Ben and I are getting married. To each other!
I know I haven’t really told many people, but I feel kind of strange talking about it - it seems a little private, not to mention that my least favorite beast on earth is the rabid bride-to-be. Don’t worry, I don’t want to talk about my dress or my date or my ring or my attendants.
Well - I suppose I will mention the date. We’re heading over to City Hall tomorrow, where we will be married in the eyes of the city clerk, our best friend Dan Brooks, God, and about half a dozen immigrants who are entering loveless marriages in exchange for a green card. After the ceremony, we’re heading to our favorite dive bar to celebrate with a few close friends.
Although we’ve been engaged for months now (again, I mostly didn’t know how to bring it up), we decided that this was the right time - why sit around in an emotional waiting room? We already live together, we already know we want to spend our lives kicking ass together, not to mention my health insurance runs out at the end of the month.
It’s been funny - whenever I tell someone about the upcoming wedding, they say that they didn’t guess that I was the marrying kind. And although I’m not always into some of the roles and connotations and history of marriage, I am very comfortable - no, I’m very elated - to marry Ben. I’m pretty sure he feels the same.
We’ll probably have a bigger, more traditional party/reception in a few years for all of our friends and family, when we’re more settled and when we have a greater need for flatware. Right now, though, this simply feels right.
All of this hullabaloo paired with my new job also explains the lack of updates - for example, today I spent hours and hours writing copy about personal injury lawsuits while also trying to get a stain out of the dress I want to wear tomorrow. I’ll try to post a few pictures tomorrow, but then we’re off to a wintery cabin in the Catskills where we will spend the weekend sitting in front of a fire, staring into each other’s eyes, and drawing up our initial divorce papers.
…Okay, okay, I’ll post a picture of the engagement ring. My aunt, who knows much more about these things, helped me find it and I love the thing.
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February 20, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Chris
When I told my mom I was engaged, those were her exact words to me. “I didn’t think you were the marrying kind.”
Fascinating! We sure fooled ‘em. I wonder what other perceptions and beliefs about me I can subvert by doing what I feel like doing.
February 20, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Chris
Oh, and: congrats!
February 20, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Nora Rocket
So much goodwill for you as kick this! w00t!
February 20, 2008 at 7:41 pm
heather dyan
congrats to you and ben — i’ll be wearing my party shirt tomorrow to celebrate!
February 20, 2008 at 7:43 pm
hiptocode
fantastic!
February 20, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Treva Cannon
Congrats! I can’t wait to finally meet the lucky guy! But if you haven’t already noticed husbands tend to MIA when it comes to our family gatherings — ie: My dad, Dax, Jim — so Ben better step up! Plus he better be good at Pictionary and/or Volleyball!! Anyway, whatever you do - however you celebrate it - You are getting MARRIED!! And that is great news! I know he will be a great addition to our family! Good luck! We wish you all the happiness in the world! LOVE, TREVA DAX BRICE AND BRIGGS!
February 20, 2008 at 8:48 pm
kathleen
HOLY SH**!!!!
Yep, almost just swore on your blog. Kathleen swear! Consider it your almost-wedding-present.
So, so, excited for you. Being married to your best friend is pretty amazing. Have fun, Sarah.
February 20, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Emily B. Anderson '04
Congrats, Sarah! Ben sounds very supportive.
(Also, I’ve been a fan of your blog almost since day one. You really hit the mark on the profound aspects of everyday experiences, such as the difficulty of Sundays.)
Best wishes,
Emily
February 20, 2008 at 10:02 pm
kazinkas
Aw, that’s awesome! And you’re my hero for actually managing the low-key, low-hassle marriage. That’s what I want (not that we’re technically engaged yet, but we sure act like we are), but it seems like everyone else I talk to who’s wanted to keep things simple always gets roped into the huge song and dance.
Best of luck - you guys seem like a great match from what I’ve seen.
February 21, 2008 at 12:24 am
Kitty
Congrats Sarah and Ben.
That’s a beautiful ring.
February 21, 2008 at 7:14 am
Joy
Sarah,
Ben is so handsome and talented and he’s also a very lucky, lucky guy to have won you over! I wish you both a lifetime of loving each other. We are so happy for you two!
(PS - Will you tell him I am an awesome vollyball player so he’ll pick me first?)
Love,
Joy & Al
February 21, 2008 at 8:34 am
April
I’m no jewelry buff, but that is one fine looking ring.
