From the bride Jessie:
While our wedding weekend was full of so many wonderful moments — shared meals, drunken card games, relaxing on the lake, bonfires, music, moonshine, and love — our favorite part was, to no surprise, the ceremony itself because every aspect was so intentional. Every word was tied to who we were. We could feel the love surrounding us — just as they were a part of the love story that got us there, we made our guests a part of the ceremony, the commitment. We asked them to commit to support us in our life, and in our love, and in our marriage. They cheered a resounding “YES.”
We also weaved them into the ceremony through our readings. Dustin and I spent the first year and a half of our relationship apart. We wrote each other actual letters during this time. So instead of traditional readings, our siblings and best friends stood up and read excerpts from those letters. They painted the story of our beginning. They cried and beamed. We were transported back to the day we wrote the letters. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.
Our letters to each other:
Dustin to Jessie: I see us living in a big house with lots of land. I see wild kids running around with long hair, building forts, playing in the mud, learning how to fish, learning how to climb and surf. I see us falling in love with each other over and over again as we grow older. I see us having boisterous dinner parties under the stars with our friends and family. I see us fighting to have more time to spend with each other and with our kids — and I see us winning that fight.
Jessie to Dustin: That future that we talked about in our vows is here. And I’m so proud of the partnership that we nurture each and every day. I think the secret sauce to our marriage is that it’s half love and half mission: keep each other honest, keep each other kind, keep questioning the world around us and what we know to be true. Keep each other young, and defy the usual cynicism that comes with age. Love hard and provide unbounded support—in the face of both failure and success. Protect our magic. With this shared vision for our love and our life, I see so many things for us: A house full of dogs. And endlessly curious children. A little bit of chaos. A lot of love. Records spinning and silly dancing. Late night meals, games, and laughter with our closest friends. Talking about the meaning of life over a bowl of Kevin’s pho. Endless exploration and quiet comfort. I see joy.
