May 20: Jordan and Beth Conn

Birmingham, Al- Today, for the first time in my life, I saw a close friend of mine get married. There are a lot of ways I could go about explaining the wedding, the idea of having a close friend get married, what it’s like to know that I am entering a stage in life where this sort of thing will become commonplace, but years from now I think there will be one particular thing that stands out in my mind.

A smile.

Now, I don’t really know Jordan’s bride, Beth. Before this weekend I had never met her, and because of all the craziness of the past few days and the amount of people seeking out their attention, I never really got the opportunity to sit down and talk with her at any length. I don’t blame her, it’s just the nature of weddings. But I know Jordan very well. And there was something very powerful about seeing him towards the end of this morning’s ceremony. He literally could not stop smiling. There was an effervescent joy unlike any you typically get a chance to see. He was truly happy. Truly excited. Truly enthralled. Truly committed. Truly proud. Never, at any point in the weekend, did I see his confidence waver or sense the slightest of nerves. He knew this was right for he and Beth. And when the time came to exchange rings and be introduced as husband and wife, I witnessed an insatiable excitement. I’ve been a part of this for both of my older brothers, Justin and Ethan. It was cool to see it again from one of my friends.

Congratulations Jordan and Beth.

Tomorrow myself, Phil Baiocchi and Anthony Bradley will check out of our hotel at noon, grab something to eat, and then Bradley will drop us off at the airport. My flight leaves around 4:35 and I will probably get back to Towson around 9 (Birmingham is Central Standard Time, by the way). It’s been a nice weekend, but I’ve got graduating to do.