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Motherhood is the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It’s huge and scary—it’s an act of infinite optimism. 

The moment I became your Mother is the moment my entire world change. You have made me into the woman I am today and for that there are no true words.

On this your special day, I wish you a lifetime of happiness, a day filled with joy and an infinite amount of love.

You are my masterpiece and I am so proud to be your mom.

Happy Birthday Jacelyn Breanna Jackson.

Love You 

Mom

Happy Birthday BFF

The bond between friends cannot be broken by chance; no interval of time or space can destroy it. Not even death itself can part true friends.  When she unexpectedly left us, a piece of my heart was forever broken

Brandy Corley is and always will be my best friend.  By the grace of God and our preschool director Mrs. Melvin putting us on the carpet together, me in the red square and her in the blue square, we became inseparable. She thought it was a great idea for us to be class buddies and we never looked back.  We did Pig Tails, Girl Scouts, Pink Nike Short Sets, summers in Campanella Park, Cheer Squad, Boyfriends, Learning to Drive, Late Night Party Line Calls, Soda Pop Club, Graduations, Babies, Careers... Everything together. We had 30 plus years of friendship, love and sisterhood. 

The moments in life that we had together can never be replaced. We smiled through our defeats, celebrated our victories, cried when we needed it and laughed until we had tears rolling down our faces.

I am truly saddened by her death… but from this sadness I have a feeling of gratitude that emerges. I feel honored to have known her and blessed that her passing serves as a reminder to me that my time on this beautiful earth is limited and that I should seize the opportunity I have to forgive easier, share more, explore the world, and love everyone around me. I can think of no greater way to honor her than to live this way. 

The weird, weird thing about devastating death is that life actually goes on. When you’re faced with a tragedy, a loss so huge that you have no idea how you can live through it, somehow, the world keeps turning, the seconds keep ticking.

The void within my soul is too deep to be filled but I know that God has a plan for all of us and my hope is that everyone take this time not to be sad but to celebrate her life and all that she did while here with us. 

I can't wait to see her again but until that day, I will keep her in my heart, speaking to her in my prayers and continue to love her as my best friend for life....

7 Couples Share The Adorable Ways They Celebrated Their First Anniversaries

Photo: Getty Images

Not sure how to ring in your first-year anniversary? Take a nod from these seven men and women, who celebrated the occasion in unique ways.

"We spent a lovely week in a mountain cottage, just the two of us, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. What we gave each other was a time. We had time to talk, have fun, and spend valuable time together." — Karolina

"On our first wedding anniversary, we went to Niagara Falls in Canada. I brought a piece of our wedding cake to enjoy. We went out to dinner at the Skylon Tower — the view was amazing, and we tried escargot for the first time. We have celebrated many relationship anniversaries, but this one was very different. It was special because we were officially husband and wife. It is a feeling that is hard to describe but I won't ever forget it." — Felicia

"Our first wedding anniversary celebration was actually our honeymoon and it was absolutely fabulous. When my wife and I decided to tie the knot, I was finishing up my undergraduate degree and couldn't find the time between classes to get away for our honeymoon. Once we were able to schedule our honeymoon, we took an entire month and visited England, France, Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa." — Antonio



"The day before our anniversary, I took a pregnancy test and found out we were expecting. I filled his underwear drawer full of diapers and wrote on one with a sharpie, 'ready or not daddy, here I come!' And on our actual wedding anniversary, we took the top of our cake to my in-laws' house to eat after dinner. I insisted my mother-in-law open it because I had another diaper with a note sitting on top of the cake. She opened it and let out an excited squeal, and then immediately started bawling and hugging every one." — Gabby

"We had a second wedding! Our first official wedding ... was very small and intimate, and none of my family was able to make it. We decided to wait until our one-year anniversary to host a much bigger wedding for my friends and family to participate. The hard part was already over, so this wedding was just a big party for our friends and family to get together and celebrate our love. It was great having the white wedding I had always dreamed of, surrounded by all of my loved ones." — Lisa

