In this special episode of the Open Late Podcast, celebrating her 9-year anniversary, Jess recounts the heartwarming story of how she woke up that morning, and unexpectedly found herself in a surprise wedding, making her a married woman by the end of the day. She takes us back to the beginning of her relationship with Pasha, admitting that she initially thought he might only be a rebound after her last breakup. She also shares the touching moment when Pasha surprised her with a proposal, followed shortly after by an intimate and magical surprise wedding surrounded by their closest friends. She reflects 10 years back, and wonders what her response would have been if someone had asked her whether she believed she would be in an open, polyamorous relationship today.

In this Episode of Open Late:

Mentioned in the Episode: Pregnancy. Changes. Everything

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1:47 The day that I woke up, the day that I got married. - Jessica Esfandiary

3:21 I had just gotten out of a three and a half year relationship that was really toxic, that was very limiting. It was stunting for my growth or my expression, for my sexuality. I just wanted fun and I probably wanted a little bit of danger, too, to be honest. And so he was ripe for the picking. - Jessica Esfandiary

3:45 We had a mutual friend that introduced us, and she actually forbade us from dating. So, I mean, that made the whole thing even hotter. - Jessica Esfandiary

7:08 I remember we had bought this journal and we decided that we would write to each other on our anniversary every year, and it was going to be a gift to each other back and forth. And we would do it for the whole time that we were together for the rest of our lives, apparently. I didn't know that. - Jessica Esfandiary

8:08 He proposes with this beautiful band and I instead say. Yes, there's like not a bone in my body that's confused about wanting to spend my life with this man. - Jessica Esfandiary

8:19 When we did decide to be together, it was like, this is my life partner. And that first year of our relationship was easy, breezy, beautiful, blissful. And you know, relationships don't last that way forever, especially long term committed ones. But that first year was incredible. - Jessica Esfandiary

18:12 When we officially started to date and there was exclusivity in our relationship. I knew that I would easily spend my life with this man and that he was the most driven and the most committed to his own growth. And that's what I was really looking for in a partner. And I didn't want to settle for less than crazy and love, which I was with him. - Jessica Esfandiary

19:13 If you asked me the night of my wedding, like, do you think that your relationship is open or do you think you're going to open it or do you think you'll be polyamorous? I didn't even know what polyamory was, so the answer would be no. - Jessica Esfandiary

20:29 That is the story of how I had a surprise wedding and I went to bed a married woman on a day that I woke up and I wasn't even engaged. So if you want to know who's the most confident man in the world and also who's the most spot on in the world, it's Pasha. - Jessica Esfandiary

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