What a terrible way to start this, but it’s true. The first time I met Steve, we were at a mutual friend’s ex’s 21st birthday party, and we’d both had copious amounts of lemon drop shots and were only bumming cigarettes off of each other because we were too nervous to do anything else. Fast forward six months to January 2016, we’re out at our local bar(shoutout Lock 5 Tavern) and his best friend buys me a shot and dares me to “grow a pair and ask him to be my boyfriend because he’s taking too long.” This horrible, blurry picture of us is the first I took of us together in November 2016. Back then we were living in the basement of Steve’s mom’s tiny two bedroom house, which is now our tiny two bedroom house. We were 22, and neither of us had ever thought about getting married in our entire lives.

January 13th is our eighth anniversary. I know, I can’t believe it’s been that long either. The last few years, for us in particular, have been fraught with loss and confusion and just general uncoolness. So for me, it’s more important than ever to celebrate. We all need a good party in my opinion, and at my wedding having fun is the name of the game. To have all my friends and family from all the different eras of my life all in one place and wearing their fanciest party clothes just because of me? That’s cool as hell. So come party with us and remember the good things in this silly world we live in.