The Motherload of All Wedding Posts

Several months ago I got married.

…

The end.

If only it was that simple. No, when I was asked that wonderful question "Will you marry me?" and surveyed the potentially treacherous, financially draining, but unique satisfying land known as planning a wedding, I decided I could take matters into my own hands, and make it the most spectacular, affordable affair, the likes of which had never been seen before! Oh how naïve I was, fueled by the daily churn of fabulous wedding photos pouring out from the countless wedding blogs to which I subscribed. But this story has a happy ending, because from my exhaustive do-it-yourself experience, I have gained an assortment of wedding planning knowledge which I will share with you today! Whether you like it or not!

First order of business (and one that can set you back several thousand dollars): a photographer. This probably isn't what comes to mind as the first thing one would need to decide upon when planning a wedding, but let me just say this:

WHAM!

BAM!

THANK YOU MAM!

And that thanks specifically goes to Nancy Neil, our wedding photographer. She was, is, and fovever shall be the most awesomist wedding photographer out there. I'll let the photos in this post speak for themselves, but keep in mind I'm only sharing an assortment of the photos she took, and only the ones which have to do with my profound wedding planning insight.

Next order of business: the location. This was a no brainer for us, because my husband's family has a very special, family property in Northern California which would provide a beautiful setting for an outdoor wedding. That is of course, if you think cattle ranches in May are beautiful.

There's lots of golden pasture.

And cattle.

Although I think we made it work.

Once we decided we were going to have the wedding at the ranch, I had to confront the reality that I was now planning a "destination" wedding (we are based in Los Angeles), in addition to the fact that the ranch is 30 minutes outside of the nearest town. Moral of the story: work with good vendors that know what they are doing (i.e. spend the money).

For the rentals (chairs, dance floor, market lights) we used Classic Party Rentals. A local sales representative drove out the ranch, walked the site with us, made suggestions, and took notes on our needs. They are a very large company, so their pricing is competitive and they have everything you could ever need to throw a dinner party (times 160).

The next vendor, our caterers, were also all stars. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme (PSRT), based out of San Jose, helped us with all the table rentals, table set up, miscellaneous decorating, food (of course), buffet flow and bartending. Heather and her team showed up, set up, made sure everyone was fed, boozed, and aware of our timing (cake cutting, dessert), packed up our leftovers, and broke down all the tables and trucked off with them the same night. I'm doing a poor job describing how wonderful it was to have a caterer that also acted like an event manager, so that I didn't have to stress about it during the evening. Because let's face it. People want to eat and drink without delay when they attend a wedding, and PSRT made sure that happened. Wes and I even got to sit down and eat! We had to pay a premium since the whole staff traveled from San Jose, so it ended up costing around $100 per person, clearly our biggest expense, but I think it was well worth it.

And the paella was bomb-diggity.

Since Wes wanted pie as the main dessert, and I only wanted a small cake for ceremonial purposes, we went with a local baker to complete the order. We had a variety of fruit pies (strawberry, peach, apple) and a few chocolate mousse pies. I definitely didn’t hear any complaints.

After I had all the basics organized (location, photographer, food, rentals), I spent my time thinking about the DETAILS, and coming up with creative do-it-yourself projects which would add personal touches to the event.

The biggest detail I cared about was the flowers, and I really wanted to handle all the flower arrangements myself. I made several trips to the LA Flower Mart to take notes on flower varieties and pricing, and picked up several bunches to make sample arrangements. If you live near LA, the LA Flower Mart is amazing and I highly recommend a visit. I spent the time to figure out what exact flowers I would need to make our arrangements look spectacular, without breaking the bank.

If you're looking to do arrangements like ours, here's my advice:
-    Pick a focal flower, but use it sparingly. I really loved the elegant look of peonies and the standout presence of dahlias, but these are some of the most expensive flowers at $3-$5 a stem. To keep the costs down we only used 1-2 of these in our table arrangements. We splurged on my bridal bouquet and predominately used peonies and dahlias, but that was because I wanted my bouquet to be extra special (as it should be). I also considered using Pincushions because I loved their color, but they were a little too striking for the elegant, simple look we were going for.
-    Use roses (specifically the Vendela ivory colored varietal) to add elegant substance to your arrangements, but at a more affordable price. These are standard roses, available everywhere, and if you get lucky at the flower mart, you might be able to pick up 2 dozen for $8.00.
-    Fill out the rest of your arrangements with less expensive filler flowers. Stock is about $3-$4 a bunch (8 stems), Button Poms and most other daisies/poms are about $4-$5 a bunch, Green Mist is about $3 a bunch, and Dusty Miller (the fabulous grey/fuzzy white leaves we used as a base) is about $5 a bunch.
-    Finish off your arrangements with a unique flower that is in line with the "spirit" of your wedding. Since our event was outdoors on a ranch, and we wanted to incorporate that natural, rustic element, we chose to add Scabiosa Pods and Bunny Tails to every arrangement (a small bunch is about $5).

