Coming Out of Retirement

It’s interesting to think that it’s wedding season again for this girl.  I’ve already been through this once, where everyone around every corner was getting married.  This was in my mid-20s when a wedding meant a fancy dress and a big party.

Now, during round 2, it’s amazing to see the transformation of what I’m seeing for weddings.  I am seeing that the more mature (but not at all old) bride is throwing a fabulous less intense wedding… and she’s keeping it smaller than the first shindig.  She’s picking destination weddings over traditional ceremonies and throwing picnics and barbecues celebrate.  Frankly, I like her style!

Something else that’s interesting is that I’ve officially come out of bridesmaid retirement.  I’ve been in EIGHT weddings (mostly in my 20s) and I decided a while back that I’d be ok being an honored guest in the future as opposed to standing at the alter.  The reality:  It’s awkward to walk down the aisle with a permasmile, I ugly cry in front of an audience and (subtract a few months) no one likes to be the chubby girl in the wedding party.

Well, I got a call from a dear, dear friend of mine last weekend… asking me to be in her wedding and I couldn’t help but abandon my retirement.  I am SO flattered that she’d ask me to be a part of her special day.

Back in 1999, I had the honor of being one of her bridesmaids during her 1st trip down the aisle.  Between you and me, I was sort of a misbehaved bridesmaid.  Keep in mind, how was I really supposed to behave myself in front of an audience standing next to my closest and silliest girlfriends???  We may have started laughing during communion.

The great news is that she still decided to have me.  Angela and I have been friends for going on 17 years.  She and I have been through just about everything together… pledging a sorority together, sharing the same major in college, and becoming fabulous grown-ups together.  She’s one of the constants in my life.  Whether she was living just down the hall in our dorm or thousands of miles away as she is today, we stay connected and we always make time to catch up.  That’s the way we do it, and I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

She’s a coach, a teacher, and soon to be a doctor.  I’m certain she wears a cape most days.  No human could possibly work as hard as she does and accomplish as much as she has.  She’s a rockstar, and I’m so incredibly proud of the woman she’s become.  She’s seriously impressive.

In June, I’ll be so honored to stand by her as she says her vows to her fiance at their Las Vegas ceremony.  I can’t promise I won’t laugh if they mention anything terribly serious like communion… but wait, as my best friend, she already knew that going in.

Love you, Ang!

PS… Would have loved to have included our biker babe pic from college, but you likely have the only copy of that bad boy.

What a shame!!