No Small Affair

I was a "Wedding Virgin" until Liz asked me to be her Maid of Honor.  Ok well, I was a Junior Bridesmaid for my Aunt Pammy when I was ten...but I don't really count that.  Mike and Liz are very dear friends to me.  If it wasn't for death and breakups I doubt we would still be friends.  It is funny how the real stuff of life, the hard stuff, can either make or break relationships.  For me, Liz and Mike, it was a recipe for success.  All credit to them, they fought for my friendship.  

The first time I met Liz was the first time Mike's whole family met her, lunch after church.  She was a big surprise, no one expected to see Mike walk in with a girl.  It was a perfect "fly on the wall" moment. To just sit back and watch his family interact with this unexpected girl.  I still remember that afternoon ever so clearly, and I chuckle every time I think about the look on Mike's dad's face.  Classic.

After a LONG 19 months of wedding planning, they are off honeymooning in the Bahamas.  Glorious. 

I love weddings, always have.  When I was in between Jr. High and High School I became obsessed with them.  My head and heart were engulfed in the desire to be a bride.  One day to wear the most beautiful dress and walk toward a man that wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.  It was my one dream in high school.  To be a bride.


I bought the magazines, browsed TheKnot.com, gazed at wedding dresses.  I was all in.  I always told friends that if God hadn't called me to missions I wanted to be a wedding planner.  I loved weddings.  I planned out my "Big Day" to every last detail, except who would be waiting for me at the front of the church.  That was my big ?.

Somewhere along the way I lost my fervor for weddings.  The magazines got packed up in my mom's closet, the "Wedding Ideas" file got lost somewhere.  Chalk it up to maturing, heartbreak, reality or something else, but I didn't care any more.  Until Liz said, "I want you to be my Maid of Honor."

Planning a real wedding takes a lot of work.  Especially one like Mike & Liz's.  And I wasn't even in the country for the last six months!  Walking through the preparation process with these guys caused me to reflect on my old wedding obsession.  I wanted a wedding.  Not a marriage.  I wanted a big fancy white wedding.  I had no idea how to be a Godly wife.  Which I see now as God's provision.  Thanks God, you always know best.

This wedding, albeit very exciting, had me more nervous than most.  Mainly because it was a step back into my past.  I had no idea how I would handle being around my infamous "Ex" or being in my old church or simply just being at a wedding.  Do weddings mess with your head too?  Only by God's grace was my heart completely fine.  

Armed with my new confident attitude (so I am told by friends), knowing that I looked amazing in my dress, and the awesome Ben as my date, I set myself up for success.  And I had a blast dancing the night away with old friends and taking full credit for bringing a date with the most ridiculous dance moves.  Realizing that I don't want a big fancy white wedding.  My life is perfect right now exactly as God orchestrated it and anything different would be lame.

 

"Here's to the men that love us, the losers that lost us, and the lucky bastards that have yet to meet us!"

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All photos courtesy of the amazing Sarah Christine Photography.  Seriously check her out.  Fun fact, she and I once dated the same guy...creepy and awesome all at the same time.