Now that you've read everything you NEVER wanted to know about flowers, I have to admit that all my research and planning went down the pooper. There was no possible way to buy flowers at the LA Flower Mart on Thursday, truck them up to Merced, and arrange them myself in time for our Saturday wedding (and trust me, I really wanted to make this happen. I even researched renting a refrigerated truck.)

Luckily, I found a fabulous floral designer in Merced and was able to pass along my specifics to her. Natalie at Natalie Galasso Designs did a wonderful job for a fair price, and the flowers turned out better than I could of imagined. Natalie even offered to rent me specific vases from her huge collection for the event, but in the spirit of a psycho bride-to-be, I purchased our own vases from Anthropologie (green, crackled pots for $12 apiece) and Blue Ball Mason Jars from Ebay. And if you want even more specifics, we spent approximately $1600 having 2 bouquets, 18 main table arrangements, and 20+ small miscellaneous arrangements made.

Is anybody still reading this? Damn, I've got a lot of crap to say about planning our wedding.

In an effort to save time and space, I'll only give brief descriptions for the following do-it-yourself projects we did to make our wedding special:
-    My sister and I constructed wedding programs fans, using the same font with which I designed our wedding invitations (Feel Script).

-    Our good friend Chris constructed "W" and "J" candle rafts and floating stars from a piece of housing insulation we bought from Lowes. Cylinder candle holders were purchased from Dollar Tree (for only a dollar each!)

-    Bark framed chalkboards constructed by yours truly. Bark is from save-on-crafts.com, picture frames from Dollar Tree, 11x17 chalkboards purchased from chalkingitup on Etsy.

-    Empty shotgun shells filled with quick dry cement and used as placecards.

-    Burlap purchased from onlinefabricstore.net and cut into table runners.

-    Custom designed "I went to Jocelyn and Wes's wedding and all I got was this loozy koozie!" guest gift koozies ordered from LogoDogz.com.

-    And lastly, the paper lantern chandelier.

Backstory: I had originally wanted to construct tumbleweed chandeliers for the event, because they would've been SO AWESOME, and my dutiful, loving husband even picked up some tumbleweeds on his way back from his bachelor party in Lake Mead. Unfortunately, my dutiful, loving husband did not believe said tumbleweeds should be stored in his sacred garage up until the wedding. They were weeds and should be kept outside. NOT in his sacred garage. Well wouldn't you know it, but our gardeners also thought said tumbleweeds were in fact weeds, and proceeded to destroy and trash them when they found them lying in the side yard. This is why you did NOT see any awesome tumbleweed chandeliers at our wedding. I am still recovering.

Instead, I came up with a new plan: let's construct a paper lantern chandelier! I bought the paper lanterns from Luna Bazaar and Wes handled the rest. There were lots of light sockets, and electrical tape, and rope, and possible electrocution, but I think it turned out marvelously.

To wrap this "Motherload of All Wedding Posts" up, I'll end by noting a few things I would change next time (aka never, because I'm never planning a wedding again; aka Wes you're stuck with me forever and ever, Amen.)

-    Hair and makeup: I did my own with the help of my best friend, and I think it turned out great. But I would make a point to schedule actual appointments next time, as a way to force myself to relax the morning of.
-    Table numbers/names: Wes wanted to include aviation in the table numbers/names (since flying is his "thing"), so we decided to gather up all the model airplanes we could find at home and at the ranch, and use the models as the table names (e.g. Citation II, Cessna 150, etc.) This worked fine, but the models themselves were inconsistent (different sizes), so it was a little confusing. I'm sure no one cared, but next time I'd try to be a little more organized about it.
-    Seating assignments: DO NOT WAIT TO DECIDE THIS THE DAY OF YOUR WEDDING. I don't know how I ended up writing 160+ names and table assignments the day of our wedding, but I did and I'm sorry for it.

