Wedding Party - The Ladies

The invitations I had created on Etsy.

Let me first say...I have the best bridesmaids EVER. This group of ladies have been with me through thick and thin. They've watched me grow up, shared momentous occasions, lent a shoulder to cry on, been there for many firsts and lasts, supported me in tough decisions, laughed with me until we almost peed our pants and even introduced me to my future husband. They are some of the most genuinely sweet, loving, hysterical AND crazy ladies you'll ever meet. I'm lucky to have them by my side on one of the most important days of my life.

I wanted to ask the girls to be in the wedding in a cute way. I went on Etsy and found these adorable invitations. The shop owner was amazing to work with and customized all the invitations with the girls names as well as the original color scheme I was planning to go with. They turned out beautifully and all the girls said "yes". :-)

So, without further ado, here are my ladies...


      
KELSEY (Matron of Honor)

Kelsey and I were introduced our junior year of high school - a little over 11 years ago. We hit it off, became best friends, attend SIU and roomed together our freshman year. We often were and sometimes still are mistaken as twins, sisters or cousins. We've used that to our advantage once or twice. ;-) She is one of the sweetest, most genuine people I've ever met. She is the definition of what it means to be a best friend - who is there for me no matter what, supports me in my endeavors and always has my back and I can always count on her for a fabulous night of wine, sushi and The Bachelor. I had the honor of standing by her side in June 2012 when she married her husband, Dan. I'm looking forward to sharing yet another wonderful experience and momentous occasion with my best friend and twin.


      
STEPHANIE (Maid of Honor)

Where do I begin...I've know my blonde, better half since she was six weeks old. Yes, six weeks! Our families were at the Fort Wayne Seminary together while our fathers were going to school to become pastors. Our mothers quickly became best friends and boom, 25 years later, here we are. Stephanie moved from Kansas up to Chicago a little over 3 years ago and we've pretty much been inseparable since. We even celebrate our anniversary each year. Some people think that's weird - we think those people are lame. Stephanie has one of the most contagious laughs and smiles. She is considered part of our family and often spends Sundays and holidays with us. She recently got a Bernese Mountain Dog, Lottie, who is about the biggest, most adorable "puppy" you'll ever meet. Without hesitation, Stephanie is raring to go with a night out on the town, a Twilight marathon or an afternoon of sappy Hallmark movies with me and my mom.

Does anyone else think that totally just sounded like a dating profile???? Ha!


      
KRISTEN (Bridesmaid)

Let me start out by saying...I mistook her for another Kristen who I DID NOT like and therefore was not a big fan of her's for a while. When things were straightened out and I learned she was a completely different Kristen, we quickly became friends! ;-) From that point, our friendship blossomed. She moved to California after college where she works at a church as their Director of Christian Education. Her passion for the church and for the children she teaches is amazing. One of the best aspects of our relationship is our shared faith. While we don't see each other as often as I would like, we try to have weekly phone chats to shoot the breeze, discuss our jobs, talk about boys and complain about the crappy Chicago weather and how I should just move to California so we can open our own event planning business near the beach. Ugh, I wish!!! Kristen is the most laid back person I've ever met and I'm pretty sure she would have been "fine" with wearing a garbage bag if that's what I picked for the bridesmaids. She's the ideal bridesmaid who always knows the perfect advice to give. She is also the first of my friends to have met Ron. We played a couple rounds of beer pong at a local bar then went and heard Ron sing a rousing rendition of Gangsters Paradise at a Karaoke bar - she thought he was perfect for me from the start. :-)


      
RENEE (Bridesmaid)

Oh dear....this girl. I don't think I've EVER laughed so hard as when I'm around Renee. She has the most down-to-earth and witty personality.  We met sophomore year of college but didn't really become friends until our junior and senior year. We were in the same major and had all the same classes together. And to be quite honest, we were totally our teacher's favorite students. :-) Right after we graduated we took an epic vacation to Myrtle Beach. We drove down in her parents van with 3 other girls, including my other bridesmaid, Ashley. Talk about a bonding experience! