I met Jai within hours of my first day at college; we were both on the swim team. Right away, I fell for his crystal blue eyes - and it didn't take long before I knew that he was my soul mate.

But still, ten years later, his proposal was a shock. One morning, I woke up and noticed him staring at me. Then he pulled a ring out from under my pillow.

We planned the wedding in less than six months. Since we had been together for nearly a decade, we didn't feel the need for a long engagement. We tried to be as "green" as possible and had mostly everything provided by small, local companies. Putting it together in so little time was stressful - and then there was this weird string of calamities.

The week before the wedding, all of my wedding party, including my soon-to-be husband ended up in the hospital! Six days before the big day, Jai hit a deer on his motorcycle. He was wearing all of his protective gear, so he only sustained minor injuries, but most people don't survive that kind of an accident at fifty-five miles an hour. Suddenly, all of the wedding stress came into perspective. All that mattered was that Jai was okay and that we were still getting married.

When the best man's wife had pregnancy complications and ended up in the emergency room on the day before the wedding, we were really concerned, but mother and baby pulled through, too. By the time my matron of honor fell at the rehearsal dinner and had to be taken to the hospital with torn ligaments in her ankle, we were used to taking things in stride.

The wedding was beautiful. I remember walking into the garden, surrounded by friends and family, and feeling really grateful that they were all there - happy and healthy - celebrating my union with the man I love. My sister, a newly ordained minister, conducted the simple Quaker ceremony. Because she knew Jai and me both so well, her words were personal and heartfelt. I wouldn't change a thing about that day.