The day Tyler and I got married was hot. Uncomfortably, unrelentingly hot.
And not the kind of hot that wears off once the sun goes down and a breeze cools everything down. This heat did not let up, not even once the moon rose up and dancing began after dinner. There are photos of our friends drenched head to toe in sweat, and I looked like Runaway Bride: River Swim Escape Version, completely soaked, after just a few songs.
That day was pure bliss. I can’t imagine anything more perfect and more us. If things went wrong, my bridesmaids were smart enough not to tell me, and I was on cloud nine.
We got married in Tyler’s grandmother’s backyard, in Lodi, California. Her house sits on a beautiful property on the river, and Tyler’s dad put a ton of work into the backyard that year to make it perfect for our day.
I distinctly remember sweat dripping down my face and looking out at all of our loved ones and then at Tyler. I remember thinking, “There is no possible way I could feel any happier than this.” I felt overwhelmed by the joy of that day and the promise of what was to come for us.
And here we are, three years later. That day feels like it was yesterday and lifetimes ago at the exact same time.
And looking back, I laugh because I had NO idea how much better it was going to get. I think of how much we’ve been through and how much stronger we are together. I think about how happy he makes me, even in the small, seemingly mundane moments of our day-to-day, and I can’t possibly imagine my life any other way.
When Tyler and I look back at our wedding day, we always say, “We didn’t even know. We sort of knew, but we really didn’t.” We hadn’t the slightest idea of how God was going to transform and grow our love for each other in huge, humbling ways.
Will I feel like this every year? Will each year just compound on the last, and will I lose it every morning on August 15th as I think about the time that has passed and the love that has grown between us? I hope so.
I hope we never take a second of this for granted. I hope that when things get hard, and harder, that we continue to remember this gift, this perfect and imperfect life that God gave us.
I pray that we always choose each other, notice and encourage the growth in each other, and lift one another up. I hope that we never, ever forget to hold each other close, even when Charlotte comes in a few months and we have to hold her a lot, too.
I am, of course, nervous for our next chapter, but I am SO excited to do this with Tyler. Our next three years might look a little bit different, but I know it will still be us.
We couldn’t have been happier with how our wedding photos and video turned out, and we wanted to share the video and a few photos here in honor of our anniversary.
Video: Sidney Unga
Photos: Josie Elle Photography