"I spent our first wedding anniversary in bed with our week-old newborn daughter. I had completely forgotten about our anniversary until my husband walked in with a card and book, and smiled, saying, 'happy anniversary.' I spent the rest of the day finding him a great card and anniversary gift. He never lets me forgot the look of horror I had on my face for forgetting our first anniversary. We laugh about it each year." — Stacy

"My sweet husband surprised me with a long weekend in Iceland for our first anniversary and birthdays. I was beyond excited to put my passport with my new last name to use. We spent the first day driving the Golden Circle, a beautiful day trip seeing some of Iceland's most beautiful sights, waterfalls and geysers. We explored Reykjavik the next two days, ate some deliciously fresh seafood, and visited the local shops and restaurants. On our final full day, we relaxed and reflected on our trip at the Blue Lagoon, a geothermic spa, with the help of a glass of wine and a face mask." — Kristen

6 Bachelor Party Ideas His Crew Will Never Forget

Skip the drinking and gambling; this travel journalist turned wedding-menswear expert has better bachelor getaways awaiting the guys.


 

What happens when an expert travel journalist with more than 80 countries under his belt becomes the Chairman and CEO of Menguin, the online tuxedo rental company? You get Justin Delaney and his mind-blowing bachelor party ideas. While most guys just opt for the boilerplate Vegas-style experience, Delaney says there are better, more memorable options available.
"At the core of any bachelor party is a mission, but too often that mission is one of 'get as drunk as possible, go to strip clubs, gamble away money, get the groom blackout drunk,' and so on," says Delaney. “But it doesn't have to be this way. By changing the venue to something more adventurous, you can create a more personal and memorable experience with your friends."

Want an unforgettable bachelor party? Here's are a few of Delaney's top picks.

1. Belize Beach Adventure

When Delaney's brother got married last year, he planned a trip to Belize, which combines beaches, watersports and plenty of great food with a side of night life. Their adventure included swimming with 40-foot whale sharks and dolphins in the middle of the ocean, diving at the legendary Blue Hole and kayaking through a maze of croc-infested mangroves. After a day outdoors, they moved the party to a dancehall.

2. Surf Camp in Nicaragua

While nearby Costa Rica gets touted as a place of paradise, its neighbor Nicaragua shouldn't be overlooked. Nicaragua has some great surf breaks, as well as several inexpensive surf schools lining the coast for great places to spend a long weekend. Bonus: Delaney says flights are inexpensive and crowds are thin due to the country's polarizing history and lack of a tourism budget like its well-known neighbor.

3. Lobsters and Microbrews in Maine

For the East Coast grooms, Maine is full of cool adventures and worthy side quests. "Start the weekend in Portland with a microbrew tour at Allagash or Airline Brewing Co, which hosts a great horseshoe game over a pale ale," says Delaney. “On day two, make like a lobsterman and go on a guided tour to trap dinner. Ocean to plate."

4. Charter a Boat in the Virgin Islands

“If your crew has some dough to spend, look into sailing the Virgin Islands," says Delaney, who recommends finding an all-inclusive trip starting at around $500 for the boat per day. “Some boats can fit more than ten people, and you can explore hidden beaches, islands and just generally chill. You can also hire a captain to train your team to sail."

5. Hike the Rockies

A hot spot in the US for adventure-seekers, Colorado offers a fun setting off point for a camping trip in the wilderness.

6. Scottish Islands

"My dream bachelor party involves island hopping from Islay to Jura and hiking Scotch country," says Delaney, stating this is best if you have a small crew and a ton of airline miles. Take advantage of Scotch distilleries, such as Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig, which typically offer tours and sell limited edition bottlings only available on site.

Show Me the Money

If the fellas can't quite make it rain, it may seem like these trips are a no-go. However, many of these options are cheaper than the Vegas route.
"For one, the incremental cost of flying to most places on this list as opposed to Vegas is slight, and you'll make up the cost difference (and more) by being able to book a house everyone can share," says Delaney, who explains that it's not hard to find large houses sleeping eight to ten guests for $200 a night. Compare that to $300 per room per night at the notable Vegas hotels, which sleep a cramped and uncomfortable four to six tops.
If money is a problematic factor for some friends, Delaney recommends finding ways to cut down costs by inviting more friends to reduce overall costs and to share frequent flier miles whenever possible.
"When life starts picking up, people start dropping off," Delaney says. "Your friends have kids. Move to London. Get married. Work at insanely demanding jobs. The bachelor party is an ideal time to reconnect in spite of life putting distance and adulthood between you and your best friends. Doing something new together heightens the reignited bond."

