Reader, I married him.
But let me back up a bit: As a lifelong bookworm, Jane Eyre fan, and social media manager, after my boyfriend proposed (using a line from his favorite book, I should add), I was OBVIOUSLY waiting for the day when I would get to share that line—with our wedding photos—on social media.
Books have always been important in my life. They've introduced me to some of my best friends. They've gotten me through hard times and long car rides. They're at the top of my list of 5 things I would NEED on a desert island. And so I guess I should have expected that they would also play a big role in my wedding day.
My husband (that's still so weird to say!) and I were married at Housing Works Bookstore in Manhattan, which is a quaint little used bookstore in the heart of Soho.
(It's also a mere two blocks from Scholastic, where we met!) As soon as we sat down with the events manager and she pulled out photos of what the space would look like during our wedding—twinkle lights! A spiral staircase! Trays and trays of food stacked on books! Did I mention books everywhere?—he turned to me and said, "This is where we're getting married, isn't it?"
The bookish decor wasn't the only literary touch we brought to our big day. Here are a few other ways our wedding reflected our love of books:
We had a library card guest book! Instead of a traditional guestbook, my husband and I decided to buy a card catalog drawer (thanks for your great antiquing skills, Mom!) and library cards. I created a custom stamp with our names, wedding venue, and the date that went at the very top!
Bookmark party favors: We thought it ws only fitting to include a bookmark as part of our wedding favors that everyone received on their way out the door!
Even the bridesmaids got bookish.
When I was ready to ask my bridesmaids to be a part of our big day, I knew I wanted to do it in a very personal way. So I picked a book that represented our friendship in some way and wrote each of them a note in the front cover. For example, my dear friend Mindy is a really talented journalist, so I gave her Charlotte's Web and called out the quote, "It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte is both."
And in keeping with the theme, my maid of honor, Christine, surprised my husband and I by rewriting Oh, the Places You'll Go! to fit our love story as our toast!
To paraphrase Carrie Bradshaw, not only were we surrounded by our family and friends, but also by hundreds and hundreds of love stories! And that is a pretty special way to start this chapter of our lives together.
