There are so many wonderful memories that need to be shared through words, pictures, music — whatever. Ever have that one day that you wish you could share with everyone? That memory of a perfect vacation, one magical date, that special laugh? This is the place to do it. Please email Jess at jes.spells.jess (at) gmail.com with any questions. Otherwise submit your own memories to: mybestday.tumblr.com/submit Or email mybestday@tumblr.comTumblr (3.0; @mybestday)http://mybestday.tumblr.com/<p>Alright, so I&#8217;ve had a fair few mediocre to shitty birthdays until this year. Some friends had attempted to find a killer camping spot but we ended up hitting up our usual spot on the Oregon coast. It involves a light hike, which means there is usually plenty of room for camping at the top.  A cool but not too cold evening. A semi clear sky to start.</p> <p>Alcohol, boardgames and cooking food turned to alcohol and increasingly silly conversation. It could have ended here and I&#8217;d have been happy as a clam. Someone had the silly idea to go exploring the abandoned world war II bunker down the path now that it was dark out. Someone else thought to snag the battery operated speakers and their ipod and away we went.</p> <p>Creepy as hell, but intoxication made us brave. It was covered in graffiti and seemed to go on much further than any of us were willing to explore, room after cement room. Somehow a dance party of 8 got started and I couldn&#8217;t stop grinning.</p> <p>Watch the video, it felt exactly how it looks. In fact that song may have kicked off the dancing. My brother is a video editing genius.</p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzaU5jIMxtQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzaU5jIMxtQ</a></p> <p>hands down best birthday ever.</p> <p>Cheers,</p> <p>Sam</p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/6401682493http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/6401682493Fri, 10 Jun 2011 20:37:00 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kp3qbmux6M1qzi9llo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Every so often, in moments when I least expect it, an overwhelming sense of gratitude kicks me in the chest.  Because for the rest of my life, I get to be married to this man.  Not the man who sweeps me off my feet, not the man who can’t live without me, not the man who’s full of big romantic gestures, not the man who puts me on a pedestal.</p> <p>No, I get to be married to the man who is my very best friend, my very favorite person, my equal, my soul mate, my perfect match despite all our imperfections.</p> <p>I am a lucky girl.</p> <p>-<a title="Scattered Jigsaw Thoughts" href="http://jss.tumblr.com">Jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/174111836http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/174111836Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:33:22 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyosqrpwwoxAk050y1To1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>The houseboat on the Mississippi River in LaCrosse, WI used to be our annual summer group getaway, but we’re starting a new tradition this year.</p> <p>Perhaps it was the cost of the houseboat that drove us to a new locale, perhaps it was the ridiculous hike up and down the sand dunes for volleyball games that has caused us to set our sights elsewhere.  Either way, we’ll be in Okoboji, IA in just about a week.</p> <p>I’m sure I’ll have 4 days full of Best Day stories, but before I flood dashboards with tales of sunburns and midnight debauchery, how about you all take a chance to <a href="http://mybestday.tumblr.com/submit%20">share</a> <b>YOUR</b> Best Day.</p> <p>-<a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">Jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/156429169http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/156429169Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:47:32 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyospwbuu6iaJEIPQ1ao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Can I tell you about the happiest day of my life? It isn’t what you expect. It isn’t the day I met my husband. Nor is it the day we first got together, the day he proposed, or the day we got married…though I have written quite a bit about that day.</p> <p>No, the happiest day of my life was New Year’s Day 2007 in Glendale, AZ. I was at the University of Phoenix Stadium witnessing the greatest football game (if not the greatest sporting event) of all time between Boise State and Oklahoma.</p> <p>My brother was a red-shirt freshman at Boise State. All year long, it was fun watching Boise win game after game and we were so excited for him when they made the Fiesta Bowl. I still remember watching the game that clinched it while I was up visiting my boyfriend’s (now husband’s) family in East Grand Forks and immediately calling my parents to start making travel arrangements to Phoenix.</p> <p>Plans were made, flights were booked, and next thing we knew, we were staying in the gorgeous house of my mom’s friend, and whooping it up New Year’s Eve with thousands of football fans on Mill Street as we watched drunk Vanessa Carlton entertain.</p> <p>The next day, getting to University of Phoenix Stadium proved to be a bit of a challenge with all us back seat drivers, but once there, we whipped out the beer and the obligatory Tostito’s chips and just soaked it all in. We apparently parked in the middle of a bunch of Oklahoma fans, but everyone was just there to celebrate and have a good time, so we made fast friends with everybody around us.