And there we have it. Everything I have to say about my experience of planning a wedding. Hopefully you're not banging your head against your desk in boredom!

The End.

Flashback to All Things Wedding

I have a monstrous wedding post in the works, chock-full of details about our vendors, my insane do-it-yourself projects, and my advice for anyone whose future entails planning a wedding. But for now, I want to share my FAVORITE photo from the day:

I don't know why I love it so much. Maybe it's the love, hope and joy in our eyes after just saying our "I do's." Or maybe it's because Cocoa is looking at me so lovingly, not in his usual "Oh, you again. I was kinda hoping you wouldn't stick around FOREVER. Three's a crowd woman. Wes and I were cool when it was just the two of us."

Yes, Cocoa. I'm sticking around FOREVER. You can call me Mom.

Happy New Identity Day!

Feel both the crisp air of new opportunity and the gentle mist of nostalgia envelop your body...

You are at a turning point in your life AND THERE'S NO GOING BACK. Isn't this exciting?!

It's official. Both federal and state agencies are heralding in the new me! It's time to shed my maiden identity and embrace my new one. And since this is such a momentous (if not incredibly confusing) occasion, it's time to celebrate!

In honor of New Identity Day, I will share a little story about how I became this "new" person…

It's an early evening in November. The setting sun reminds me how much I dislike daylight savings time. Tonight I am going on my first blind date; well, semi-blind date (at least Facebook's good for something). Although the guy I saw on Facebook seems like a handful; tall, blonde, oozing masculinity. Certainly not like anyone I've ever dated before. I try to stay away from guys whose egos are bigger than their IQs, and if I've learned anything from my brief stint on the frat party circuit in college, blonde dudes are the worst. But what the hell. My aunt thinks he's a fine gentleman, and really, what do I have to lose? I most certainly will be wearing flats though. No matter how tall I guy says he is, they always get shorter standing next to my 5'10" frame.

We're scheduled to have dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in Studio City, a tapas bar called Olé. I figure it's a good choice for a first date; they have drinks, small plates to share, plus it's dark in there. I try to put the hustle on my primping so I won't be late - first impressions are important after all - but it doesn't look like I'm going to make it. I'll be "fashionably" late as always.

Luckily, I find parking on the street in front of the restaurant, so my tardiness is minimal. As I walk to the entrance, last minute nervousness floods my thoughts: "Oh boy, here we go! If something awful happens or he turns out to be a complete weirdo at least I'll have a good story to tell! Let's try and enjoy this. Dates are supposed to be fun, aren't they?"

I open the door and spot my unmistakable date before the hostess can even greet me. "I'm meeting him" or something like that comes out of my mouth. He rises to reveal that yes, he is indeed tall, but no, he does not do laundry. Paint splatter decorates his jeans and boots, and I get the feeling he didn't pay some high-end designer to put it there. His shirt is pressed and he looks clean shaven, and I might have even let the thought "Ya, he's cute" cross my mind.

We exchange "Hello's", sit down at the bar and start talking about how he knows my aunt, what we do for work, where we're from, and what schools we went to; normal, boring first date stuff. When I hear he rides dirt bikes, I make sure to share my own experience of riding on weekend trips with my Dad and sister. Sure that was over 10 years ago, but I can still talk the talk. At least I think I can.

We don't order much for dinner, just some appetizers and drinks, and despite his outspoken conservatism, he seems tolerant of the predominantly liberal, election night crowd. What better way to get to know your date's political views than on election night? Not that political affiliation has any effect on my potential-boyfriend screening process.

Throughout the evening his whole demeanor exudes confidence, but I make sure to put on an unimpressed face. If there's anything the 23 year old Jocelyn prides herself on, it's not being a bubbly-headed, gullible, bimbo. This guy's going to have be more than just confident to impress me. But in a way he does. The casualness of the conversation combined with his in-your-face personality is intriguing. He is certainly not like anyone I have ever met before.

Soon it's nearing 10 o'clock, and he has to get up early for work in the morning. He walks me to my car, which is actually a truck, and he seems impressed by this fact. Although he makes a comment about the bed not being rhino lined, indicating that I don't transport anything heavy. I tell him it's a truck and the bed can handle whatever I put in it as is.

Since this is the end of the date, I start to wonder if there is going to be a kiss. I certainly don't think I gave off a warm, inviting impression so I doubt he will go for it, but before I can conjecture any longer he goes in for the hug. "It was really nice meeting you. We'll have to do this again soon." he says. "Ya. Sure." I reply as I get into the car. "We'll see about that" is what I'm thinking.

