Five years ago Rob and I tied the knot on a perfect spring day in Roanoke. Earlier this week I told someone our fifth anniversary was coming up and it sounded so strange coming out of my mouth—five years married? It has absolutely flown by in what feels like the blink of an eye some days. And yet, most mornings I wake up and see him and feel so grateful that at the still-so-young age of 30, we’ve been able to spend a whole third of our lives together so far. I can’t imagine anything better.

I thought it’d be fun to share some of the songs we played at our ceremony and reception, as well as a reading or two that we chose. Picking out these details was my favorite.

“Wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you live, I will live. Your people shall be my people. Wherever you die, I will die and be buried beside you. We shall be together forever and our love will be the gift of our lives.”

— Ruth 1:16-17

“May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace.
May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase.
May your hands be forever clasped in friendship
And your hearts joined forever in love.”

— Irish Wedding Blessing

And, of course, it wouldn’t be our anniversary if I didn’t share our wedding video again now would it?

Too many thoughts and feelings and overwhelming gratitude today, so here's our wedding video once more.

Three years ago today Rob and I got married.

I landed in Roanoke a week early from a still-chilly Minneapolis and felt completely electrified at the sight of those green hazy mountains outside the tiny plane windows. It had rained all week and smelled like wet spring outside, something I usually love, but I was trying to remain calm about the ceremony and reception which were both planned to be mostly outdoors. 

But then on Thursday the rain clouds cleared and the sun came out and by Friday the ground was dry enough that our heels didn't sink into muddy grass as we walked down the aisle for the rehearsal. It was spring in Virginia--one of the most magical times of the year--and all the people I loved the most in the world were all in one place.

On Saturday morning my girlfriends and I woke up and went downtown to do the Market Run, the quick 3-mile workout we always used to do before a meet. It seemed like the perfect way to start the biggest day of my life, and it was even more special because our beloved coach, Dr. Race, met us and biked alongside us as we ran. We stopped at Mill Mountain for coffee and breakfast to go before heading back to the hotel to shower and caravan over to the venue. 

I sat at a large vanity in a white robe as a stylist did my hair, and my friend Emma re-did my nails--2014 was before I had discovered the magic of gel nails and my regular manicure got destroyed somewhere between the salon and the rehearsal dinner the night before. We drank champagne and took pictures and laughed before finally it was time for me to see Rob.

That first look was the best--I was so thankful for a quiet moment with him before the ceremony and reception, which honestly was a bit of a blur. We kissed and teared up and giggled and took more pictures with the whole group and then it was time for the real thing.

Walking down the aisle was so surreal, but the minute I got my hands into Rob's I felt completely calm and at ease. We worked really hard on our ceremony and I still go back and read it sometimes. The readings, the music, every little detail was so very "us" that it still brings tears to my eyes.

I didn't know at the time that by our third anniversary we'd be celebrating in our third state together. I didn't know we'd adopt a crazy little pit bull pup or that I'd write two cookbooks or that my mom would get cancer again. I didn't know that Rob would get his dream job or that it would bring us to California and he would work harder than he's ever worked, or that I'd be even more proud of him than I ever thought I could be. I just knew we'd be together, and happy; through the good times and the bad ones.

And we really are.

Happy anniversary, Rob. You really are my everything.

Our wedding video, by Jarred Foresman:

More details from our wedding here and here.