37

Happy Birthday to me... Thankful for 37 years on this earth. Looking forward to the new year! 

How to Tastefully Incorporate Your Sorority in Your Wedding

It’s the day you’ve always waited for and talked about with your sorority sisters.  You’ve experienced so many candle passings during your as a collegiate and you finally get the time to shine. Can you believe all the times you’ve talked about your sisters being bridesmaids in your wedding is finally a reality?

Since your sorority holds such a big place in your heart, incorporate it in your wedding. I’ve put together some ways you can share your love of your sorority during your big day!



1. Pin your sorority sister’s badges on your bouquet. They have walked with you during the ups and downs of your college career, now they can walk with you down the aisle on the most important day of your life.



2. Add your sorority flower to your bouquet. Even if your sorority flower doesn’t match the rest of your bouquet, hide it at the bottom of your bouquet. Others might not notice that it’s there or what it means, but you and your sisters will, and that’s what counts.



3. Wear your badge on the inside of your dress. If you are anything like me, you hold so much love for our sorority in your heart. By pinning your badge on the inside of your dress it will showcase the love you have for your sorority.



4. Use your sorority flower as a center piece. Some sorority flowers have meaning behind them. My sorority’s flower is a pink carnation because its the longest enduring flower. What a perfect place to display it! Have your sisters sit together at your reception and make an elegant flower arrangement for the center of the table or place one flower at every seat.

5.Sing your sorority’s song. Your sisters know how special this day is to you and will probably make you the center of attention and sing your sorority song to you. Warning: tissues might be needed!



6. Flower pin. Let your wedding guests know the ones that were there with you during your crazy college years are. Honor your sisters with a flower to wear during the wedding.

sign reads: please take a yellow rose and pin it on your lapel in honor of your sisterhood with the bride

7. Engagement Photos. If you and your husband are both greek consider showing your love for your letters in your engagement photos. You could always have your photos in your guest book or on easels for display.



These are a few of my favorite ways of to include your sorority in your wedding. If you have any other ideas I’d love to hear from you!

Photo Credit: CarolinaMrs Blog, Southern Weddings, The Angelos of Kappa Delta, Style Me Pretty, Pinterest

Happy 2016

To all of my Blogger Friends and Readers.... Happy 2016!! 

May this year be better and brighter than last year. 

Love 

Jasmine 

Let the Countdown Begin! 5 Ideas for an Unforgettable New Year's Eve Wedding

Photo: Belathée Photography
 

We could start off by listing all the reasons a New Year's Eve wedding is an awesome idea, but you probably already know them, particularly if you've ever been a guest at one: think open bar, set plans and no standing in long lines or getting body checked by strangers all night. It's the one night of the year everybody, including your parents, are looking to party, and for a party, for that matter. With New Year's Eve falling on a Saturday in 2016, we suspect a bunch of brides and grooms will be saving the date.

So for the sake of you and your guests, please don't drop the ball on planning! Go big or go home with these epic New Year's Eve wedding ideas.

1. Set up a modern champagne bar
Spice up your typical wedding toast with a champagne bar featuring an array of modern bubbly cocktails in honor of the new year, recommends celebrity caterer and CEO of Elegant Affairs, Andrea Correale. "Bring in a professional mixologist to really make a splash." You can also never go wrong with a big, great gatsby inspired champagne tower, notes Erica Taylor, co-founder of Tinsel & Twine.

2. Have a themed wedding
It's not cheesy if it's on NYE, right? For couples that want to have some fun, an era specific wedding, such as a roaring twenties theme, will tie in with New Year's nicely and add an extra layer of excitement for guests, advises event producer Marc Wilson, owner of Weddings by MWD Lifestyles.

