when did you first meet?g: Matt and Heather Smith's wedding in the summer of 2005. Rachel was the photographer at their wedding. I thought she was beautiful. I saw her again a couple of years later working at the Apple Store in Salt Lake City, and then on New Year's Eve 2006-7, I saw her at church and she chatted me up and I acted very nonchalant even though secretly, I was already becoming obsessed. After a sweaty New Year's Eve dance party and some talk of her maybe moving to southern California I got really obsessed.
r: we first met when I was shooting matt and heather smith's wedding in june of 2005. the exact date was june 17th 2005 at the wedding dinner (although I don't really remember him that well)... we then re-met, both single, new years week of 2007. we were acquaintances at this point, but kind of seeing each other in a new light.
when was your first date?
g: I'm embarrassed to say the first official date (meaning I paid and we went "out' somewhere) was months after we first kissed. We went out for Thai food at Sawadi in Salt Lake City and we were already so familiar with each other that we were holding hands across the table.
r: hmmm....hard to say. by the time we went to "dinner" together for the first time, we were already holding hands and dating exclusively. our friendship/courtship started over hundreds of emails and a few trips to see each other since I was living in SLC and he was in LA. We kind of skipped "getting to know you" dating thanks to the emails.
who kissed who first?
g: I kissed her first but after a long night of intense nervousness. I really clam up when I like a girl. It was the hottest thing since hot lava.
r: grant kissed me and then I kissed grant. it was pretty much like fireworks.
when were "I love you's" said?g: We were in her room at her apartment in Newport Beach. I knew I loved her weeks before this. We were just kissing and cuddling and talking and I just had to tell her.
r: he told me on a normal night, doing normal stuff. I proceeded to ask all sorts of questions like. " how do you know"?, "how long have you known"....and after a few weeks of freaking out, I returned the sentiment while we were putting together ikea furniture (which I believe is every couples most romantic moment).
did rachel move to california for grant?g: Definitely not. If you know Rachel, she has dreams and goes after them, and one of those was to "live near the beach." So she moved near the beach. And, she loves warm weather.
r: NO!....the decision had almost been made before anything had happened, but once the crushing and the fireworks started, it did make my decision easier. by the time I moved we both had it pretty bad for each other. the timing was pretty amazing.what does the other person smell like?g: Rachel smells so good. She thinks she smells bad sometimes but she never does. Her skin usually smells Queen Helene Cocoa Butter lotion mixed with her own delightful scent and some purple perfume that I can never remember the name of. Her hair and her skin always smell amazing to me.
r: grant usually smells like rugged man...or his deodorant. NEVER smell his workout shorts post workout and steer clear after any dairy products have been ingested. other than those times, he smells like irish spring soap and deliciousness (grant informed me it is not irish spring, but lever 2000..works for me).where will you live after you're married?g: At Rachel's little blue house in Culver City, CA for a little while and then we want to go live in Spain for a year.
r: my little blue house in culver city, but we are thinking of moving international before parenthood. anyone want to visit us in spain?where have you traveled together?g: Peru, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth, New York, San Francisco, and various work days in and around Southern California
r: peru, san fransisco, texas, new york, utah, mexico, laughlin nevada and porterville...to name a few.why did you date "so long"?g: Is 2 years long? Rachel wasn't ready to get married.
r: I have to see another persons "crazy" before I can know whether I want to commit. I waited a really long time to see his "crazy".. so far no luck. I can't wait forever!
who looks more like ellen degeneres?g: I do. It's embarrassing. I never knew I did until Rachel told me so and sometimes I have to admit I look more like Ellen than Ellen does.
r: hard question....GRANT!what are your favorite things to do together?g: Make good food. Eat good food. Eat bacon. Go to the Griffith Observatory. Go to museums. Go to the beach. Cuddle, whether she can admit it or not. Walk around in Rachel's neighborhood. Jump on the trampoline in her backyard. Dance to HipHop music while we brush our teeth. Listen to This American Life while driving in the car. Watch the Food Network (especially Jaime Oliver), Lost, 30 Rock, and The Office.
r: we love watching movies (who doesn't), being somewhere new together, exploring new eatery's, costco outings, star gazing, cooking together, long drives listening to "this american life", taking pictures, having really long conversations about unanswerable questions that I pose to grant after midnight and holding hands in church.
what about marriage are you most excited for?g: Making Rachel my wife. Calling Rachel my wife. Marrying up, way up. Not living in different places but only going home to one home. Turning in my V-card. Having Rachel document our awesome life in beautiful pictures. Moving forward and upward. Traveling more, building a home, planting gardens, having kids that look and act like Rachel.
r: I am really excited to kiss him goodbye every morning knowing that at the end of each work day he will be coming back to me (even though I will miss him the second he leaves). I am excited to take on all forms of life together as a team. moving, mistakes, triumphs, rain storms, accomplishments, children...children that look like grant as a 3yr old. seriously? how can one person be so adorable? I am excited to be able to check this big decision off my list and be able to focus on the rest of living. I feel so blessed he is choosing me and I just want to help create the happiest possible life for us.
what about marriage are you most nervous about?g: Closet space--it's in short supply at her place. Rachel sometimes gets bossy in the kitchen. Remembering to be romantic because it's not my nature.
r: space invasion! I like my big bed! also the thought that at any moment he might rearrange the fridge. what if I can't find something!?
what do you want your wedding day to be like?g: Simple and fun. I want Rachel to feel beautiful. I want us to be relaxed. I want us to share it with our most intimate family and friends. I want everyone to believe in us. I want warm weather and really tasty food. I want heartfelt words and smiles and tears and feelings. I want good music and some fun dancing.
r: peaceful and full of love. I want plenty of time to hug everyone and plenty of time for conversation. I want to celebrate with the people I love the most. I want everyone to be able to feel the love and friendship grant and I share. I want to feel present. I want to look into grant's eyes a lot. when the day is over I hope everyone will look back and say "that was a good day".
what is the most important part of the wedding day for you?
g: Being sealed in the temple is first. Next is sharing the day with each other and with the people who matter most to us.
r: definitely the ceremony and the temple time. everything else is extra.what percentage do you think you are lovers and what percentage friends?g: 60% Lovers, 40% friends.
r: I think we are 40% lovers and 60% friends....but it varies. when he dances we are 90% lovers and 10% friends.
