were so special and I’ll never forget some of those words spoken. Then, James and my first dance. Again, the rest of the world just faded away.
It was a day that we will cherish forever and always remember us that way. Everything came together so beautifully and the moments that we shared will last a lifetime.
