Time Flies

A friend's engagement reminds Jess to take in the moments.

By Jessica Solloway

I woke up to some great news today. One of my best friends from college got engaged! She has been living abroad with her boyfriend for almost two years and he popped the question on HIS birthday, totally throwing her off. This exciting news got me thinking about a bunch of things. First of all, it made me want to get engaged all over again. What an awesome weekend that was. I really felt like I was on a cloud, floating happily above real life. I am so ecstatic for my friend who is experiencing that initial excitement right now.


Even throughout the stressful times of planning a wedding (finding a place, getting invitations out on time, cutting down the list, finding the dress, etc.) you have to step back and appreciate the moments, because good, bad or in between, they go quickly. I am already learning that!

I also started thinking about what a nutcase I was pre-engagement. I never thought I'd be that girl that gets engagement fever, but it got me. For almost 6 months, I thought every Friday night could be the night. I got "wishful manicures", and nothing happened. Nada, zilch, zippo. And of course the week I decide to forego the mani out of spite, Seth proposed. Go figure.

And Seth, I would like to take this time to apologize in writing. Yes, it's true that last Valentine's Day when you got me the pink iPod Nano I wanted to throw it (and you) out the window when I realized what was in the small box. I was hoping for something more sparkly. I realize now, that the timing of our engagement was perfect. And I really love my iPod. I swear.

Another thing I started thinking about is how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday that I met my friend who just got engaged. We were random roommates, and I'll never forget the day our parents left us in Wisconsin to battle frigid temperatures, cheese curds, and herds of girls with Kate Spade purses. We formed a tight alliance with fellow tube-top wearers (yes, that look was very "in" then), and 6 of us are still best friends. We have since retired the tube tops.  

As I am planning my wedding and thinking about the people I want to share it with, it's comforting to know that over the years, I have built an amazing network of friends. Some friends go back to preschool, others high school, college, and life after college. We've lived through terrible middle school haircuts (ie: one unnamed friend's Howard Stern-esque bob), braces, the freshman 15, first jobs, and overly expensive NYC apartments that left us broke. My wedding will be more special because they will be there with me.

And girls - if you're reading this ... one of the many ways I will show my thanks for your friendship is not picking out hideous bridesmaid dresses. I am still on the hunt, and I'm open to suggestions and feedback!

So to conclude this entry ... congrats to one of my bestest friends! And to other brides that may be reading this, we all have to remember to enjoy the planning process, keep it in perspective, and not get let stress take away the fun!