First comes love, then comes marriage they say, but there’s usually a bachelor party somewhere in between there. From left to right, Drew, Ryan, Giov, Michael, Jesse, Duncan, Jon Kim, Giancarlo, me, Mike, Levi, Ricky (George and Charlie not pictured here). We were a pretty big group. Fourteen strong, coming from all over the country. We chose to party in Denver, Colorado. Most of us hadn’t been before, and It was pretty close to meeting in the middle geographically. It felt right.
We did a lot over 4 days and 3 nights. Usually it’s your best man who puts these things together. My best man was my brother, but planning really isn’t in his wheelhouse. My friend Drew offered to take up reins and get it all figured. He’s a good guy to know to say the least.
Christina turns 30, and we add another member to the club.
One day my friend Drew told me he wanted to move into a new place with his girlfriend Kelsie. They really hadn’t been dating very long at all, and the new place was a pricey two year lease. There was never a thing not to like about Kelsie, but I still owed it to one of my best friends to warn him he might be rushing into something here. He agreed he was rushing in, but rushing into the right thing, so why wait. I remember thinking it to be pretty bold.
Turns out, they just signed a lifetime lease, and tied the knot. They married near Palm Springs on April Fools, because well, it’s Drew and Kelsie we’re talking about here. It was a beautiful Saturday.
Levi turns 30, Kristin turns 31, and my toes turn purple.
Levi and Ashley tied the knot. Yes, what I drew is supposed to be a rope being knotted, not links of sausage.
They exchanged vows on a warm Saturday, in Odessa Florida. It was a beautiful day. Felt really lucky to have witnessed it, and to have helped celebrate it. Was a little concerned my dance moves might get me ejected from the reception, but there was no harm done.
A couple days before the wedding, Alexis and I came to St. Petersburg to spend some time with my parents. Hurricane Matthew had other plans though. They had to hang back and secure their house in South Florida, so we didn’t see them this time. We made the best of it though.
Ricky turns 30.
I asked the girl I’ve been crazy about (and driven crazy by) since the day I met her, to marry me. How we got from there to here is a long story. One that I’ll save for another time. But today, I want to tell you about the best day of my life.
Celebrated my 30th in Palm Springs, poolside with some cold drinks and the best people. They came a long ways and spent a good bit of money and time to make sure I knew damn well that 30 ain’t so bad.
Had a few people over Easter Sunday to help us drink some Champagne. We either bought too much, or they weren’t much help.
A rare video chat with some of my oldest friends, catching up over beers, across thousands of miles, sitting in Florida, Oregon, New York, Texas, and California.
The occasion was Dan’s 28th birthday, who I first met when I was 11 years old. His finance Dominique set the whole thing up and surprised him when she handed him a laptop with all of our faces on it.
Such a great feeling shooting the breeze with some of my truest friends.
My friends Mike and Christina are getting married. They deserve the best, and they found it in each other. I was honored that they asked me to design their invitations.
I’ve only ever worked for friends as favors to them. Here’s the first time I didn’t. When you’re good at something, people will say it’s easy for you. Maybe that’s true, maybe not, but you shouldn’t ever feel guilty about doing what you do, and doing it well. I’ve done it so much, but that’s done now.
Never the place, always the people.
Duncan the navigator. George the poet. Drew the holiday. Ashley the dancer. Alexis the Sun. Jacquelynne the Italifornian. Colby the certain. Christina the welcoming. Mike the noble.
These are my friends. The kind that when asked to bring a chair to a party in my empty apartment, bring a couch. I was about as low as hell, for a long time, before I met these people. I’m so lucky, and I know that well.
Parisa’s profound ramblings, as I recall them.
Alexis’ Big Easy. The gang got together in New Orleans to celebrate her 30th. The years are really starting to move, so thought I’d get us a camera and started recording in a hope to slow things down a little.