Ann and I went to the same college, at the same time, but we never crossed paths.  After graduation, we became fast friends when we both took our first jobs in Stamford, Connecticut. Over the years we’ve stayed in touch, even after Ann moved back to Illinois and later on to Arizona.  I wouldn’t have missed her wedding for the world and it was just the ticket to finally visit her hometown of Moline that I had heard so much about.  Of course Ann + Jason had a photographer documenting their day, so I just grabbed a few shots here and there and mostly tried to stay in the moment, as a guest. A+J wedding ceremonyThis was the first time I met Jason. Over the years, I’ve heard so much about  J, I felt like I had met him before.   And how lucky to have a brother like Bob officiating your ceremony.  I love how Bob and Ann have the same laugh!A+J wedding ceremonyA  few musical interludes:A+J wedding ceremonyThe weather turned chilly when the sun went below the treeline.  Here’s Ann rockin’ out in her grandmother’s fur jacket. A+J wedding ceremony A+J wedding ceremony

I’ll wrap things up with a reading from their ceremony, from Shel Silverstein’s The Missing Piece:

And then one day it came upon another piece that seemed to be just right.
“Hi!” It said.
“Hi!” said the piece
“Are you anybody else’s missing piece?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Well, maybe you want to be your own piece?”
“I can be someone’s and still be my own.”