I can't put a finger on whether I liked him or not… "The whole night was so… interesting." I think. The more I try to figure out how I feel the more confused I get, so I try not to think about. "We'll just see if he actually calls me and that will decide it." I tell myself.

And guess what?

He did.

Bereft

I did something on May 21^st that I’ve likened to having a baby. There was lots of planning, planning, planning, then a BIG delivery, but then my baby was taken away like I gave it up for adoption. Therefore, I have been feeling a bit bereft lately.

Oh where did my baby go? 48 hours of partying was not enough.

Oh where did my baby go? She was so beautiful, wasn’t she?

It doesn’t help that my fabulous photographer sent me these few images as a tease. I want the rest!

Ten Things to Do to Solve the Post-Wedding Blogging Blues

Keeping with my not-so-regular “Ten Things” feature on the blog, I have created a list which truthfully speaks to my state of mind as of late. Without further ado, here are Ten Things to Do to Solve the Post-Wedding Blogging Blues:

1) Write something.

2) Write anything.

3) Tell the world how your now husband, got so drunk at the pre-wedding, rehearsal dinner/Cowboy BBQ, that when the party was over, he ended up falling asleep on the trailer’s porch (I will never let him live it down… it’s too classic).

4) Tell the world that the frustration I experienced from realizing that my future husband was drunk, sleeping on the trailer’s porch, the night before the wedding (!), induced a hysterical crying fit and several “This is such a bad sign for our future together!” cries (I will never let myself live this down… it’s also too classic).

5) Report that “our future together” as newlyweds, at least during this last week, has been fabulous.

6) Also report, that due to the generosity of our friends and family, we have over 80 thank you notes to write. And I’ve done my half, so that means Wes has his weekend planned out for him.

7) Reflect on the fact that although I thought I could construct and render all the details of this wedding by myself, there is no way it would have happened if it weren’t for my amazing family and friends. They spent countless hours digging themselves out from under the myriad of last minute tasks I piled on top of them, and I will be forever grateful (especially because I made it through the weekend with my sanity intact).

8) Part of the insane, Bridezilla tasks I came up with the week before the wedding, was constructing a 14 bulb, paper lantern chandelier which would be hung over the dance floor. Note to self: creating such a large, illuminated light source in the middle of a cattle ranch will attract several things, one of which is BUGS. I think I swallowed about ten while I was violently jumping up and down to Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream”.

9) Feel lucky that your husband loves pop music (specifically Ke$ha and Katy Perry) more than any straight man should, which results in the best, impromptu dance parties.

10) And lastly, these have to be my two favorite photos (so far) from the weekend. Thanks PJ for helping capture the memories!

(Me and Cocoa at the rehearsal dinner/Cowboy BBQ)

(Pre-drunk-husband-sleeping-on-porch situation)

  

XOXO Jelly

A Temporary Interruption

Please excuse this temporary interruption.

And please have a beer in our honor.

We’re taking the plunge, jumping off the deep end, doing the unthinkable!

Well not really.

We’re just getting hitched that’s all.

And not to jinx it or anything, but I’m certain it’s going to be the best day of my life.

I'm a willful type of person.

See you on the flip side!

XOXO Jelly

15 Days Away

This was 8 months ago:

Now we are 15 days away, which means I have been:

Making wedding programs.
Gluing wood chips to frames to make drink menu displays.
Wondering where my paycheck has gone for the last 6 months (because it sure as hell isn’t in my bank account anymore).
Visiting the Dollar Tree like a Martha Stewart crafting lunatic.
Buying copious amounts of alcohol.
Wondering where my paycheck has gone for the last 6 months (oh wait, I already said that… but did I mention that weddings are freaking expense?)
Trying not to act like Bridezilla, even though I’m single-handedly organizing this shindig. Obsessed should not be confused with painstakingly organized, because I consider myself the latter.

So if you don’t hear from me for a couple days, it’s because we’re coming into the homestretch. And my super cool, super pregnant sister came into town today! Which means I’m going to be scrutinizing the wonders of pregnancy. (It’s amazing how elastic human skin is! It’s crazy!)

Deal Breaker

That's a powerful phrase I used to use a lot when I was a young, single girl. But when you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, that word exits your vocabulary (as does the ego you spent so much time protecting). The word that enters in its place is compromise.

