One Year Wed: Our Story

Yesterday marked one year since the happiest day of my life! I think that’s blog worthy!

For you sappy folks out there, here’s a little about our not so classic love story…

I’ve known my husband Brandon since high school, and more specifically since grade 9 music class. By chance (or maybe it was fate) we sat next to one another in the trombone section, him with his blonde-spiked tips, and me with my dead straight, red, Avril Lavigne-esk hair (oh the choices we made…) He would write out the entire Blue Jays World Series roster out on lined paper, using the music stand as a desk as I pestered him. By some miracle, we still managed to learn all the notes to ‘Stand By Me’ and play it perfectly when it came to performance time.

We used to walk home the same way after school, sometimes as a larger group and sometimes just the two of us. Those walks bustled with high school drama and gossip: who liked who, who wrote what note, who sat beside who, where, and discussions surrounding what the secret meaning of someones MSN name must be. We were fortunate to have found our place in high school, within a circle of friends with which we would get to test and experience adolescence. But what I still most clearly remember about those walks were the times that I would get to push this cute boy I quietly crushed on into nearby snowbanks after he made some teasing remark (which I’m happy to say I still do if he deserves it)!

Cupid made his appearance and shot some arrows, in a flurry of directions as can often be the case in high school. This person dated that person, for a day, a week, a year. They broke up, drama unfolded, they dated others, more drama, more locker note worthy excitement (this is pre cell phones people)! But this story isn’t as simple as teen romance and high school sweethearts meeting in music class, happily ever after, blah, blah, blah. Nah, as much as I’d like to tell you it was that simple, that’d be boring!

He was always that person for me, the one I hadn’t dated but always wondered about. There was no shortage of electricity, flirtations and chemistry between us, but timing never added up and instead, life did. We were lucky to have found and developed close-knit friendships that lasted throughout high school and beyond. But these friendships were unfortunately also the most challenging part of our journey together. High school was over, and all these new young adults were trying to act their age. But drama doesn’t necessarily end when adolescence does.

Hindsight is a powerful thing, and only in hindsight do we realize the obvious. Brandon and I were always circling one another. It wasn’t the circle of friends we were in, it was us, and it’s always been us. In between dating this one and that one, we would come back to us. A look, a flirtatious moment, a deep conversation. Our connection was always there, and eventually we were lucky to realize that timing, life and maybe even love were colliding.

Cupid had finally learned to aim his arrow, but there’s a reason that thing is so pointy. Our connection had come to a head, we were head over heals for one another but our being together wasn’t without a battle worthy of a bow and arrow. That circle of friends like any group, came with its rules about membership, and falling in love with an old friend’s former girlfriend was not following those rules.

We hem and haw over many decisions in life, I do too. But some things are not a choice, they’re a reality. For us, we had finally realized what we had together and how strong our connection had always been. It wasn’t a choice between a flourishing relationship or our friends, not for us.

For us, it was crazy! To finally be holding hands, or sharing a kiss with a person you’ve been friends with for all of these years. To look at the same eyes, see the same smile or hear a laugh you know so well but in a completely new light. We knew it was right, even if everyone else thought it was wrong to be breaking the “rules of dating”. It seems so silly to me as I type it here, but I can’t speak for the decisions of others, I can only reflect upon my own, and I married my best friend.

I know with all of my heart that we made the right choice, which was no choice at all. It’s been a year since our beautiful wedding and I can truly say (with lots of mushy, sappy cheese) that I love that man a little more each and every day. We grew up together and we continue to do so. Do we fight? Do we sometimes drive each other crazy? Of course we do! But we are realizing that marriage is about growth, and doing it as a team. Most importantly, marriage is about being an endlessly supportive Partner In Crime. For us, that apparent crime was loving one another, but I think we’re ok with that.

To my P.I.C Brandon, I love you!

Lots of love, to all of you, because that’s what matters! Enjoy! (see below for details and credit).

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Thank you to everyone who made our wedding amazing! Our friends, family and vendors. We had a wonderful experience with all of our vendors, I’m so happy to share them with you and I highly recommend them all:

Venue: Penryn Park at the Port Hope Golf and Country Club. Thank you especially to Aimee Johnston who was an amazing help.
DJ: Sight and Sound (paired us with the perfect DJ for our party)
Catering: On the Side Gourmet Food by Chef Tina Moorey (mmm!)
Florist: St. Lawrence Flowers in Port Hope, Ontario: Wendy (super talented expert florist)
Mini-Cake/Cupcakes: Decadent Cakes: Judy Garden (thank you Judy for such delicious treats!)
Officiant: All Seasons Weddings: Steven Crawford (was so kind and amazing, thanks for the marriage advice)
Photography: Cassie Photography (Cassie and her husband took all of these amazing photos that we will cherish forever!)
Bride’s Dress and Veil: Becker’s Bridal (thank you ladies!) Dress: Barbra Allin Collection
Bride’s Necklace: J. Crew
Bride and Bridesmaids Hair: Onare Salon : Paolo
Groom and Groomsmen: Vera Wang for Moores
Groom’s Tie: Sondergaard

My amazing bridesmaids, sister-in-law, husband and I made almost everything you see for my special day, and I cannot thank them enough.
If you’re curious about our second year of marriage, head to “Two Years Married, Two Things I’ve Learned.”

Anna