“I know. But I hate weddings.”“Because of Darcy?”“Because a wedding is a ceremony where a symbolic virgin surrounded by women in ugly dresses marries a hungover groom accompanied byfriends he hasn’t seen in years but made them show up anyway. After that, there’s a reception where the guests are held hostage for two hours withnothing to eat except lukewarm chicken winglets or those weird coated almonds, and the DJ tries to brainwash everyone into doing the electricslide and the Macarena, which some drunk idiots always go for. The only good part about a wedding is the free booze.”“Can you say that again?” Sam asked. “Because I might want to write it down and use it as part of my speech.”

“Weddings are never about the bride and groom, weddings are public platforms for dysfunctional families.”

“Because handsomeness is always accompanied by vanity.And I suppose ugliness is accompanied by a wealth of virtues?”

“You know," I told him on our wedding night, "I'm just as much me when I'm with you, as I am without you."And because Hardy understood what I meant, he pulled me into his arms, against his heart.”

“I want you any way I can get you. Not because you’re beautiful or clever or kind or adorable, although devil knows you’re all those things. I want you because there’s no one else like you, and I don’t ever want to start a day without seeing you.”

“Dear Miss Independent,I've decided that of all the women I've ever known, you are the only one I will ever love more than hunting, fishing, football, and power tools.You may not know this, but the other time I asked you to marry me, the night I put the crib together, I meant it. Even though I knew you weren't ready.God, I hope you're ready now.Marry me, Ella. Because no matter where you go or what you do, I'll love you every day for the rest of my life. —Jack”

“The sight of a sullen teenager is common no matter where you go. Teenagers want things so powerfully and can never seen to get them, and to add insult to injury, people make light of your feelings because you are a teenager. They say time will mend a broken heart and they're often right. But not where my feelings for Hardy were concerned.”