My Best Friends' Weddings

Last Friday, I was blessed to be a bridesmaid as the 6th in our WCA group of girl friends married her man. Weddings make you reflect and dream, think back and look forward - and, I think, there are three things to note about each of these weddings and the memories and moments tucked away in my heart. 

The Memories

Tart-Taylor Wedding
From Olive Garden lunch to sleeping on the floor next to Whitney to blowing bubbles at the reception, Bethany's wedding was a time of new beginnings for all of us. A time of innocent excitement and naive uncertainty. It was the first, and it's traditional, down-home, country feel was a simple reflection of Bethany and Jeremy.

September 2009

Haight-Bauer Wedding

From tying bows, Hi 5 bonding with Chad and Kevin and Rascal Flatts with Amanda to a Walmart run and relaxing manicures and panara bread. From helping her into her dress, a prayer circle and peeking out the window to sweet time with friends under the twilight glow and a butterfly-filled stomach before my toast, Whitney's wedding was a time of fairy tale magic and whispers of happily ever after. It was a simple backyard wedding that felt like you had stepped into a Disney movie - a beautiful image of Aaron and Whitney's love for each other.

June 2010

Buker-Chiu Wedding
From a road trip to Ohio to a circle of prayer and murder mysteries. From meeting all new people to bonding in the bathroom, from magic wands and swords to falling asleep before midnight, from New Years to ever ever after, Jessi's wedding was a time of new places and new adventures and a childlike excitement and wide-eyed joy. The energy and spirit of the celebration reflected the joy and innocent sillyness that Jessi and Evan share with all.

January 2011

Hamilton-Shelley Wedding

From signed basketballs to beautiful hymns being sung in celebration. From popcorn and jewelry to dinner around a cocktail table and crowded photo booths, from a choreographed dance to a potato bar and beautiful cupcakes, Ashley's wedding was filled with tiny touches of the bride and groom everywhere you looked. The breathtaking, elegant spin on take-me-out-to-the-ballgame details, was the perfect representation of Ashley and Jordan. 

March 2011

Cruz-Sierra Wedding

From a sleepover in Charlotte to a circle of prayer in an open room in Raleigh, from Laotian food to Lebanese dessert, from Las Vegas to Puerto Rico, from Beauty and the Beast and Harry Potter to dancing the night away with a latin flare, from handwritten wedding vows and prayer to silly songs and inappropriate stories, Jessica's wedding was a time of nervous anticipation and beyond-elegant breathtaking execution, of thankful tears and excited triumph. Every elegant, rustic, vintage touch and passionate words of love for Jesus and the couple showed the heart of John and Jessica.

I am so thankful for the "photo album" of memories hidden in my heart from each of these special times. All different. All unique. All wonderful.

The People

I am constantly amazed at how weddings bring people together. People with a love for Jesus and a love for the dear couple. At each of these weddings, I met people I'd never met before - and over a week's timing, we bonded. This past week - during Jessica's wedding festivities - I truly feel like I made lifelong friends in just three days. It is beyond amazing, and it's sad when you have to say good-bye.

The memories, the behind-the-scenes moments, the chaotic cries, prayers, laughter, stories, and love that you share creates a bond and opens up a place in your heart for these sweet people who mean so much to your friend. Even if we never meet again, I will forever hold dear memories of the friends I've made in the short days surrounding each wedding.

The Moment

On each of these days, there's normally a moment. At Whitney's it was the moment we all stood in her backyard, under the glow of twinkle lights, and posed for a picture. It took me back to a story I had written in 10th grade about that exact scenario. At Jessica's wedding, it was as I stood up front, with Cari beside me, Jessica getting married, Whitney's sweet voice filling the air with song, and Carrie, Ashley, Bethany sitting together sweetly looking on, and Jessi sending her prayers miles away.

It's the moment I capture. The moment I memorize. The moment I realize that those 16-year-old daydream whispers, wonderings about our future...those 10-year-ago starry-eyed dreams were now coming true. The time we're in is the exact moment we had always dreamt of...and it's better than we could have ever imagined. How AWESOME is our GOD - to allow these eight innocent dreamers who were just yesterday only girls dreaming about and praying for their future husbands and laughing deep into the night, having no idea what the future would hold to still be friends, connected deep at the core.

"We’re all very happy and busy. We’ve all changed a lot, yet as we proved five years ago, we're all the same people that we’ve always been. We may not be able to get together as often as we would like but we’ve made tons of memories together, and memories are something to always cherish. Well, this story has ended, but our stories are still only beginning." - Excerpt from the book I wrote in 10th grade.