Ten years ago, we said I do.

As our ten‑year anniversary approaches, I’ve been reflecting on that day — the moments, the people, the energy, the magic. It was everything I hoped it would be. Our ceremony began in the early afternoon, flowed into photos, and ended with an evening reception surrounded by family and friends. Most of our guests were from California, but we also had loved ones travel from Florida, Wisconsin, and even Italy.

We had 250 guests and a wedding party of 31. The priest joked that there were more people in the wedding than attending it. Honestly, if I could’ve added a few more friends, I would have — but my groom was running out of groomsmen. My thought was always: either we include everyone who matters, or we keep it to just two witnesses. We chose the first.

One of the biggest moments of the day happened right after our photos. The zipper on the back of my dress broke, leaving a huge gap where it should have been closed. Somehow, I stayed calm — everyone else was shocked I wasn’t panicking. I had a backup dress I planned to change into later, so I slipped into that while we figured out a solution. Thankfully, a relative who was a seamstress came to the rescue. We used tulle from my flower girl’s dress to cover the opening and then bustled the gown so no one could tell. It worked perfectly. I knew things go wrong at weddings, and I refused to let anything take away from one of the most meaningful days of my life.

There were so many other moments I’ll never forget: our bridal party entrance, our own entrance, my dance with a grandfather figure, the heartfelt message I read from Father Tom, the speeches, the laughter, the dancing, the joy. People still tell us it was one of the most fun weddings they’ve ever been to. It truly was a day to remember.

By the end of the night, my dress was so torn up it went straight into the trash — there was no saving it. The only thing I kept was my lace bridal veil. We danced all night, laughed all night, and were wrapped in love.

I can’t believe it’s been ten years — two separate people who became one, and everything that’s happened since.