My best friend's wedding

As usual, I am fashionably late at everything.  Two weeks ago, I celebrated one my best friend's wedding in Lubbock, TX.  Yes, I had to go through that awkward conversation about can-I-miss-3 days-of-work-at-my-new-job thing, but my boss was cool with it. 

My heart was racing as I took that flight to Lubbock.  I haven't seen Erika since my own wedding almost two years...boy, time flies fast. 

This was a very family-oriented wedding- meaning lots of uncles, aunts, grandmas and grandpas.  It meant a huge deal to me that I was invited to this wedding, and moreover, that I was Erika's Matron of Honor.

Linda, Erika and I (and Linda's cute baby boy, Jaron).  We spent the college years together.

The bride and the groom

Candace sang at the ceremony.

 

We swiftly went through the wedding shower, bachelorette party, and the rehearsal/dinner.  If the rehearsal was any indication, the whole wedding ceremony was going to be filled with tears.  The bride spent her last night as a single woman with me.  We were sharing the bed together and were bursting out in laughs the moment we began talking about our college years. 

The wedding day...this was an emotional one.  Watching her dad in tears as he escorted Erika was hard to watch.  Have I mentioned it was my first time ever being in a bridal party?  Yeah...you literally get to witness the raw emotions of everyone; it is an emotional roller coaster.

Anyone who knows me well will know that my favorite part weddings is the brides' interaction with her parents, especially with their fathers.  Of course there is the son and mother love, but I always felt like there was something extra special, and emotional, about a father and daughter relationship.  It was a beautiful thing to see Erika and her dad (Bob) embracing each other with love, a love that is very different than a romantic love that one would have with her husband. 

First dance

Garter toss

Have I mentioned that I never cried at weddings?  It's true; I never understood the joyful crying thing.  I didn't even cry at my own wedding, so why should I at other people's wedding...right?!  Well, all of that belief quickly went away when it was time for me to give toast to the newly married couple.  The moment I opened my mouth, tears starting drooling down from my eyes and I did everything in my power to not become a mess.  I wasn't a mess, but I did have a hard time saying the words I wanted to without wiping my tears every second.  I had written down (on my phone) exactly what I wanted to say, but I immediately began improvising the moment the mic started working.  What I said to the bride, my best friend who made my last two years of college experience very special, came from my heart.  It was pure message.

Father/daughter dance...my favorite.

 

And just like that, Erika was a married woman.  Just like when I became a married woman and she was right beside me, I was with her when it all happened two weeks ago.  The power of friendship is a powerful thing.  We see each other years at a time (thanks, grown-up life), but we always manage to start off from exactly where we leave.  I am so happy for this girl- the fact that she found her love and happiness.  And, I am immensely thankful for our friendship.