We had talked about it several times.  And I was more than happy and excited to do whatever she wanted because one day, it would be HER wedding day!  And she decided that when that day came, she didn’t want me to work.  She wanted me to stand by her side, to hold her hand, and cry tears of joy as she said “I do” to the man God would bring her.

And last fall, that man came into her life.  Chris and Arica are getting married this October and I could NOT be any more excited for this adventure that lays ahead for them!  I’ve said it before, but I feel like Ben and I have this secret about marriage when we’re at a wedding… that while the wedding day is so much fun and the couple is so excited, it’s only going to keep getting better!!  But how can you explain that to someone who hasn’t been there yet?  You can’t.  So, we just give each other knowing looks and sneak a few quick kisses of our own during the day :-)

I first met Arica 10 years ago just before we left to go live in Brussels, Belgium together.  And we were inseparable for the first few months we were there.  And then we cried when we had to say goodbye and part ways at the end of it.  But, even with distance between us – first from SC to Belgium, since she stayed an extra semester, then from SC to TX, and now SC to Nashville – we’ve stayed close and visited as often as we could.  It’s one thing to know someone for 10 years, but it’s a completely different thing to walk through LIFE together for 10 years.  When God brings those kind of people to you, you don’t let them go.  Arica refers to those kinds of people as “heart friends”.  The ones that stick by your side no matter what, the ones that just get you, the ones that laugh with you and cry with you, and the ones that will get up in your face and tell you how it is when you’re making bad choices.  It’s not always easy, but true relationships make it through anything.

So, on her wedding day, I won’t have a camera in hand.  I won’t be working.  I won’t be thinking about what’s next and what family photos need to still be taken and who needs to be where when (well, not completely anyway).  Because I get to stand by my friend’s side as she promises forever to the man she’s been waiting for!  I get to wear a really pretty dark purple dress and silver sandals and will get to dance the night away at the reception!  Don’t worry though, her pictures will be amazing (and I’ll link to them when they’re ready) because the beautiful Elle Danielle will be capturing the day!  Check out their engagement photos here!

I can’t wait to put the photos side by side… this one and then the one where she will be wearing the white dress!
But shh… it’s going to be a surprise for her this fall.  So don’t say anything! ;-)