 Our trip to the altar...I mean courthouse!  Matt and I met in August of 2001 at Northern Illinois University (our Alma Mater). Go Huskies! He was the roommate of my friend Hien. The funny thing is, Matt remembered me from the previous year...apparently he sat behind me in Psych. He remembered me being the loud redhead that always questioned everything the TA that taught the class said. I didn't remember him (even though he's so tall and HOT!) but my then roommate did, and he insists that I noticed Matt then, but I honestly cannot remember that for the life of me. Anyways, when we met, Matt was dating someone, and I was on and off with someone--so there was really no opportunity to date each other at that time. We became friends and I found myself hanging out with Hien, Matt and Mikey (the roommates) often.
When Matt and I were both finally single several months later, we...let's say, "made out" a lot...but never actually dated. He insists that I said, "This is just for fun...it's not going anywhere" but what woman would say that?! I think he made that up. Whatever. So, we remained best friends and I met someone and dated them for a couple years while Matt played the field--all the while asking each other for dating advice, watching TV while he did laundry at my place, attending parties together as friends, and always being there for each other. We truly were best friends!
 Then I graduated, and left NIU for the "real world" which then took my to Elgin. Laugh. Matt remained at NIU as a Super-duper Senior and continued to man-whore it out. Just kidding. Right after moving to Elgin, I was dumped, and therefore single again, and Matt and I picked right up where we'd left off 2 years before! We went on dates, kissed, all that typical BF-GF stuff, but again, never dated. We had so much fun together, and truly loved being around each other...but he kept thinking I didn't want it to go anywhere--and I kept thinking HE didn't want it to go anywhere...there was a communications breakdown of sorts.
   I ended up dating a co-worker of mine for 3 years and Matt went back to dating randomly. He would always call asking for good restaurants to take chicks to, etc. and I basically would plan his dates! Take her to La Scorella and then to Ethel's for hot cocoa and a kiss after dinner! Barf---I was helping him get laid! Horrible!
Anyways...so it seemed at the time that I was going to end up with the loser I was dating for 3 years...until one day in October. My Grandma had died and I needed a ride to Midway on the upcoming Saturday so I could get to Ohio for her funeral. My then loser BF already had plans and tickets to hop on a drunk bus that Saturday and go to the BC-Notre Dame Game. While he said he could change his plans, I could see he really didn't care or want to take me. I told him, I'll just call a couple friends and see if they can give me a ride. Of course the first person I called was Matt and almost in an instant, he offered a ride to the airport, no questions asked. He rearranged his entire day to be at my house at 4:30 to take me to Midway to attend my Grandma's funeral...he was my hero that day, and as we drove to the airport, I thought "God, I wish he was my BF instead of Mike." But alas, I said nothing.
A couple months later, on December 3rd, the catalyst that FINALLY brought us together happened. My GF Shauna made a pseudo-buzzed comment to me after my best friend Lindsy's bachelorette party when we were getting ready for bed. She said, "What if you're not supposed to end up with Mike? He can be a d!ick, he's old, he drinks too much, etc...what if you're supposed to end up with MATT?"...And all I could say was, "Matt is perfect, but he just doesn't look at me that way, he never has..." Of course I thought about that comment all night and the following day I called Matt since I HAD to tell him what Shauna said, after all, I told him everything!
So, I told him what Shauna said and what my response was and he laughed and then digressed onto some other topic. 2 days later, he calls me and says, "I can't stop thinking about what you said the other night. What if we're supposed to end up like 'When Harry Met Sally'?" I paused. Then I asked, "I have never seen that whole movie, can you give me a synopsis of what you mean?" So he recapped, "Well, they meet in college, then they lose touch, then they become best friends, then they have sex and then they get married". And I said, "Are you saying you want to marry me someday?!" And he said, "Maybe. I mean, you're awesome. I'm awesome. Maybe we should just date--it could be AWESOME." (Can't wait to tell that kids how smooth Dad was!). So I asked, "Are you serious?! Because I'd have to rearrange my life for this, like dump (my then live-in BF) Mike and everything?!" And he said, "Yes, I think we should do it." And I said, "Well, if anyone is worth putting it all on the line for, it would be you. But we need to talk about this in person, not over the phone!" So the next night we met for dinner, talked and that was that. We had to be together. It felt right, it felt perfect!
Of course it took about 1.5 months of horribly awkward living situation with my ex in the guestroom waiting to get into his apt in the city. I secretly would "go to Shauna's" which was my cover for going to Matt's! I had completely cut off Mike emotionally, physically, etc. the moment Matt and I decided to date, but it was still awkward as hell. Matt and I had to secretly date for that entire time! But, eventually Mike moved out of my house and out of my life forever! Yay!