Your finger looks a little pale though, are you getting enough red meat?
February 21, 2008 at 10:00 am
Jan
Sarah,
We are so happy for you and we can’t wait to meet Ben and welcome him into the Aswell family. We wish you years of happiness and most of all, much laughter together.
P.S. love your new bling! In fact, there is so much sparkle in that ring you will never need a party shirt.
Love,
Jan, Sandy, David and Ryan
February 21, 2008 at 10:25 am
rebecca
crap! does this mean you actually get a bed during myrtle beach vacations now?!
I’m happy for you and Ben, and you know I approve of him and love you two ver much. I’m going to come to Queens in a few weeks and I’ll bring a bottle of champagne or six. Love you!
February 21, 2008 at 11:06 am
Diana
That’s great news! Congratulations!
February 21, 2008 at 11:22 am
Nathan Williams
Congratulations!
You should totally name your first kid Bobby.
And then his little sister Bobbie.
She’ll be twins. The other one will be named Bobbi.
February 21, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Mitsu
congratulations! You forgot to mention Ripley’s role in this wedding…she has to be there!!
February 21, 2008 at 2:11 pm
emily
happy ring! happy marriage!
February 21, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Liana
Oh YAY!!! HAPPY HAPPY! And, Congratulations!!! I hope your little ceremony was perfect and that your weekend is lovely and fabulous. That ring is gorgeous!
Oh, yay for marriage (which is pretty dang great!)! Yay for Love! Yay for you and Ben! Wooohooo!!
February 21, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Beth from Avenue Z
Wow. A new business. A newer marriage. A fit cat. Life is perfect.
Heartfelt Congratulations from San Diego.
February 21, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Mickey
Sarah,
Congrats to you & Ben on this special day!
Speaking for the family, we are so very happy for the both of you and are anxiously waiting to meet Ben @ the Family Reunion. We are also equally excited, that you & your Dad will no longer be teamed together in the Pictionary Smackdown!
Speaking for myself, “I never truly knew what real happiness was until I
got married…and then it was too late.” So, I hope you two will find that true happiness together.
You can start that journey, by up-grading your Catskills “love cabin” to include the martini-glass hot-tub, red velvet walls, and vibrating bed! Anyone who can afford that kind of bling (it’s beautiful), can surely afford the finest accourements!
Wishing you two a lifeime of happiness!
Mickey
And remember this, “the secret to a happy marriage…remains a secret”
February 21, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Katie's Mom
First Best American Essays, now this. 2007 is shaping up to be a great year…and it’s only February vacation week. Congratulations and best wishes from the older generation.
February 23, 2008 at 12:17 am
eema
Congratulations Sarah & Ben!
I knew he was a great guy when he took care of Ripley when she was sick!
My Hubby and I got married the same way and it was so great. It meant more because it wasn’t about everyone else. We are going on 9 years of happy marriage.
Good luck! ~Amy
February 23, 2008 at 12:20 am
eema
And bonus, he got a green card!
He’s from New Zealand
February 24, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Fighting Windmills
How wonderful, Sarah! Congratulations. My Peruvian husband and I got married with four witnesses in a Japanese town hall 6 years ago. Bonus: he got a green card. LOL!
We said we would have a wedding and a celebration, but we haven’t yet.
It was so nice to come visit your blog and read this good news.
February 25, 2008 at 8:11 am
Kemo
My fear was that after quitting your job, no sketchy subway commute, no dress code, no too-chatty, soon-to-be-married or “Lump” cube-mate, no spreadsheets, no sales meeting deadlines, no
Bosses… you might lack material for that sharp wit and biting humor.
My fears are abated now that you and Ben are married. As the reality-relationship dance begins and you will have ample material for your blog, the next Best American essays and that “working” novel. Anxiously waiting you next post…….
Wish you both long life, good health and much love & happiness.
February 25, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Lindsey
Congratulations, Sarah and Ben!
February 26, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Debby Wilson
Check my comments under you Valentine Article–I so bad at this! Oh, the ring? Stunning!!
February 26, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Debby Wilson
Guess I can’t spell either!
February 29, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Debby
Sarah, it has come to my attention that maybe you thought that I was being critical of YOUR spelling–not true. First I entered my comments re: your wedding in the wrong place–then when I asked you to check my comments under another article, I made several typos–thus the comment “I guess I can’t SPELL either”. Sorry, I am more than a little technilogically(?) challenged!