Today was wedding day. I had done a bunch of praying last night and this morning for Abby’s wedding to go off without a hitch. I wanted it to be totally perfect for her, and for her groom, who’s also a good friend of mine. The weather channels were predicting rain, but when we got there it was the most perfect day ever. This is the best shot I could get of the ceremony venue, but that hill rolls straight down into Lake Michigan, so it was just stunning:
Oddly enough, I didn’t take a lot of photos tonight. I was too busy having fun with my friends. The vows Abby and Kortny read were phenomenal. And I’m always the first to critique someone else’s writing, but these were perfect. Such an ideal representation of these two loving people and how they love one another.
After the ceremony, we took Polaroid pictures. They don’t even make Polaroid cameras anymore, but Kortny had dug up an old one and some film, so that’s what they did for the guestbook. Of course, I had to take video of the Polaroid developing, because WHEN WILL WE EVER SEE THIS AGAIN???
Here’s the final outcome:
The party was equally great — their families are just so wonderful, and there was this uninhibited, unreserved sense of love in the air. Many of the married couples there, friends of the families, had been married over 30 years. Wow. And they still seemed very much in love and vibrant and committed to each other. It was heartening. I grinned from ear to ear watching them dance.
When I was at Abby’s bachelorette party in April, her cousin kept telling me “You need to meet my brother! You’ll meet him at the wedding! I can’t wait to introduce you guys!” and so of course I was like, “Oh, okay, whatever,” and I forgot about it entirely. But she ran up to me right after the ceremony and was like “Sasha! My brother’s over there! He’s going to come talk to you!” And he did, and it actually didn’t suck at all. He’s super fun to talk to, tall, handsome, employed, creative, diverse interests and hobbies, strong circle of friends, everything I look for in a man. We hung out for a lot of the night. The catch? He lives in Indianapolis. Ha! But he claims he’s a great storyteller, he just doesn’t have a mastery of actual writing. I was like “I’m the opposite! Let’s co-author a book!” So I’m going to demand that he send me an outline to write from. If nothing else, I networked.
And I just can’t emphasize enough how much fun I have with my friends. It was like a mini-LA reunion, especially since so many of us have moved to different cities since the days we were rolling around Manhattan and Hermosa Beach like a bunch of — well — 22-year-olds. We laugh so hard when we’re together. We converse so easily, like no time has passed at all.
I’m now the only one of this group of girls who’s not in a serious relationship or married or engaged right now, and I thought it was going to be hard to be there because of that. It wasn’t. I had so much fun chatting with them and getting to know the men they were with today. These are just phenomenal men. I mean, my girls hit it out of the ballpark with their life partners. They did not settle. They endured a lot of heartbreak on the road to finding the man who could be a perfect partner. These relationships are different than the ones we were in five years ago. These relationships have depth and weight and focus. I can sense it. It actually made me delighted — delighted for my friends, and delighted because I know it will happen for me too.
Anyway. Here’s some of the pics I took:
And then I took this one with my old buddy Nick, who’s basically played every role in my life imaginable at this point:
And I remembered that I had this photo of us, probably taken around Christmas 2003:
Same pose, right? SO CUTE! Altho it scares me that I can already see aging in my face, but whatever. It’s so good to have these people you’re connected to for life, to have these bonds that you know can and will endure everything. I have that with my friends. Today, Abby has that with her husband. Perfect and magical.
I was born in 1990 and we were still taking Polaroids up until I was in like 3rd grade… so I think that after the 90’s would probably be a more appropriate decade to generalize to.
> I had done a bunch of praying last night
You prayed? Pretty interesting God that pays attention to the prayers for someone to have a perfect wedding but then this God turns around and kills a bunch of small kids with cancer.
lol, sorry. Not trying to be a wet blanket. I just find religious people hilariously funny. It is amazing what people will believe if you brainwash them early enough in life.
It’s amazing how you feel the need to throw the exact same hissy fit every time faith (not religion) is mentioned on this blog. You know it’s coming. Why do you still read? I remember you disappeared for awhile because of it … maybe if it bothers you so much you should do that again?
The church actively targets little children because they know that if they don’t get people early enough they will grow up being non-believers. I have read quotes from church clergy where they actually admit this.
This is the same as any predator that lurks around a school yard and takes advantage of children.
