Meet Michelle...

Michelle is my matron of honor. You should know this is the second version of my "Michelle" post. The first one was too sappy. As it turns out, that can be tough to avoid when you love someone as much as I love her. We're going to try it again and keep it lighthearted. Some things you might like to know about Michelle:

1. She is my cousin. In our lifetimes, Michelle and I have spent almost every single major holiday together at our grandmother's house. We used to play hide-and-go seek. Now we drink and take a lot of pictures of ourselves.

2. She introduced me to the Captain. That alone is reason enough to have her in the wedding. I'm kidding (sort of).

3. She is also a teacher, and I am confident this has made our bond stronger. No one "gets" what we do like other people who do it.

4. If you want to know the truth about something, you should ask Michelle. She's not a punch-puller, and it is one of the things I love most about her. Wedding dress shopping will be awesome.

5. I wore a floor-length, magenta gown (with a velvet bodice and taffeta skirt) when I was in Michelle's wedding. In her defense, it was a long time ago, and I may have helped her pick it out.

6. Nine times out of ten we'll order the same thing at a restaurant. I'll have what she's having.

7. When I lived in Seattle, we always got our hair cut and colored together. If I ever move back, it's on.

8. I love her kid. You'll get to read about him in a later "Meet Alexander..." ring bearer post.

9. For Christmas every year, we give our extended family pictures of the two of us together, even though we know our grandma is the only one who appreciates it.

10. She makes me happy and makes fun of my blog title...like crazy.

Meet Josh...

Josh

Josh will be our officiant. He and Zak first crossed paths in pre-school, and the story of their first meeting is legendary. The only way to really appreciate the tale is to listen to the two of them, with smiles on their faces, talking over one another to get it told. My words won't do it justice, but I'll try.

It was Zak's first day at school. He nervously walked into a room full of already seated children to find he was immediately "on the spot." Just like any young student who is new to a class, he had to endure the whole-class introduction.



 Well-Meaning Early Childhood Instructor: Class, I'd like you to meet our new student. This is Zak Van Winkle.

Josh (standing from among the crowd and pointing directly at Zak):  Ha-ha! Van Winkle! Ha!

Both boys remember the story the exact same way, and I am happy to report that not much has changed. Josh will still speak his mind, cause all kinds of ruckus laughter, and take control of any given situation. These two are actually quite the infamous duo around here. If you've ever heard a Zak and Josh podcast or felt dumb at Zak and Josh Trivia, you know that they share an entertaining chemistry and a really special bond. 

Josh is also the first of Zak's friends that I met when we started dating, and I adored him immediately. Over the years we have built a friendship that I genuinely love, and it means so much to me that he will be the one to marry us. He knows us as individuals and together, and I am confident he will do a beautiful job at the wedding. I also know he will make us laugh...like crazy.

The Place...

We're getting married on Saturday, August 18, 2012, at the Depot Market on Railroad Ave. in Bellingham. We picked that date because Zak is applying for Western's MBA program which starts next summer. The Internet told us that the last possible day he could have a final would be Friday, the 17th. That guy is going to go back to school, working full time, and getting married next summer. No big deal.

We picked that place for a number of reasons, which you can see below. It's pretty much perfect.

I take no credit for this map. I shared my vision with Zak, and he made this. Amazing.

A downtown Bellingham wedding in the middle of places that are special to us is about as good as it gets. I have so many reasons to love this town...like crazy.

The People...

Zak

I love this guy. We're getting married. He is so excited he can't help but fist pump.

Jodie

    I'm excited, too...
    so excited that I can't stop smiling.








We've been fist pumping and smiling since October 2nd, when we got engaged. Planning is fun. We laugh a lot, and I change my mind a lot, and Zak is sensible and patient a lot. I'm trying to enjoy every minute, and he makes that easy. I love him...like crazy.