3. Send guests home with a grand "New Year, New You" gift bag
Cheers to new beginnings and not just marriage! Jessica Janik, founder of The Invisible Bridesmaid, strongly believes that if you're going to throw a NYE wedding, everything better be over the top — your favors and welcome bags included — since you're essentially dictating how your guests will spend the holiday. Treat them to a curated gift box full of goodies to kick off the new year right. Some ideas Janik loves are massage gift cards, meal delivery service, a healthy cookbook, nutrition supplements or even certificates to boutique workout centers, such as Barry's Bootcamp and Pure Barre. Beauty products are a no-brainer too, particularly after a night of partying.


4. Create a New Year's resolution guest book
Complete with a photo booth! As planning pro Cynthia Pesce of The Inn at New Hyde Park points out, it's a great way to capitalize on the NYE wedding theme, plus it gives you something to keep in touch with friends and family about. Photo booths generally print out two copies of each photo so people can stick one in the guest book next to their resolution and hang onto the other as a fun memento, she says. As for props: Berets, pearls, feathers, masquerade masks, NYE party hats and boas are perfect.

5. Do a midnight ball, balloon or confetti drop
Turn your wedding into Times Square on New Year's Eve by DIYing your own live ball drop, covered in crystals of course, suggests invitation designer Danielle Behar. "Ask your videographer to capture any midnight kisses on camera too." If you can't do the ball drop, wedding planner Amy Shey Jacobs, President of Chandelier Events, says she'd absolutely end the night with a dance floor confetti drop or a balloon drop if confetti were banned at your venue.

Grieving Bride's Photo Shoot In Late Fiancé's Honor Is Truly Bittersweet

A month before her wedding day, bride-to-be Lauren Reynolds' world was turned upside down. In October 2014, the 20-year-old's fiancé Tristin Woods was killed in a car accident.
"The day I found out Tristin passed away was the worst day of my life," Reynolds told The Huffington Post. "I was overcome with a complete darkness and fell to the ground, wailing."

Stephanie Jarstad Photography

On what would have been the couple's wedding day, Reynolds -- who is from Federal Way, Washington -- was with her best friend Emily and her photographer pal Stephanie Jarstad, discussing what to do with her wedding dress. They came up with the idea to do a memorial photo shoot to celebrate Tristin's life and the love they shared.

Stephanie Jarstad Photography

Stephanie Jarstad Photography Lauren and her best friend Emily. 

Together, they planned the emotional shoot for March 21, 2015 in Seattle.

Stephanie Jarstad Photography

Stephanie Jarstad Photography

"We shot in the first week of spring, surrounded by flowers to symbolize renewal, healing and rebirth," the photographer told HuffPost.

Stephanie Jarstad Photography

Stephanie Jarstad Photography

Stephanie Jarstad Photography

It rained the morning of the shoot but by the time they stepped outside, the clouds had parted and the sun was out.

"It was a mixture of peaceful reminiscing and somber longing," Jarstad said of the photo shoot. "We felt Tristin's spirit near. It felt like he parted the skies for Lauren's special day because we once we got home after the shoot, the rain started up again on cue."

Stephanie Jarstad Photography

"I stand in awe of Lauren's grace and strength for creating a beautiful tribute amidst her heartache," Jarstad continued. "I've never seen Lauren look more beautiful and she said she had never felt so beautiful before."

Stephanie Jarstad Photography

The grieving process has been a gradual one for Reynolds. She told The Huffington Post that her "world completely stopped" during those first few months after his death.

"I slept in my parents bed or on a mattress on their floor," she said. "For the first couple weeks my mom had to literally feed me, and put a straw in my mouth so I would drink. I couldn't do anything for myself. My living room looked like a forest with all of the flowers given to my family. I felt
empty."

In a blog post accompanying the photos on the photographer's website, Reynolds opened up about the pain of losing the love of her life so suddenly.

"On October 11, I didn’t just lose Tristin," she said. "I lost the life we’ll never live together, I lost all of the children we’ll never have and all of the grandchildren we’ll never get to spoil, all of the mornings to wake up to my husband’s smiling, loving face. I lost my other half."

Stephanie Jarstad Photography

The couple first met in December 2013 through a church-related potluck dinner.
"I was walking to my car, and he said, ‘Hey wait. I just wanted to tell you that you are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen,' Reynolds recounted in the video above. "I felt like I was in a movie. It was just perfect.”

