Married!

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

 
Today, John and I are celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary. We've been married for 48 months, 208 weeks, 1,461 days–and I've never been happier. But perhaps I should back up and start at the beginning.


Four years ago, we were living in San Francisco, far from our families and life-long friends. We'd been together for four years, and one day, when thinking about taxes or health insurance or something equally romantic, I half-jokingly suggested that John and I get married to take advantage of some of the financial perks. And John unexpectedly said, "That's actually a pretty good idea." We started talking about all the very practical reasons that couples marry rather than simply commit, but it was also an incredibly romantic idea–we could elope at City Hall, be our own little family, share a tremendous secret. We both knew we'd want a wedding someday, but it wasn't the right time for us to throw a big celebration. So we headed to City Hall on a sunny Thursday afternoon, me in that red polka dot dress you spy in my About photo, John in his favorite navy suit and a red and navy striped tie. After saying our "I do's" before the judge, we strolled into Hayes Valley where we picked up a chocolate cupcake with raspberry buttercream from Miette and the most expensive bottle of Champagne we could (hardly) afford from Arlequin. We spent the rest of the afternoon grinning at each other before heading to dinner at–perhaps you guessed it–our favorite Indian restaurant! The staff there were the first people to know we'd tied the knot, and dinner was an incredible celebration.

But to avoid hurt feelings and disappointed family and friends, we agreed we'd keep our marriage a secret, at least for a while. Quickly though, I learned that my new husband was terrible at keeping our big news under wraps. Only weeks after our clandestine vows, John had told his parents, and soon I confessed to my mom. The secret slowly leaked, and was made even more confusing to some when we announced our engagement–and then never made any move to marry. Truthfully, the first few years of our marriage were incredibly challenging, and sometimes it was a relief not to have everything about our relationship out in the open. And then one day, John looked at me and said, "I want to wear a wedding band. I want the whole world to see that symbol of our commitment." From that moment on, we stopped keeping the secret–and with our fourth anniversary today, it seemed like the perfect time to make the announcement to all of you!


And there's more big news–John and I are planning a five year anniversary celebration to fête our marriage with family and friends here in San Francisco! I can't wait to share details of the planning process–everything from the venue to the dress, the flowers, the favors and the papers. I'm so excited to finally share the news with you all, and I can't wait to toast our four year anniversary with my husband tonight!


Image by Amalie Orrange Photography.

17 comments:

  1. AHHHHHHH!!!! Oh my gosh, what a surprise!!! Happy anniversary, sweet friend, and congratulations four years belated, too! So excited to follow along as you plan your fifth anniversary celebration!

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  2. Oh my gosh! This is the cutest story, Lena! And thanks for sharing it with us. For some reason I've thought you were married all this time. But let me say officially: happy belated anniversary!

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  3. Oh my goodness, what amazing news!!! You guys are so sneaky :-) Wishing you and John a very happy anniversary!

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  4. Happy Anniversary to you both <3!!!!! ;) xoxo

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  5. Happy four!! Somehow I knew this? Kinda sorta? Anyhoo, very exciting news about the five year fete! We're thinking about doing the same in two years with (hopefully!) a kiddo in tow.

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  6. Happy anniversary!!! What a lovely secret to cherish between the two of you. #5 will be so so sweet; may the year leading up to your celebration be just as wonderful!!

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  7. Happy, happy, happy anniversary to you both! Can't wait to hear more about your wedding. xo

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  8. So very many congratulations to you both! Happy 4 year anniversary! I look forward to seeing pics of your planning; I know everything will be fantastic.
    Cheers!
    Lori

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  9. Oh my gosh - do you know I've always wondered about this after being a loyal reader for so long. You have such great taste and I always wanted to see your wedding. I noticed you never discussed on the blog and I've been dying to hear the details one day. Now I can follow along. Congrats to you both...this is so unique, I just love it!

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  10. Happy anniversary!!!!

    Your wedding sounds lovely - I love the idea of it just being about the two of you. Can't wait to see pictures :)

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  11. Hey now! That is certainly a surprise! A happy anniversary to you, all the same!

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  12. Thank you all for your tremendously sweet comments–we had a pretty fabulous dinner, and reading all your notes last night had us grinning like fools! xoxox

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  13. Whaaaat?! That is certainly some news! Reading what John said about wanting to wear a wedding band made me a little teary. And I love that you both were terrible at keeping your secret. I think that's the power of marriage--it yearns to be shared with all the people who love and support you (and can be there for you when things get tough--which they always do). Congratulations on four years, my friend! I can't wait to hear all the details of your five year celebration. I know it's going to be fabulous. xo

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  14. Congratulations to you both on four years of wedded bliss! I love your blog because it reminds me to enjoy the little moments in life. As you recount your weekends with John, you do a wonderful job sharing the joys of your time together in a generous and kind way. Thank you for sharing this wonderful news with us, and cheers to many more happy years!

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  15. No WAY! What a great story! Now that you mention it, you totally look like you're hiding a little secret in that beautiful profile photo. Congrats on your marriage, a few years late!

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  16. oh, lena, what a wonderful story! and a happy (belated) anniversary to you two :)

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  17. I finally had a moment to catch up on my favorite blogs & I am so excited to see this fun news! I can't wait to hear & see more as you plan your epic 5-year anniversary bash. Congratulations & Happy 4th Anniversary~

    always, koru kate

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