A Beach Wedding in Destin for Joel & Jen
Todd Swank's Diary Entry for April 19, 2026
Thanks to everyone who’s been checking in on my mom. Her hip replacement surgery went really well, which was a huge relief. She did have a little extra excitement afterward when her heart decided to keep things interesting and she needed a pacemaker, but she handled it like a champ. She’s now back in rehab, working hard to figure out her new hip, and if all goes as planned, we’re hoping she’ll be back home in a couple of weeks. At this point we’re convinced the prayers are working… so maybe don’t stop now.
Last week Miss Sheri and I flew down to Destin, Florida to celebrate the wedding of our old friends Joel and Jen. Not a bad place to watch two people say “I do”… especially when it involves white sand, blue water, and a guy walking around with a guitar like he’s ready to turn the whole thing into a Jimmy Buffett concert at any moment.
Joel and I went to high school together in Clear Lake, Iowa, and we’ve somehow managed to stay friends ever since. That’s pushing close to 40 years now… which is impressive considering most people tap out on me in under 20. So when the wedding invitation showed up, I was honestly just relieved to see I was still on the list.
Joel and Jen rented out a massive house right on Miramar Beach to host the wedding and reception. Pool, hot tub, the ocean steps away, and somehow enough space to sleep 22 people without anyone ending up in a closet. Miss Sheri and I played it safe and stayed in a condo down the beach… but we made sure to show up here every day and night like we actually lived there.
Jen comes from a big family… like a dozen siblings big, plus another 20 friends who all showed up for the wedding. Which meant I suddenly had about 35 new names to learn in a weekend. At this stage of life, that’s less “meeting people” and more “running a full-time memory experiment.” I tried every trick in the book… and when that failed, I just smiled confidently and hoped nobody asked me to prove it.
One name I did know was Joel’s brother Jake. Jake was born when we were in high school, so he was just a little guy back then. He’s much bigger now… which, to be fair, is exactly what you hope happens, so thank God he grew.
I also got to see Joel’s kids, Nathaniel and Mayah, who somehow went from being little kids to looking like they have agents, brand deals, and a skincare routine worth more than my first car. They’ve grown up like crazy and both looked absolutely great.
We couldn’t come to Florida and not go on at least one critter adventure, so we snuck away for a dolphin cruise at AJ’s in Destin. Somehow we managed to spot dolphins like professionals, which I’m pretty sure just means they showed up and we took credit for it. We stuck around for lunch afterward, and the Bang Bang Shrimp lived up to the name… not because it was spicy, but because it disappeared so fast it sounded like a small explosion at our table.
We had such a great time on the AJ’s dolphin cruise with Daniel and Cody on the Seascape. Perfect mix of everything… we saw a pod of dolphins, ripped around the gulf at full speed, and somehow the drinks never stopped coming. Hard-working crew, great energy, and honestly one of the best 90 minutes you can spend in Destin.
We also made a point to hit a few state parks and beaches in search of more critters. This sign pretty much sums up the experience… “alligators are dangerous” feels like the kind of reminder you don’t really need, but appreciate once you’re standing there staring at the water. We did spot a couple way off in the distance, which was perfect, because we love the idea of going “gator hunting” right up until the moment one decides to get a little closer.
One of the park rangers walked up carrying this little guy like it was just another day on the job. She said it was a leatherback turtle and she was relocating him to the lake after he kept trying to cross the road… not exactly a winning strategy. I immediately asked if I could pet him on the nose, which she very calmly shut down. Probably a good call… I’m already operating with a limited finger inventory.
Eventually it was time to head back to the beach for the ceremony, and honestly, they couldn’t have picked a more beautiful place to get married. The weather was perfect, the water looked amazing, and everything about it felt like one of those weddings people pretend not to compare future weddings to. The only flaw was that it involved sand, which of course immediately found its way into my shoes and set up permanent residence. Other than that, absolutely perfect.
One of Jen’s friends officiated the ceremony and did a really nice job. It was great hearing Joel and Jen talk about how much they love each other and how happy they’ve been since they found their way together… you could just see it on both of them the whole time.
What really stood out was seeing all of their kids up there as part of the ceremony. Not just showing up, but fully in it… smiling, supporting, and clearly happy for them. That part felt pretty special.
Miss Sheri and I were so glad we made the trip to celebrate Joel and Jen… and we’re also at that empty nester stage where getting away like this feels pretty great too. Let’s just say if any other friends happen to fall in love and get married somewhere warm and beautiful, we’ll do our best to show up and support you as well
Sunday after the wedding we decided to drive over to Panama City Beach to check out a few parks and beaches, and accidentally stumbled into an airshow. Turns out we weren’t the only ones with that brilliant idea… pretty much the entire state of Florida had the same plan.
We got to see the Thunderbirds, which was a first for me. I’m not exaggerating when I say they scared the living hell out of us when they first came roaring in like America had decided to personally kick down the sky. Once my nervous system recovered, it was incredible to watch. The speed, precision, and control of those F-16s was unbelievable, and the whole thing was one of the coolest parts of the trip.
Before we knew it, our Florida vacation came to an end. With a couple hours to kill before our flight, we stopped at the Air Force museum next to the Destin airport and I was pleasantly surprised by how many cool exhibits they had. At this point in life I’m starting to think I might want to be a jet pilot when I grow up… just need to work on a few minor details.