At the time of his death, Tristin was 17 years old. On their wedding day, he and his bride would have been 18 and 19 years old, respectively. Reynolds acknowledged that they were young, but said that getting married was the right choice for them.

"Tristin and I fell in love right away," she told HuffPost. "There was no doubt in our minds that we wanted to be together for the rest of our lives. So we got engaged July 11, 2014 -- seven months after we met. We knew that marriage was the next step for us and there was no point in waiting until we were older. We had a good support system and we were in love, so it was an easy decision for us."

3......

94,541,400 seconds
1,575,690 minutes
26,261 hours 

1094 days 

156 weeks 

3 years.....

 

I Love You 

Happy Anniversary!! 

25 Not-So-Little Things To Celebrate In 25 Married Years

My marriage is 25-years-old this week.
What would I whisper in that bride's ears if I could? What would I tell her that she would be grateful for these 25 years later?
It would be the little things.
1. The smiley-face post-it notes left in your car, reminding you not to plow into a guest's vehicle parked in the driveway. Which you have done. Twice.
2. The iced water left for you by the back door, after a hike on a sweltering summer day.
3. The way he reaches out his hand when you are attempting to inch down a steep slope. He has learned what a klutz you are. And remembers.
4. How he somehow changes light bulbs before you do.
5. The extra Kleenex he had in his pocket at your mother's funeral.
6. The specially-adapted wheelchair he found at the beach when you were on crutches, so you could play in the sand with your son.
7. How he has learned to like pesto. And theatre. And, although a Jersey boy and dedicated New York Giants fan... your beloved Dallas Cowboys.
8. The ritual of putting silly stuff, carefully gift wrapped, in your stocking at Christmas. Like a bottle of tarragon. Or soap from some hotel. Which you already owned. And how he gets tickled every year, watching you open them.
9. How he strings the lights on the Christmas tree. And then busies himself as the rest of us put on the ornaments. Because it makes him too emotional.
10. How he grumbles about how messy your car is, as he pulls out a Taco Bell sack and other mysterious bags of whatever you had for lunch over the last week.
11. How he laughs at you, jumping up and down, to fit into a pair of jeans.
.
12. His consistent words of encouragement when you decide to go for something.
13. His sitting and delightfully playing with anyone under the age of six. Any game they want.
14. The solid belief that you could get pregnant. After three years of infertility treatment. And a miscarriage.
15. Laughing with you, whenever possible, during that entire process.
.
16. The tears in his eyes after your son was born.
17. The slight panic he had when you left him alone with the baby for the first time. And when you came home, the baby was screaming. He had changed him, rocked him, tried to hold him. Only had forgotten ... to feed him.
18. How he took to everything from swaddling to diapers to bathing. And stayed a hands-on dad. (Not really a little thing...)
19. The tears in his eyes when you left that son at college.
20. The extra Kleenex he had for you on that same occasion.
21. How he makes fun of the way you talk with your retainer in.
22. His attendance at multiple theatre productions. Whether they were good or not so hot. You were in them, and he was there.
23. His careful attention to people in the generations older than yours.
24. His screaming at the squirrels in the bird feeder.
.
25. His courage in facing his own cancer. How he has grown through that process. How you have become closer in many ways.
Also not a little thing.
Your marriage won't be perfect. There will be arguments and misunderstandings. There will be things that you don't have a clue about yet that will irritate the heck out of you.
And you will be no shining star yourself all the time.

Marriage is a chance to give and receive acceptance for all of who you are.
So what would I whisper to that bride-to-be?
"Go on. Walk down that aisle. This one will be the love of your life."

One Bride's Guide to Getting the Most Out of Your Honeymoon

From budget insight to scoring awesome "honeymooner" treatment, this brand-new bride has the details on maximizing your trip.

Amena, Orlando, Florida

After planning a wedding in less than a year with her now-husband, Dev, Amena couldn't wait to relax on her honeymoon. Married on March 21, 2015, the couple took off to Jamaica for six days following their big day. (Read his take on their honeymoon here.)

I wish I knew…to call ahead about the crowd.

