A wedding is a little bit like running an ultra: You prepare, you devise, you think, overthink, put in place specific plans, then dash them to the rocks and start over, you purchase things you may only ever use once in your life and question their reliability, you call on friends and family for support.

And that's the weeks/months leading up to the event.

Two days out, you're a trembling mess, overcome with anxiety, nervous excitement, your bowels stop doing their "normal" thing, and the day prio, you are in a zombie-like trance, unsure of your surroundings.

And then, the "big day" comes.

You barely slept the prior night but somehow feel strangely rested. You glance at the clothing you especially purchased for the day/evening laid out and step into the event's uniform. It fits like a slipper on a certain princess whose name I likely can't type because a certain animation company might sue me. You begin to realize all of the effort and time and energy you've put into it is about to pay off. And toeing "start line", your nerves cool, as the journey to the journey is over. Now, all you have to do is get out there and enjoy yourself.

To say that our wedding was one of the moments in my life that I will replay with joy over and again in my mind barely does it justice. Loved ones from around the globe all converged into one small building outside of Portland for our special moment. Humbled, Ann and I both took a step back and felt the blanket of love wrapped about us. In that moment, a feeling washed over me that I think we're lucky to experience: That love, collected in that one space? It's always there. Not just for that day, or for a few hours; it is real, and it is constant.

By the way, you also feel after the wedding the same way you would after running a race and giving it all you got. Effing WHOOPED, I tells ya.

Our friend Orrin was wonderful enough to surprise us during the ceremony with this mind-bogglingly sweet and hilarious video piece he edited together.

We have awesome friends and family. Doy.