</p> <p>When the game began, I was shocked to feel like Boise had the game in the bag. I mean, they were KILLING Oklahoma in the first half. How could Oklahoma ever come back from that kind of deficit in a bowl game? Boise was the Cinderella team and Oklahoma didn’t stand a chance.</p> <p>That is…until the second half.</p> <p>I spent most of the second half biting my nails and until that hook-and-lateral pass at the very end, I was certain our team – my brother – would be robbed of the sweet victory we so deserved. When we saw that pass though, nothing could bring me down. Oh wait…you know what could bring me down? Adrian Peterson coming out of nowhere (he had been rendered useless most of the game) in overtime and scoring right away for Oklahoma. I sat down, just totally in despair.</p> <p>But then it all changed. Right in front of my eyes, on the 20 yard line (which was right where I was sitting, a dozen rows up) came the most beautiful two plays I have ever seen. You all know the story. You all know what happened next. I know you do. But let me tell you – the two plays to win the game in overtime were effing incredible. And they happened RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY EYES. Halfback pass? Check. Statue of Liberty pass? Check. Elation? Check.</p> <p>There aren’t words to describe how happy I was. I immediately jumped up on my seat and started scanning the field for my brother. He saw all of us and we were screaming as loud as we could. I don’t know how long I stood there and screamed – but it was long enough for Ian Johnson to make the greatest marriage proposal ever to his girlfriend right in front of me. I screamed through that too.</p> <p>I stood on that seat and laughed and screamed and cried for what may have been at least an hour and was just so happy. I don’t know how any day can ever top that one.</p> <p>Certainly things of more significance will happen to me. I’ve gotten married, I’ll probably have kids and watch them grow up and all of that moving and emotional crap. But I don’t foresee anything even coming close to the happiness and the pride I felt the day I watched Boise kick ass in the Fiesta Bowl.</p> <p>As a side note, every Sunday in the fall, when I watch the Vikings play and cheer on Adrian Peterson, I always have a little smile and think, “dude…Boise State totally kicked your ass…”</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p> <p><img alt="VICTORY!!" src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e93/slat0062/Tumblr/boise2.jpg" height="403" width="450"/></p> <p><img alt="storming the field" src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e93/slat0062/Tumblr/boise3.jpg" height="403" width="450"/></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/141508686http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/141508686Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:33:00 -0400jssfiesta bowlboise statefootball<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyospupoy0xDBH3jOv6o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>I’ve been saving my best wedding memory for last.  One of the reasons it’s my favorite memory is because it’s not even really about the husband and me at all.</p> <p>As centerpieces, we decided to use bowls of grapes.  We wanted something the guests could munch on as they waited to be served dinner and using food was cheaper than using flowers anyway.</p> <p>Well of course, being ever so mature, I decided to start a grape toss during dinner.  I started throwing grapes at my friends at a nearby table and a couple others started throwing grapes at each other as well.  Just some harmless fun, no major food fights.</p> <p>Suddenly, my brother-in-law kicked things up a notch.  He decided he was going to throw a grape about 20 feet, over the tent draping, and into our friend’s mouth.  We didn’t think there was a chance in hell it was going to work, but we all watched excitedly anyway.</p> <p>The moment this photograph captures is the moment we all saw our friend catch that grape in his mouth.  It was the most incredible toss of all time, the most incredible catch of all time, and pretty much the defining moment of our wedding.  This picture is my absolute favorite picture from the whole wedding.</p> <p>I love that even on such a big and important day, a day that’s supposed to be about love and maturity, we could toss aside convention and just have the same kind of fun we’ve been having all these years.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/140771794http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/140771794Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:24:18 -0400weddingjssgrape toss<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyospqt06csz7syA0yGo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>One way to describe by 27th birthday: Awesome.<br/><br/>I coerced all my friends to dress up like 80s rock stars and we went to see an 80s tribute band.  Since it was my birthday, of course we just had to get to the front row. There was a group of gel/meanie heads with their hoochie girl friends standing up at front, but being the easy going group that my friends and I are, we weren’t looking to step on any toes, so we found a teeny little opening at the front corner and got our jam on. <br/><br/>Anywho, apparently the gel/meanie heads thought we were getting too close to them and all of a sudden one of the hoochie girl friends start yelling at my friend. Being ever the non-confrontationalist, I’m all like, let’s get out of here and I try to retreat to the back.  