We got married at the end of March, so we wanted to avoid spring-breakers at all costs. But it never occurred to us to find out ahead of time what the typical crowd was like at the resort. While we avoided the party scene, most of the other people at our resort were older, which was kind of a buzzkill. We were hoping to meet and hang out with other honeymooners, but because the clientele was older, there wasn't lively evening entertainment. I would definitely recommend asking what the hotel scene is like before you book.

I wish I knew…how far our budget could go.

Friends had recommended that we honeymoon at an all-inclusive from the get-go; that way we wouldn't have to worry about blowing our budget or stressing out about money while we were traveling. Once we came up with a budget (about $3,500), we both agreed to contribute about half and soon began researching options. Our goal was to get the most bang for our buck. Since we live in Florida, flying to the Caribbean wouldn't cost us too much, so the bulk of our budget could be spent on the hotel, food, and activities. After looking at reviews and prices of several all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, we decided on our Jamaican resort because it included the most: In addition to the room and food, excursions (like a hike to a nearby waterfall) and water sports (like scuba diving and snorkeling) were also part of the package. We loved not having to pay for anything while we were there; not thinking about money and how much everything was costing us helped us feel carefree.

I wish I knew…how well honeymooners are treated!

When you let people know you're on your honeymoon—whether it's your taxicab driver, your waiter or your hotel's reception desk—they go out of their way to treat you special. Our travel agency, HoneymoonsInc.com, told the resort that we would be on our honeymoon. When we checked in, a complimentary cheese-and-fruit tray was sent up to our room, and we got free 30-minute massages in the resort spa! No one told us to announce that we'd just got married, but once we mentioned it, it was so lovely to get extra attention and recognition. (Too bad we didn't say anything on our plane ride; maybe we could've gotten upgraded!) For us, this was our first trip alone together, and we really wanted it to be special—and by telling people that we were just married, we felt like everyone wanted to celebrate us.

I wish I knew…what a smart move it is to go right after the wedding.

Some couples want to wait a few weeks or months after their wedding to save up for the ultimate honeymoon. But I'm so glad that we got married and then went to Jamaica the very next day. After all the excitement and stress of wedding planning, being together away from everyone else and experiencing a little adventure was amazing. We had the chance to celebrate the experience of becoming husband and wife away from all the wedding excitement.

Jenn & Solomon Chau Wedding

Jenn & Solomon Chau Wedding Highlight Film by Boundless Weddings from Boundless Weddings on Vimeo.

How do you start a story about a man who was buried on his wedding day?

For now, I'll start with the facts. Solomon Chau died in his sleep on Aug. 17, 2015 — eight months after being diagnosed with liver cancer.
 
That was four days ago as of this writing.

This time last year, Chau and his beloved fiancee, Jennifer Carter, were looking forward to their wedding day, which was scheduled for Aug. 22, 2015.

That's tomorrow, as of this writing. It's hard to know the proper verb tense when you're talking about death. I mean that literally, though it is a strangely apt metaphor befitting of the subject matter.

The point is this: Aug. 22, 2015, is the day of Sol's funeral. In another world, it would have been the start of his married life with Jenn.

Jennifer Carter's wedding dress. Photo by Red Earth Photography. Used with permission.

I could start this story at the beginning, when Sol and Jenn first met.

According to Sol's obituary, it was pure happenstance that Jenn was visiting a friend at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, in October 2007 and that she would wind up at a house party celebrating Sol's 19th birthday.

It was less happenstance that Jenn would catch Sol's eye amidst the flurry of the evening. And it was absolutely deliberate when he took a more-than-three-hour bus ride around Lake Ontario during a snowstorm in December just to show up at her door and ask her out.

This is the love-conquers-all version, where the happy not-quite-a-couple-yet overcomes adversity — in this case, an actual storm — just to end up in each others' arms.

Jennifer and Solomon together. Photo taken from the GoFundMe campaign run by Solomon's childhood friend.

I could start their story somewhere in the middle, with the epic flash mob Sol used to ask Jenn to be his wife.

