I’ve always wanted to write one of these love stories. We’re just a few days from our wedding and I am so overjoyed to marry Seth. Here’s part two of our story, if you’re new, start here.
{Photo by Britt of Render Photography}
That Thursday in August began like any other. The humidity was thick but tolerable, I had a day of nannying my favorite baby Nora, and was anxious to finish up and head home to start getting ready. By this point, Seth and I had been talking several times a day, and the more I learned about him, the more excited I got. He seemed to take a genuine interest in what I cared about. He thought it was great that I nannied, had already complement my photography, and showed so much support and {surprise, knowledge} about the doula program I was applying to start in the fall.
By midday I felt so anxious I was almost sick. This couldn’t have been more different than any pre first date thoughts I’d ever had. Always, I was the more intimidating one, and I sometimes relished in that realization. Men, never if rarely made me nervous, and I was out going enough to make even an awkward situation bearable for a dinner. It had been an intense few years for me, and an even more radical summer. I had the kind of confidence I wanted as a twenty something but that really only comes with entering your thirties. It was that come what may attitude that made me feel like I had nothing to lose. We’d see how this would go I thought, but that level of stomach butterflies should have been my first hint. This was going to be very different.
Seth had asked me if I had any food allergies and told me he’d be at my place with an Uber to pick me up. That’s all I knew about our date, but I also knew I couldn’t go wrong with my usual summer uniform of sundress, booties, statement necklace, and my hair down right side pinned back. The benefit of having dated for over a decade by this point had left me with a few key realizations, including how to dress for dinner. As I finished prepping I snapped a selfie for my dear friend Mara, “you look amazing! Keep me posted. Pins and needles.” That last sentence was always accompanied with several syringe and push pin emoticons in succession. A few minutes later Seth was at my front step.
I walked down the black carpeted stairs of my building, and I could see him through the large glass front door. He was standing with his back to me, dressed head to toe in black including a beautiful velvet jacket, his hand resting on the iron bannister. He heard me open the heavy door and turned. So there he was.
I could hardly look him in the eye. We hugged, I smiled, and we hopped into our Uber. To this day, Seth laughs over how it was a minivan, I call it the perfect omen, but hilarious all the same for a first date. We passed into Minneapolis and soon I recognized where we were. “I thought Icehouse would be fun. I got us the chef’s table.” Well, this was special. I could count on my hand the number of fun first dates I’d had. Every second or third date with a handful of boys was always at 112 Eatery like they were following a City Pages date guide. I was immediately impressed with Seth’s creativity. I’d been to Icehouse before, loved it, and didn’t Prince sit at the same table where we’d be eating dinner? It was magical already before it began.
The evening flowed on. We had a wine paring with each item and a delicious dessert. About halfway in, the band started playing. I was so nervous, still, those butterflies hadn’t subsided. Seth was sweet, smiley, and happy, but oh so intimating to me. What was this? I felt myself wondering if this had been a mistake. Should we not have met? I couldn’t decipher if I felt uninterested or nervous. I didn’t like my own indecisiveness. I’ve always prided myself on making decisions easily, this wasn’t so clear. On our way out Seth was the perfect gentleman and offered me his jacket while I waited for an Uber he had called for me. I got in and sped off, towards home. “Do you think you’ll go on a second date?” the driver asked me, “I don’t think so,” I replied. I pulled out my phone to thank Seth and then fell into bed once inside my place. I had a big weekend ahead of me.
The next morning I got into my car and prepared to drive to the middle of Wisconsin to capture my friend Katelynn’s wedding photos. I wasn’t anticipating talking much with Seth, but called Courtney and Mara to hash out my date. There may have been tears. I really liked him, but I just wasn’t sure. At a gas station to refuel I noticed a text from Seth, “I’d really like to see you again.” Hmmm I thought. Well. We’ll see. The following three nights I celebrated with Katelynn, her guests, and talked with Seth a few times. He was the kindest, sweetest, and seemed to be genuinely interested in how time in Wisconsin was going. By Saturday night I decided I wanted to take him up on his offer for a second date.
This time, though, I wanted something more low key. “Let’s have dinner at my place” I told him over the phone on the drive home, “I’ll cook for you.” He liked that idea and told me he’d drive over on his motorcycle. I woke up from a nap on Sunday and prepared a roasted chicken from my favorite paleo blog. Seth had picked up French bread, wine, oh, and a bouquet of red roses. Alright.
My dining room in my apartment was west facing, so as the sun settled in the sky we chatted over our meal and sipped our wine. I gave him a tour of my place, I was so proud of how cute I had decorated it, and Seth seemed to show genuine interest in the home I had created for myself. Both realizing we loved vintage horror, we settled down on my antique sofa to watch Halloween. Despite having a baby before the first anniversary of our first date, Seth still loves to tease me that I didn’t kiss him on the first date. He did get his kiss, though, as I walked him out the door: “I was wondering what that would be like” he told me as he pulled away.
As I latched the lock on my door, I thought to myself, I think I’m going to marry that man. I knew Seth liked me, but I didn’t know how he felt about me exactly until the next few dates, this time on his turf over in Minneapolis. It was already shaping up to be quite the fall, and I was absolutely along for the ride.