In these last, increasingly stressful, exciting months until the big day I’ve tried to use that word, deal breaker, but it comes out so flat and meaningless it reminds me of my college personal statement; just a bunch of words that don’t really mean anything, even though I try to convince you I mean business.

(I may or may not have compared donating blood to being in the army… and I talked about getting tree sap on my butt).

Ok, I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to reread it. Remember in high school when you didn’t want your friends to read your personal statement because you thought they’d steal your oratory brilliance? (Or was that just me?) Well I’m not going to be insecure or selfish any longer. Here’s an excerpt from my ridiculous personal statement. It starts like so:

“As I gazed up at the night sky, and traced the outline of Orion with my finger, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. I had just spent the last four days backpacking through the wilderness of Yosemite's National Park, with nothing but the pack on my back and the ten other Girl Scouts surrounding me. It had all started when I saw a flyer for a backpacking trip through Yosemite, and not wanting to pass up this amazing opportunity, I signed up hoping my desire for travel and adventure would soon be fulfilled. We had the next month to plan, prepare, and coordinate every aspect of the trip to make sure it was a success. Although sitting through an eight-hour drive to Yosemite was hard, the real test of my strength and endurance started as I stepped out of the car and strapped my pack to my back. Waking up early to see if any forest neighbors had stolen or eaten our food was followed by a ten-mile hike, setting up our new camp, filtering gallons of stream water, and making our daily meals. During the last night, as I lay in my sleeping bag with aching muscles and a body covered in tree sap, I realized how rewarding and fulfilling the last four days had been.”

Can you say classic high school BRAT? How the hell did I even get into college? Geez.

Back to my point, and I’ll keep it short and sweet: don’t threaten your loved one with a phrase like deal breaker. You’ll just sound stupid.

The End

60 Days Away

It's hard to choose the right words to describe this incredible stage of life. In 60 days I will be marrying one of the most awesome people on the planet. Of course, I'm not biased at all. And to be honest, I don't think what will go down in 60 days will change much.

I know people say that getting married does change things, and if you think otherwise you're in for a surprise. I understand that some things will change: I will have another outlet through which to channel my hormonal outbursts. "No you can't visit your friends because we have to go buy toilet paper together! And if I have to go buy it by myself again, then you can pretty much stop considering yourself a husband and use your socks to wipe your butt!"

Oh the awesomeness. I can feel it already.

But in all seriousness, we are making a commitment to tackle, embrace, and create life together. We won't be in it alone any longer. Which is perfect, because I couldn't imagine life any other way.

I wouldn't have this spinning doogie to beg me for food every morning:

I wouldn't have projects to keep me busy on long and boring weekends:

I wouldn't have a whole new perspective on the sky and the earth beneath it:

And I wouldn't have a partner in crime:

I am so thankful for all the things that give me purpose and push me to do better in life. I think I've hit the jackpot.

The Message in the Details

This may look like an ordinary street to you. It does to me. It happens to be a street I drive down every day on my way to work. It’s not a very attractive street. The Valley’s weird like that. On one part of town you’ll see streets lined with beautiful homes and fancy shops, and on another part of town you’ll see more commercial streets with strip malls and trashy store fronts.

The reason I’m posting this photo is because there’s something special hidden in the details. Some people believe the Universe sends them coded messages; answers to the questions they struggle with in daily life. In my case, I would like to applaud the Universe for having such impeccable timing.

Yes, Judgment Day is coming on May 21^st. Although I'm not sure I need to cry out for God's mercy at my wedding. But I'm guessing Family Radio 1280 had something else in mind when they posted these billboards all over town.

In Three Months

In three months…

I will be…

Married to the man who can’t get enough of my dance moves, the one that makes me go to Home Depot on the weekends and smash my fingers on roofing supplies, the one who complains that I splash too much water around when I’m in the bathroom (ha!), the one who cleans up my splashed water, the one who says everything I cook is delicious, the one that makes me laugh, the sexiest man alive, and my best friend.

I’m pretty lucky…

right?

Divorce Attorney: Staple Remover

My latest artistic creation is a follow up to the one I posted last week entitled “Marriage: The Ultimate Stapler”.

As promised, here is “Divorce Attorney: Staple Remover”.

They are evil, evil beings with sharp claws. Watch out!

P.S. I have way too much fun with Illustrator.

