First, let me just say that the majority of my bridesmaids are actually matrons. I'm pretty much the last in the group to tie the knot! :) I'm so fortunate to be surrounded with friends who are great examples of what being a Godly wife looks like. I'm so glad I have all of them to go to for advice and laughs!
>Disclaimer: If you make it through this entire post you totally deserve a cookie! This post is really for my benefit to reflect on how much each of these ladies means to me.
My Matron of Honor is Katie
Katie and I met freshman year of college at Winthrop, in the hall bathroom of our dorm, Margaret Nance. I'm pretty sure we met while brushing our teeth! She lived a few doors down the hall and we always spoke when we saw each other. She was involved in Baptist Christian Ministry (BCM) and we saw each other there too. Ironically, she started dating a guy who was in my writing class (that I thought was so cute!) who was also in BCM in the fall of that year. They are now married! Our sophomore year, we both lived on the same hall, but we had a class together as well. We also continued to have more friends in common through other clubs and organizations, and on the hall. Our friendship was pretty natural at that point. Our junior year, she decided to take the first semester and spend it abroad in Argentina. Once she returned we were going to live together, but it didn't work out for us to. She bought a house off campus, but we remained close. We went on a beach trip together with our friends to her beach house in Cherry Grove that summer. It's really hard for me to remember not being friends with Katie! Since college she has lived in Rock Hill and we both make plenty of trips up and down i77. She has a precious little girl now and I couldn't be more thrilled to continue to share life experiences with her. Katie tends to bring my diva-ness back down to reality, which is why I think her and Will get along so well. I couldn't imagine this day without her by my side and all the help she is going to be in the planning process!
Lynsey-
Lynsey and I met in the 8th grade. She had just moved from Florida and she sat next to me in band class, we both played the flute. We also both tried out for cheerleading and didn't make it, so then we tried out for color guard and both made it! Lynsey & I also attended the same church and went on several youth trips together! Lynsey and I remained friends through college and saw each other some when we were home. Her parents moved from Lexington around the time we were graduating from college, but she stayed in Lexington. When I moved home from college, she was pretty much the only high school friend I had still living in my town! We exercised together and had many a conversation about boys walking around the track at church. I was lucky enough to stand by her side 3 years ago when she tied the knot and I can't imagine my day without her!
Jenilyn-
I'm an only child, but joining a sorority gave me the best sister I could ask for! Jenilyn and I were in a Christian Women's Service sorority called Alpha Omega. She joined her freshman year, and I joined my sophomore year. I went to an information meeting and when I introduced myself Jenilyn knew she wanted to claim me as her little. Apparently I was wearing pearls and an oxford shirt and she just knew we'd be good friends! We also share the commonality of being Clemson fans and we met up a couple of times at games. We lived in the same apartment complex our senior year and we spent lots of time together participating in sorority shenanigans! Jenilyn got married about a month after we graduated and I was fortunate enough to serve as her maid of honor. My day would be incomplete without my sister in Christ standing next to me.
Maddison, Peyton & Chandler-
These lovely ladies are my cousins. I am six years older than Maddison, eight years older than Peyton and twelve years older than Chandler. I can remember every single time that my uncle called to tell us they were expecting another girl. To an only child, getting a cousin was a big deal! I remember telling everyone when I was in first grade that "I was getting a girl cousin!" Little did I know that I'd eventually get three!! Friends come and go, but these girls have been in my life nearly forever, or at-least as long as I can remember! While we only get to see each other around birthdays, holidays, the beach, dance recitals, and graduations we have shared some of the same memories growing up.
Maddison recently graduated from College of Charleston, Peyton will be a Junior at CofC this fall and Chandler will start her senior year in a couple of weeks. I can't believe they are old enough to accomplish milestones that I feel like I just accomplished myself! I'm so excited they are going to be a part of this next event and memory in my life, and I hope to share in that moment for them eventually!
My Honorary Bridesmaids/Attendants-
Currie Beth- We affectionately call ourselves each others "oldest friend." Our moms were expecting at the same time and our birthdays are a week apart. Our parents were friends and in a neighborhood supper club together & many of my toddler pictures include curly-haired Currie Beth. When we were around five, her parents moved from Columbia to Simpsonville. We occasionally still had "play dates" when my parents and I would go to Greenville to visit our family. Currie had a BIG pink bedroom and we played dolls and annoyed her little brother. I went to her birthday party in the 5th or 6th grade and then we really didn't see each other again until our senior year. I went and visited her in the fall of our senior year and went to a high school football game with her. We reconnected again in college thanks to Facebook and she asked me to serve as an honorary bridesmaid in her wedding four years ago. While we aren't super close, our lives have been intertwined since the beginning and we have been able to keep in touch for nearly 30 years. It's not often that people have friendships that last their lifetime. I'm thankful she wanted to be a part of this to continue to add to our friendship timeline.
Victoria- We have actually only known each other about two years. We met through work and bonded over "cave-man feet" from wearing snow boots for a solid week in Boston in 2014. She introduced me to Occo, an amazing spa in Columbia. The minute we returned from snowy Boston we went for a pedicure! We realized that we had a number of things in common, including participating in Junior Miss in high school (now known as Distinguished Young Women). We were both getting involved with the organization again and judged a few programs together. Knowing about my wedding planning background she asked me to help direct her reception last October. I'm so glad I was able to do that for her, and now she is returning the favor a bit by letting me borrow some of her decorations and being a beautiful smiling face to greet my guests upon arrival. Her sweet spirit is contagious and I'm so glad to have met her and call her my friend.
Brittany- I've known Brittany for the least amount of time, but when she moved in across the street from me and we met a year or so ago, I knew we would be good friends. We are both so busy with work but she's the neighbor I call if I need something! It's hard to meet people and make new friends when you are a working young professional and so I am lucky that she moved in and an instant friendship happened. I know she will help to make my day special and I hope to return the favor in the near future!! :)
I'm excited about all the upcoming events and time that I will get to spend with my closest friends, from various parts of my life, all together at the same time!
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