The only reason you believe in God now is because your parents/church brainwashed you when you were a child. Even as an adult you believe this lie even though it goes against everything your adult brain sees and tells you.
Time to grow up Sasha.
At the very least stop shoving your religion down our throats. Yes, this is your website and you have the right to free speech. At the same time we have the right to free speech also and complain about you forcing your religion upon us.
It is a shame your only response is “go away”.
How the fuck is saying she prays shoving religion down anyone’s throat? This is her personal blog, it’s like a diary and she can say what she wants. Why should she have to sensor herself so that you don’t feel uncomfortable? Having faith in God does not make you childish. Being intolerant to other people’s beliefs does.
By constantly shoving her religious beliefs on us it is being intolerant of people who visit this website that don’t believe in a god. It works both ways.
God loves you too, douchebag! Seriously, you are an idiot!
She didn’t say anything about a church whatsoever. She said she prayed. For all you know, she could have been praying to a bowl of week-old macaroni she keeps in her car. How about stop shoving YOUR beliefs down peoples’ throats every time something is said that could possibly even slightly contradict what you think? This is her effing blog, she doesn’t need to make it something that everyone agrees with or is happy to read. If you are so concerned, then STOP READING IT.
Faith, church and religion are three different things. I don’t believe in the organisation that calls it self catholic church, protestant church, whatever church…hundreds of them. Mostly their run buy old men that cling to a power that they shouldn’t have (I mean, just look at the pope and his campaign against condoms, WTF??).
I also don’t necessarily believe in the man-made (!!) rules of religion. I mean, some of them are just plain common sense and others just depict the life situation of the people that have written religious texts. They don’t apply to our reality.
BUT i have faith. I believe that there is more. And if you want to call this “more” God, then that’s okay, it could also be called Kate, Bill, pancake, whatever. The name isn’t important anyways. I trust in it and I truely believe it’s there. And that’s something you recognise as you grow up. There’s more to the world than just plain and simple things. We don’t understand everything, we can’t and we probably never will. But hey, that’s okay, it happens for a reason.
And if that reason turns out to be pure coincidence, then that’s cool to :D.
Arrgh…it’s they’re and not their in the first paragraph…bugger… :S.
I hate to correct you but I’m only saying this because I love polaroid film and I’m so excited it’s going to stay around, even if it’s under a new name…
http://www.the-impossible-project.com/
is the website of the people who bought the polaroid instant film factory/equipment and are bringing it back with both instant black/white and color film by 2010! I was so happy when I heard about this : ) Instant film isn’t gone!
Glad to see you had a wonderful time with your friends, Sasha! I just wanted to comment very quickly on your observation of aging. I’ve done that a lot with older photos of myself compared to newer ones, so I understand what it’s like to make that realization. I have to say, though, that your face has aged for the better. Seriously. It’s thinned out, and taken a beautiful shape. Also, don’t ever bleach your hair again!!!!!
I’d just like to say the opposite, the pics on your myspace with long curly blonde hair are so pretty, and I’m not so sure about the thinning face either.
Indianapolis is AWESOME! (Can you tell that I miss being home?) I think you should give THAT boy a chance. :oP
you don’t look aged just more sophisticated, like now you understand your beauty.
I am praying DP will find a new website.
BTW - I think you look really cute as a blonde!
P.s. Sasha, I’m not sure what signs of aging you’re referring to, but I really don’t see it! I think the change in hair color makes you look very different, but you don’t look aged in one photo compared to the other.
I have several polaroid cameras, and they still manufacture film I think. They still sell it in shops anyway, although it is repulsively expensive.
Hooray for great friends and great times! :-). Boooo for DP, the total DB! Love you! Had so much fun on Saturday. Although we totally should have jumped in Lake Michigan after.
The third one down almost has a nipslip. I like it.
So glad your Chgo/Indiana trip turned out so good. I really admire (and envy, I suppose) how you champion reaching out for support. Takes a lot of courage and willingness.
I was supposed to go white water rafting recently with a rafting group of folks I didn’t know, and I chickened out the day before, deciding my extra “poundage” in a bathing suit was not a scenario I wanted to be in. Really bit since I love to go white water rafting. You are inspiring!
That’s total bullshit, and you know it. No one is forcing you to read this website. I’ve heard there are actually a few more on the Internet.
That was intended for DP, btw.