Wedding Fever

This semester has been so busy with various events and activities that I've barely been able to stay afloat in my classes, let alone find some time to blog. But recently I was able to experience some of the happiest moments with cherished friends from different seasons in my life, and I wanted to capture some of those thoughts before too much time passed.

Mark and Emily, March 15, 2014. St. Louis, MO

Mark and I go back to kindergarten. He and I did everything together growing up, during which we engaged in countless silly elementary and middle school conversations about girls and the like. So, it was surreal to say the least, standing up there as he was exchanging his vows. On top of all that, it was my first time back in St. Louis in about seven years, so the nostalgia was being poured on thick as I saw old friends and parents of friends for the first time since I was 18 years old.

It was nice to know that while everyone has matured and moved on to adulthood successfully, some mannerisms and tendencies never change. Despite having been away for so long, I felt like I was laughing the entire weekend. Being a groomsman with old friends Ross, Logan and Pownall was a ton of fun. Getting to go on-field at Busch Stadium as well as the Arch was the perfect icing on the cake -- I was on cloud nine. Finally, I'd be amiss if I did not mention the warm hospitality from Mark's parents, who were like a second set of parents to me growing up in St. Louis.

The wedding itself was traditional and beautiful in a classic-with-a-modern-twist way. The ceremony took place in Mark's childhood church, where I had visited several times as a kid. The reception was held in historic Soulard at the Ben Franklin room which was built back in 1905.

Wedding flair: glassware galore, homemade honey, college pride

Anthony and Emma, April 5, 2014. Sierra Madre, CA.

Coming off of a memorable bachelor party weekend in Lake Arrowhead, I knew this wedding weekend would be a hilarious college reunion, and once again the weekend did not disappoint. Anthony and Emma were one of the first couples I knew that had formed at UC Irvine, and thus a future marriage that I had been waiting on for a long time. Going back to our impromptu sleepovers and discussions about Anthony's perseverance and patience, it was awesome to see everything finally come to fruition.

It was an honor to serve as a groomsman. It's that much more special when you are present for the entire weekend, going through the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, preparation and setup time, leading up to the real deal. Although Yi and I were embarrassingly tardy to the rehearsal portion, I'm thankful that Ant + Em were able to forgive us (eventually). One thing that will definitely stand out to me from the wedding were the heartfelt speeches from both the bride and groom to their parents, as well as the toasts from the fathers to their children. Equal parts comical and touching.

The wedding was very Anthony and Emma, with telling hints of both hipster and cuteness. The ceremony and reception were both at the rustically beautiful Villa del Sol d'Oro, with superb live music from the out-of-town Isaac Gill and his wife.

Wedding flair: thai tea, selfie craze, hair cuts from Gabe