One of my best friends from college is getting married on Saturday. You would think I would be getting used to this by now. Several of my good girl friends have walked down the isle and started, what I consider, their "grown up" lives. Every time I attend a friends wedding I revert back to how we met and memories from our friendship together. Most of the other weddings I have attended have been for childhood friends. These friends are rare because you have known them for so long. Your first memories are so long ago that it is hard to pinpoint the time and place of the initial meeting. When my friend Jenny got married (years ago now) it was the first time I realized we weren't little kids anymore. Ashley will be the second friend from college that has gotten married. College is interesting because the friends you meet there take the face track to learning everything about you. Your best friend from elementary school has spent years learning every detail about your life, and therefore, probably knows you more, but it is close. College friends live with you. It's a completely different dynamic. They become best friends in a blink of an eye. The first time I met Ashley was as I entered my first class Freshman year at the University of Iowa. She was standing outside the building with another girl looking at a list of rooms and where classes were held. We quickly found out that the 3 of us shared a "courses in common" program... meaning that we would have 3classes together that semester. Soon we were all hanging out after class as well. When you start college you already think you're a "grown up". You live alone, your parents aren't there to tell you you're staying out too late, and you get to make decisions for yourself. But it's a false reality of being a grown up. Because when you finally finish college and you look back... you realize when you were a freshman, walking up to that first class, you were a baby. And that is why college friends are so dynamic.. is because they've seen you really "grow". And that's why they'll be best friends for life.
So when I started thinking about Ashley getting married on Saturday I realized, we're here. We did it. We're really adults now. We have "big kid" jobs, we pay our rent, we live in different cities, we are in charge of our lives. Don't get me wrong. It's not the first time I've realized I live on my own and pay my own bills. But weddings are one of those moments in life that we all can realize how far we've come. And how far we still have to go.
And weddings, of course, remind me that this will be Matt and me next Summer. How real is it going to feel then? I am beyond excited. So I thought in the spirit of weddings I would give you an update on how the planning for mine is going.
The wedding is going to be August 6, 2011 in Cedar Falls. We will be getting married at the church I grew up in, Nazareth Lutheran in Cedar Falls. The reception is going to be at the Rotary Reserve (TONS of outdoor space, which was important to us). I have been wedding dress shopping with both my mom and dad and my friend Rachel (c'mon it's like the first thing I did once I got engaged). This weekend I think I found "the dress". I kind of want to go back to the store and wear it all the time. When I put my regular clothes back on I was sort of let down. I'm reminded of a Friends episode where Phoebe, Monica, and Rachel all rent wedding dresses and wear them around the apartment because they just like how it feels when they're in them. I think I understand that now.
Other than dresses I have decided on colors.. hot pink, black, and white. I know anyone who knows me is going to be shocked by that color choice. Flowers are still in a discussion phase... originally I was going to go with Gerber daisies...but now I am thinking of other options. Stay tuned.
We are creating a wedding website so you will be able to follow along with updates for the next year. I will try to blog as well (as much as I can).
The other day Matt and I were talking about the wedding day and I said, "I'm either going to cry like a baby or I won't cry at all." He looked at me, smiled, and said, "That's pretty normal, right? I mean it's a big deal to be taking that next step." He then paused a moment and he said, "Well wait, I guess it's really like the first step, right?" I thought that was pretty interesting. It is the first step. Just like walking up to my first class of college was the first step of that chapter, walking down the isle to Matt will be the first step to something new. I can't wait to see what other "firsts" I will be writing about in the years to come.
Here's hoping that you have loved ones in your life that you can celebrate with every day.
Until next time,
A