But I cannot get through because, what’s that, one of the gel heads literally put his arm in front of me and would not let me pass, even when I politely said, “Pardon Me.” He just said, “No.” I couldn’t believe it. So what did I do then? What any rational person would do: I threw my drink in his face (and probably messed up his gel hair, too) and walked away.<br/><br/>Well of course, they told the bouncer (narcs), and when I explained what had <i>really</i> happened the bouncer was super nice to me and let us stay, of course… since we didn’t do anything wrong!<br/><br/>In a nutshell, it was the best day ever because not only did I get to wear a hot pink tutu, but I got to wear a hot pink tutu while feeling totally empowered for standing up for myself.</p> <p>- <a title="The Cook Nook" href="http://www.thedailyjulie.com/">Julie</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/139179808http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/139179808Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:46:36 -0400thecooknookthedailyjuliebirthday<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyosppifbxhBmrSmKPio1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Lets talk a little more about the wind on the wedding day, shall we?</p> <p>Part of the beauty of having the wedding out at my parents’ place was that we’d get to take pictures down by the St. Croix River.  I was raised by water and so naturally it’s something I wanted captured in my pictures.  There are few things I find more beautiful than water shots.</p> <p>The beach was busy that day so rather than try to clear everyone off the beach, we decided to take some shots on the dock.</p> <p>I should mention, that when I was little my parents’ owned a marina.  I spent 7 years as a child running up and down floating docks where the only thing keeping them above water were a few large chunks of styrofoam that muskrats used as chew toys.  As a result, the least stable dock rarely even phases me.</p> <p>So we all file onto the dock and immediately everyone starts getting nervous.  The wind is blowing everyone around, creating white caps in the river, and the huge boats that cruise around aren’t helping anyone at all.  I teased everyone for being scaredy cats and bravely jumped around, but the dock shots didn’t last long.</p> <p>We only got a few shots of the water, but what we did get wound up looking pretty cool.  And no one shoved me off the dock for suggesting the locale, so I’d call that a huge success.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138600294http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138600294Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:02:41 -0400jssweddingwind<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyosppie2kwG4TIQuEIo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Ok, ok, I know it’s not <i>technically</i> wedding day related, but allow me to tell the story of our engagement (a day that did, after all, directly lead to our wedding day).</p> <p>The husband and I went shopping for rings in early summer.  He knew I was kind of a brat about the ring I wanted and that if I was going to be wearing the same piece of jewlery for the rest of my life, it better be something I <i>loved</i>.  He tried getting an idea from my best friend about what I was looking for and she sent him pictures of Tiffany’s rings I had admired but she recommended he simply take me with him to look for rings.</p> <p>We were all set to go to Tiffany’s, but then I realized that as much as I love that little blue box, I love bang for <strike>my</strike> his buck more.  We went to Shane Co. (because they have the least annoying commercials) and were immediately overwhelmed.  After a lot of confusion, I picked out three rings I loved and waited to be surprised at a later date.</p> <p>A month or two later, the husband’s mom had us over for dinner.  It was a Friday night and I was crabby from a long week and I just wanted a stiff drink and a good meal.  When we arrived at his mom’s house, no one was home.  I went into insta-bitch mode.  What kind of person invites people over to their house for dinner and doesn’t even bother sticking around for the arrival?  After a quick phone call to see what the hold up was, the husband explained to me that his mom and step-dad got tied up buying a new pontoon and we should kill time by taking the old pontoon for one last spin.</p> <p>I was hungry, I was in need of liquor, and the husband’s never-ending nostalgia was irritating to me, but I agreed to go out.  We putzed around the lake for a while and then all of a sudden he stopped the boat.  My annoyance heightened and I told him I wasn’t in the mood to sit in the middle of the lake while I was all dressed up on a hot day.  He claimed he saw something in the water and just wanted to grab it.</p> <p>He leaned over the side of the boat in front and when he came back up, I seriously could not have been more irritated.  It was then he whipped out the ring box and began telling me how much he loved me and asked me to marry him.  Except I’m pretty sure I grabbed the ring and said yes before he even asked.</p> <p>I was crying, I was screaming, and I immediately called everyone I knew to tell them the good news.  The husband claims I began calling my parents before he even finished his proposal.</p> <p>The husband’s mom secretly stocked the boat with some roses, a bottle of champagne, and a little piece of cake so the husband and I proceeded to have one of the most romantic evenings of our life.</p> <p>I may have been a raging bitch that day, but it says a lot about the guy that I could be such a buttface and he could still want to marry me.