Matt and I quickly fell in love-love, I mean, we already loved each other as friends so falling in love was not hard. After all--He is the best! We have everything in common, we respect and support each other's passions (I am art & design-he is music!) and we just love spending time together.
Several months into dating, Matt decided Grad School was not for him, and he moved in with me. He is the best "roommate" ever! He fixes things around the house, he builds stuff, he helps with the dishes, he cleans, he does laundry, he loves the same TV shows and he loves our cats! He is my favorite! Yay!
After a month of living together, we knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. We found our dream venue and started planning a big wedding. Problem was, we were footing the bill for it and Matt was still out of work. The venue penciled us in for June 26, 2010 and I booked my favorite vendors.
On the eve of Election Day, we had a epiphany. Why wait another 1.5+ years to get married?! Why put our lives "on hold"??? So, he threw out our options. Normal proposal, wait until 2010 or just get married at the courthouse ASAP and have a fun reception with friends in a couple months. Option 2 sounded awesome. After all, I want to be his wife more than anything else. Plus, we're still doing most of the "normal" wedding things...our family and friends are coming to the short civil ceremony, then some lunch at Maggiano's after. We got platinum wedding bands, I found a dress, he got a new suit, I am making my bouquet, we have a pro-photog friend shooting photos, AND we are still having a smaller, cheaper, and better reception on February 27, 2009 at Meson Sabika in Naperville! So we are getting everything we ever wanted in a wedding without the big pricetag and long wait! I am SOOOOOO happy to be Mrs. Matthew Janes!  Kristen & Matt Janes Married November 14, 2008 at the Dupage County Courthouse in Wheaton, IL At Last, we are MARRIED! We were the 19th couple to tie-the-knot that morning and everything was perfect. We exchanged vows and rings in front of 20 of our closest friends and family and then had a nice luncheon at Maggiano's afterwards. We treated ourselves to a night at Sybaris (lame and cheesy, but Oh so fun!) which was fantastic and then we went back to business and usual the next day. Being married is awesome and Matt is my life, my soul, my happiness. What is interesting is the crap we were thrown after we got married. First, I was laid off literally 1 week after our reception. 4 years of my life spent designing for Wilton and then I was tossed out like an old shoe. Luckily, in that week of marriage I added Matt to my insurance and we were both covered on the severance package until the end of the year. Which was good, since Matt had to have BACK SURGERY 2 days before Christmas. He had to have a discescomy on L2 and then 2 weeks of rest and recovery and then months of physical therapy. There was no way he was going to be able to dip me at our reception--that was for sure!  And then there was a RECEPTION... The Saturday before the reception my girlfriends threw me a belated bachelorette/birthday party which was fantastic. They surprised me with a pole-dancing class, then dinner at a fun Mexican restaurant (Lalo's), topped off with drinks and debauchery at The Foundry. I did all of the dares on my list, drank lots of drinks and shots throughout the night and somehow, didn't get sick and hungover! I was, however, tired as can be and sore for 2 days post pole-dancing! Unfortunately, the Monday before the reception Matt came home from work sick. He had some sort of cold and went to the doctor the next morning. Upper-respiratory infection was the diagnosis. He got a Z-pack and some cough syrup with hopes to get better ASAP. The next morning, we woke up, Matt was deader, and I was starting to feel sick too. I went to the doctor, got the same meds and got sicker as the day continued. We were both the walking dead. It sucked. It was so hard to have energy to finish my DIY projects and do my centerpieces and such. I felt so ugly and pale and clammy and hot and just a mess. The night before the reception was my worst night, I coughed the entire night and barely got any sleep. I woke up feeling horrible but knew I had to suck it up for our reception later that day. I showered and took some more drugs and started to feel slightly better. I think it was all mind-tricks but whatever, it was working. On the plus side, Matt was feeling better and barely sick anymore. That was good. I got to the venue early to set up with help from my family and friends. Everything turned out beautiful and my MUA and hair stylist worked wonders to make me look healthy and vibrant. It was as perfect as it could be. I just wish I had a clear head that night! The entire night flew by. You don't even notice the crowd when you walk out during introductions. You just cut the cake and sit down, not even feeling hundreds of eyes on you. And then the toasts and the food and the drinks and the dancing were all a whirlwind. I remember everything, and I remember nothing. I am so glad that our photographer (along with many friends and family members) captured the night on film. I can now look back with a clear head and see all of the fun that we had! It was a great night. The 2nd happiest day of our lives (our wedding day being the 1st!)   |
