Mr. and Mrs.

I fear that I have no words to describe July 25th.  Maybe it was a culmination of now being married and knowing what this wonderful couple has to look forward to, maybe it was the way the groom broke down into tears the moment beautiful Ashley entered his line of sight, or maybe it was the way they giggled at the altar, but this wedding was amazing. 

Maybe it was the way Bethany avoided Ashley for most of the morning until she did her make-up, for fear that she would start to cry again.

Maybe it was the rain, and you better believe we were checking the weather every 15 minutes.  Despite a favorable forecast, the wedding had to be moved at the last minute to inside the tent.  But you know what?  Rain is beautiful.

Maybe it was the way her Dad (my step-dad) was shaking as he saw her for the first time, maybe it was the way he started to cry as he handed her the bouquet.

Maybe it was the fact that, to compensate for the rain, we bridesmaids made sure to laugh, cry, toast, and cheer as we piled into the back of my Trailblazer (all EIGHT of us) to make our way from the Bridal room to the  reception tent, where we were walked, one by one, to the altar under a large black umbrella. 

(taken from Facebook)

Maybe it was the way, an hour after the ceremony, the sun broke through the clouds and gave us one of the most beautiful evenings of the summer.

Whatever it was, this wedding had a special feel to it.  The kind of feeling that makes you reach over during the first dance and hold your own husbands hand.  The kind of feeling that makes you thank God for marriage, for love, for commitment. 

I couldn't be happier to welcome Brett into our family, he completes Ashley in so many ways.  Where he is introverted, she is bubbly and sweet.  Where is she of the moment and spontaneous, he is intellectual and more thought out.  And I think I know a few more guys that are over the moon happy to have a new 'brother'.

So happy, in fact, that they felt the need to do some crowd-surfing. 

The party was so fun, even the DJ stayed longer to play a few extra songs.  Thats the kind of wedding this was.  No one wanted to leave, even the staff.

To the new Mr. and Mrs. - I love you both so much, I wish you all the best.  It's not always easy, it won't always be this fun, but it will always, always, always, be worth it.