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138599892http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138599892Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:01:42 -0400jssweddingengagement<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyosppicw92OyCLCflho1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>When the husband and I first got engaged, I was all about planning a wedding on the cheap.  “I will not be a part of the evil wedding machine!” I said to myself.  I was determined not to buy any of the generic wedding magazines that regurgitated the same cliches month after month.</p> <p>Of course, my magazine addiction won out over my righteousness.</p> <p>I bought every wedding magazine known to man.  I couldn’t get enough.  Hell, if it was socially acceptable for me to continue buying wedding magazines today, I would.  THAT’S how deep my magazine addiction runs.</p> <p>Anyway, one month I was flipping through my <i>InStyle Weddings</i> and I came across a shot where all the bridesmaids had white parasols.  I decided that was something I simply HAD to have.  “It will be pretty AND practical!” I told myself.</p> <p>I excitedly found a website that sold white paper parasols for dirt cheap and bought enough for everyone.  I was absolutely giddy over them and couldn’t wait to take pictures with them.</p> <p>While I had a lot of brilliant ideas for the wedding, parasols was not one of them.  The parasols were, in fact, one of my worst ideas.  As I’ve mentioned before, there was a hurricane seemingly descending upon us that day so the wind was out of control.  Several of the bridesmaids sustained injuries from parasols knocking into each other and scratching up arms, and I was nervous that a couple of the smaller ladies were going to catch a gust and get swept away.</p> <p>Sure, sure, the parasols <i>did</i> result in some of my favorite pictures (see below), but they’re definitely not an element that I’d incorporate if I knew then what I know now.</p> <p><img alt="parasol ladies" src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e93/slat0062/Tumblr/umbrellas.jpg" width="499" height="332"/></p> <p>Luckily, the injuries have healed, and all of us can look back on this debacle and laugh…while shaking our fists at the parasol relegated to the dusty corner of the room.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138599530http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138599530Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:00:47 -0400jssweddingbrilliancewind<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyosppic1nf2LNuc6FDo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>The husband and I are firmly opposed to Public Displays of Affection.  You will never see us so much as hold hands in public, let alone kiss in public.</p> <p>One of the things that was always in the back of my mind was all the kissing that would be required during the wedding.  Kissing on command is awkward enough, but when the two of us were so unaccustomed to kissing in front of other people, I was convinced it was going to be this horribly awkward and uncomfortable thing to watch.</p> <p>Turns out that it’s easy to get swept up in the romance of a wedding.</p> <p>Before the ceremony, the kissing we had to do for pictures was definitely forced and unnatural (especially those pictures where we were kissing and the entire wedding party had to look at us).  Once the minister said “Kiss the Bride”, it was a whole different story.  We didn’t mind the kissing pictures after that.  Our love had already been on display for all 300+ of our nearest and dearest to see, so what was a few kisses compared to that?</p> <p>Don’t get me wrong — I’m happy that the glass clinking was kept to a minimum (obviously our guests knew us well and knew how obnoxious we’d find that), but when we did have to stand up and kiss, it was full of love rather than full of embarrassment.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138599235http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138599235Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:00:07 -0400jssweddingPDA<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyosppiajmgqfmK8EJHo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>It was a long walk down the aisle for my dad and me (and, I suppose, for all the bridesmaids as well).  We had to walk out the french doors, past all of the guests, under the arbor, and then down the aisle to the gazebo.</p> <p>As soon as I grabbed my dad’s arm to walk out those doors, I started getting emotional, and I know he did as well.  My dad is a crier.  It’s a fact, and he’s not ashamed of it.  It’s actually one of the sweetest qualities about him — that I guy his size with his type of personality wears his heart on his sleeve like that.  He totally seems like this alpha male prototypical football coach authoritative kind of guy.  You just don’t expect tears from him.</p> <p>Anyway, we were both on the brink of tears, so what did we do?  We started making each other laugh.  I don’t even remember what we said to each other, but I know that we walked out those doors and the first thing everyone heard was our laughter.  We laughed and smiled all the way down the aisle and it couldn’t have been more perfectly us.</p> <p>I had to blink away tears when we hugged and he gave me away, but as soon as I grabbed hold of the husband’s hand and we looked up at the minister (a good friend of ours) I knew everything was as it should be.