It was the spring of 2014, as the obituary tells it. Sol organized a flash mob in the plaza beneath Toronto's CN Tower, complete with dolphin balloons to match Jenn's tattoo in honor of her late sister.
There'd be an intermission, of course; a chance for the audience to catch their breath and revel in the couple's joyous day before the tragic ending in Act III.

Or I could begin closer to the end, with the day that Sol was diagnosed with cancer.

As explained in the couple's GoFundMe campaign, the news came in December 2014, and in those 48 frantic hours, Sol was diagnosed and rushed right into surgery. The doctors were able to successfully remove the tumor that was poisoning his liver. It was scary, sure, and Sol was weak. But then the New Year came, and things were looking up.
The tumor was gone. The cancer wasn't.

The couple's wedding rings. Photo by Red Earth Photography. Used with permission.

The truth is, no matter where I start the story, it still ends the same way: Sol died Aug. 17, 2015.

I wish I could tell you about the power of love, or Sol's miraculous recovery on their wedding day. But I told you up top that that wasn't how this story went. Real life is ugly, and cancer doesn't care for poetry or happy endings.

But what kind of storyteller would I be if I didn't save the best part of their story for last?

You see, Solomon Chau and Jennifer Carter did get to enjoy 128 precious days as husband and wife.

Jenn and Sol's first look on their wedding day. Photo by Red Earth Photography. Used with permission. 

It was March 2015 when Sol's cancer returned — just three months after his initial diagnosis and the emergency surgery they thought had been successful. This time, he and Jenn were told that the ending was inevitable, just as I told you.

Less than two weeks after Sol's fateful diagnosis, the city of Toronto rallied together behind the couple and surprised them with an unforgettable wedding on April 11, 2015.
 

Jenn and Sol with their bridal party. Photo by Red Earth Photography. Used with permission. 

In just three days, more than $50,000 was raised on GoFundMe to throw the couple a lavish wedding, and otherwise-expensive wedding vendors like Boundless Wedding video (who shared this story with me) and Red Earth Photography and Liberty Entertainment Group volunteered their services free of charge to give Sol and Jenn the happy day they deserved. The events of the day took place across Toronto, everywhere from the Ritz-Carlton Hotel to Toronto's picturesque Casa Loma castle and featured a brief reprise of Sol's flash-mob proposal.

All 70 guests kept their spirits high despite the tragic elephant in the room. Because sometimes, that's the only thing you can do.

And even though Sol was buried on the day his wedding was supposed to take place, Jenn will always have memories of their happy wedding day.

And I'll leave you with this, something to think about:

Some people joke about their " Kardash-iversary" — 73 days after the wedding, at which point their marriage has officially lasted longer than that of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries. I was recently married, and instead, I'll be thinking about our Sol-iversary. That will be in October (coincidentally, on Sol's birthday), 128 days after our own wedding — the amount of time that Sol and Jenn had together, and how grateful we all should be for every single day.

At Upworthy, we tell stories for a better world.Like us on Facebook to get them first:

I didn't know of Solomon Chau until Thursday afternoon (which is today, or two days ago, depending how we're counting). I don't presume to know what legacy he would have liked to leave behind, and it would be a disservice if I wrote some cliche platitudes about life and love and death. What I can do is what I've done here, which is share his story, and hope that maybe Sol's story could bring some light into your life, too.

5 Fun Ways to Celebrate a Milestone Wedding Anniversary

My husband and I are approaching our 10 year Anniversary and after 2 moves, 3 kids and a 1 male betta fish later, this Anniversary is the first time I’ve put in work planning for a memorable celebration. Hey, 10 years of marriage isn’t anything to sneeze at. Marriage is work and to reach such a milestone we need to remember this day! Check out 5 ideas i’ve nailed down that could help jumpstart your milestone Anniversary planning.


 1. Take a 10 day vacation. When was the last time you did anything together for 10 consecutive days other than your normal daily home routine?



2. Go back to the place you were engaged and plan an intimate brunch or dinner together while laughing and crying about the very moment that you said YES!



3. Plan an activity together that is totally out of your comfort zone, but conquer it together and cherish the memories.



4. Update your wedding photo album with a fun and candid photo session around the city visiting some of your fave places.



5.Renew your vows with your original officiant and a few close friends who have helped you both make it through the years.