Marriage: The Ultimate Stapler

I had this thought the other day, about marriage being the ultimate stapler, and I think the idea is best conveyed via a little illustration. So there we have it.

I think it's a very fitting analogy on so many levels. First, you've got to fill out paperwork if you want to get married; that's unavoidable. And staplers are really helpful when trying to keep your paperwork organized.

Second, staples are made out of metal, and the most symbolic element of marriage, wedding rings, are also made out of metal (for the most part. The errant nature enthusiast might get theirs made out of hemp).

Third, if you staple your hands together, you're probably going to draw blood, which can symbolize the union of two people sharing their mind, body and soul with each other.

And lastly, marriage is permanent, just like staples. Until you use a staple remover, but I'm saving that thought for my next doodle entitled "Divorce Lawyers: The Staple Remover". Stay tuned for that one.

A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

If you’ve been round these parts for any length of time, then you probably know that I’m getting hitched. And let me tell you something about weddings: they ain’t cheap. Keeping this fact in mind, I’ve come up with a creative solution to offset some of these wedding expenses. I’m going to pimp out my soon-to-be husband.

Has your baby daddy skipped town and you needs him to show up in court so you can get your skrilla? Cause somebody’s gots to take care of dem damn babies! Well you’re in luck. How about hire a bounty hunter? He will track down your baby daddy, your rouge tenant, your hamster, your Aunt Mrytle, anybody! For the low starting price of $99.99. You can afford to tie up your loose ends for that price!

(Fine print: Dog comes included. Although if he has to shoot anybody, you will be charged the cost of ammunition.)

Got a bird problem? We’ve got just the exterminator for you! He does the job clean and efficiently so you don’t have to deal with the mess. Nobody likes to get pooped on when walking from the car to the house, and now you won’t have to worry about it! One session with our exterminator and we promise those birds will be gone and you will be poop free for at least one week. Just send your cash or money order in amount of $99.99 to us today! Or if you’ve got a REALLY bad bird problem, our exterminator knows other exterminators and together they are the Tres Amigos Asesinos! Three times the fire power for only double the price. That’s right! Only $199.98!

(Fine print: This service is limited to the extermination of animals only; doves are preferable. You will not be able to keep the carcasses.)

Need a redneck to show up at your work’s “Accepting Other Cultures and Ethnicities Day”? Again, you’re in luck! We’ve got a one-of-a-kind, red-in-the-neck, hick-to-the-bone brother just waiting for you to hire him! He can answer all your questions, such as: “What mullet should I get if I’m going to a wedding” and “What type of mullet is acceptable for work?” or “What is the best ammunition to use to shoot a propane tank?” Don’t trust amateurs when you can be educated by an expert! We guarantee he will not show up on time, not be sober and definitely be wearing camo. All this for the low price of $99.99.

(Fine print: It is against the law to solicit sex, so please don't try to solicit those types of services from our redneck. If it’s hot, then he is allowed to take off his shirt, but that’s it!)

So what are you folks waiting for? Time is running out and his schedule is filling up. Don’t wait, call today!

(Advertisement paid for by: Brides Who Would Rather Pimp Out Their Husband than Remove Caviar from the Wedding Menu LLC).

Planning, planning, planning

I’ve been doing a little bit of it here and there, so here’s a little tour of the things you can look forward to.

On your drive in you might catch a glimpse of one of these:

The walking-down-the-aisle action will probably happen here:

The dinner, dancing and insane party action will be over here:

Anyone like cigars and bourbon? You'll probably find 'em down that-a-way:

We will have lovely facilities so you won’t have to do this (unless you really want to):

And I promise I will be much happier than this:

XOXO Jelly

An Aerial Perspective on Life

Some people want to get married in a church. I prefer the rolling fields of a dusty cattle ranch.

Some people want a big, lavish wedding with hundreds of guests. I prefer an intimate gathering with as many people as are able to fit on this pad.

Some people get so caught up in the day-to-day that the world just passes them by. I prefer to stop once and a while and marvel at the beauty of this universe.

Some people take comfort knowing they are marrying the man or woman of their dreams. I take comfort knowing that he’s the man of my dreams, AND he also happens to be a gangsta.

Some people think they can make it through life all by themselves. I used to think that, but now I know that even if I could, I wouldn’t want to go through life without my copilot.

XOXO Jelly

Some people forget that both marriage and life are supposed to be adventures. I welcome the adventure and try to focus on the positive.