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138598648http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138598648Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:58:57 -0400jssweddingsentimental<iframe class="tumblr_audio_player tumblr_audio_player_138598121" src="http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138598121/audio_player_iframe/mybestday/nmb3iiyosppi9ij4zy6f7WJt?audio_file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tumblr.com%2Faudio_file%2Fmybestday%2F138598121%2Fnmb3iiyosppi9ij4zy6f7WJt" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" scrolling="no" width="500" height="85"></iframe><br/><br/><p><i>Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What A Wonderful World</i> - Israel Kamakawiwo’ole</p> <p>I chose the first part of this song as the music I walked down the aisle to.  It seemed perfect.  Not only do I love the song, but I love what it represents.</p> <p>When I was little, I watched <i>Wizard of Oz</i> every single day.  It’s still one of my top 5 favorite movies and I’m mildly obsessed with Judy Garland.  Anyway, my dad used to watch it with me and to this day, he can still recite most lines along with the movie.  When I think of that movie and that song, I think of my dad, who patiently tolerated and even enjoyed my compulsive movie viewings.  What better song could be playing as he walked me down the aisle?</p> <p>My dad teased me quite a bit, because he claims <i>What a Wonderful World</i> is his favorite song and that’s what he wanted us to walk to, but it seemed far more fitting for the husband and I to play as we walked up the aisle.  Because, as disgustingly cheesy as this sounds, being married to him HAS been a wonderful world.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138598121http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138598121Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:58:00 -0400weddingjsssentimental<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyosppi7gmnATd1kob4o1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>GPOYW: So Happy I Could Spin Edition</p> <p>We knew taking pictures after the ceremony was going to be kind of a pain in the ass, so we took most of the pictures ahead of time.  We knew our wedding party would want to drink and socialize and we’d want a chance to say hi to our guests.</p> <p>No sooner had I gotten a nice cold gin and tonic in my hand (seriously, the husband and I walked up the aisle and straight to the bar) than the photographer grabbed my arm and told me we had to quick take some shots with just me and the husband.</p> <p>I thought I’d be annoyed at being pulled away from my booze, but I really was still sort of giddy from the ceremony.  I tried to keep my giddiness in check since I knew it would result in goofy pictures, but I think this one captured the mood just right.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138597478http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138597478Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:56:34 -0400jssweddinggpoyw<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyosppi6bcc23cSLXhwo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Who knew such pretty things could come from a grocery store?</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138597039http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138597039Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:55:00 -0400jssweddingflowersbrilliance<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyosppi3of2MTYwHnB4o1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>GPOYW: Brilliant Ideas Edition</p> <p>Since I’ve mentioned one of my most brilliant ideas ever today, allow me to discuss one of my mom’s most brilliant ideas.</p> <p>I didn’t have much of a budget for flowers.  I just didn’t care.  The wedding was outside, my mom spent the summer obsessing over her gardens, so it’s not as if we needed them for decoration, and I just didn’t place a whole lot of importance on my flowers.</p> <p>When I finally started shopping around, I realized that prices were OUTRAGEOUS.  My mom had the best solution ever, though: Grocery Store Flowers.  See that pretty bouquet I’m holding there?  See the pretty buckets of flowers?  Yeah, all from the local grocery store.  They put together beautiful bouquets, corsages, and boutonnieres for about half the cost of a floral shop.</p> <p>Way to go mom.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138596107http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138596107Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:53:37 -0400jssweddingbrillianceflowersgpoyw<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyosppi1wotWAJGaHRko1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>GPOYW: Watching and Waiting Edition</p> <p>I had the coolest effing veil in the world for the wedding.  It was called a BirdCage Veil although I kept calling it a bubble veil.  It was modern and free of sparkle or tiaras or anything.  I love it.  Unfortunately, it was such a crazy windy day outside that I hardly wore it at all.  And for half the time that I was wearing it, one of the bridesmaids was stuck re-pinning it.</p> <p>It was right after the final re-pinning of my veil that I caught sight of what was going on outside.  I heard the “mood music” dying down and all the guests start to get seated and despite the glass of champagne I downed and the anti-anxiety pill that my aunt gave me, I started feeling the butterflies in my stomach.</p> <p>Although you can’t quite see it in my face yet, it was at this moment that it all hit me that it was really happening, we actually made it to our wedding, and I really started getting excited an emotional.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138595572http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138595572Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:52:14 -0400jss,weddinggpoyw<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyosppi0v9bHrYBBgkao1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>GPOYW: Getting Ready Edition</p> <p>Whilst trying to figure out my “look” for the wedding day, I determined that I wanted a professional to handle my makeup.  I mean, I think I look fine day-to-day, but I’m pretty lazy with my makeup and I’m relatively certain that I’m foundation disabled so I just didn’t want my face to be left in my own hands.</p> <p>After spending far too much time and energy trying to find someone who would come out to either the house or the salon in River Falls, I finally gave up.  I bought some eyeliner, some false eyelashes (that I totally didn’t use) and scored free foundation and powder (by going to the Clinique counter and asking for a sample — it was by far one of the most brilliant ideas I’ve had and they match the sample to your skin tone).</p> <p>Anyway, by the time the photographer got there, I was still doing my makeup.  All the bridesmaids were upstairs crammed into one bathroom, and I decided I needed some quiet time and a steady hand to get my makeup right.  I felt bad that I was still getting ready when the photographer came, but I really love this shot so I don’t feel so bad anymore.</p> <p>Also, I did a way better job with my face than any makeup artist could have, ifIdon’tsaysomyself.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138595181http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138595181Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:51:00 -0400gpoywjsspreparationweddingbrilliance<iframe class="tumblr_audio_player tumblr_audio_player_138594633" src="http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138594633/audio_player_iframe/mybestday/nmb3iiyospphzh22tw9PTLi6?audio_file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tumblr.com%2Faudio_file%2Fmybestday%2F138594633%2Fnmb3iiyospphzh22tw9PTLi6" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" scrolling="no" width="500" height="85"></iframe><br/><br/><p>“L-O-V-E” - Nat King Cole</p> <p>This is what played while my bridesmaids walked down the aisle.</p> <p>I wanted something fun and upbeat, but also, the major reason I chose this song was because Nat King Cole was my grandpa’s (my mom’s dad) favorite singer.  Since he died several years ago and couldn’t be there on my wedding day, I at least wanted something to represent him that I would know about.</p> <p>For my grandma who is no longer alive, I carried Lily of the Valley in my wedding bouquet — just like she did on her wedding day.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138594633http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138594633Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:50:00 -0400weddingsentimentalbridesmaidsjss<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyospphxpixr4686vhqo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>I really was a zen bride.  Honestly, throughout the planning process, the only thing that ever sent me over the edge was the guest list.  Once we hit 400 guests on our invite list and the husband’s parents were still trying to tack on more guests, I lost my mind a bit.  400 guests seemed obscene (we wound up with just over 300 in case you’re wondering) and each additional invite made me want to curl up in a ball until it was all over.  But really, I didn’t get worked up about much.</p> <p>That is, until the night before the wedding.</p> <p>We had our rehearsal dinner in a nearby town and wound up being hit with a major storm that evening.  Everyone was at the after-bar a few blocks away from where we held the rehearsal dinner and all of a sudden, the power went out in the bar.  My brother and dad proceeded to get in an argument about who was driving who home and next thing I know, I was following behind behind my dad with a few bridesmaids in tow as he left in a huff.</p> <p>I was more concerned with keeping the peace in my family than I was with the state of our backyard.  It honestly didn’t even occur to me that anything could tear our circus-sized tent down.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.</p> <p>My zen attitude went to shit the moment I saw the state of the backyard.  Chairs were tipped and broken, the arbor fell down, the tent collapsed, all the decorations were destroyed — it was a disaster.  It was midnight the night before the wedding and everything was a mess.  All I could do was silently cry and try to clean up.</p> <p>But never fear!  It was my family to the rescue!  Most of my family arrived at 6:00 a.m. the next day to get everything put back together, the tent company arrived around 8:00 to put the tent back up, and by the time I arrived back home from my hair appointment around noon, the entire backyard had been transformed.</p> <p>Never have I felt such relief or appreciated my family more.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138594091http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138594091Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:48:58 -0400wedding,jsstentwindstorm<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/nmb3iiyospphvz4s5JaXCPF8o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>The homemade wine — complete with personalized labels.  We made so much, we’re still drinking this wine a year later.</p> <p>- <a href="http://jss.tumblr.com">jess</a></p>http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138593419http://mybestday.tumblr.com/post/138593419Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:47:37 -0400jssweddingwine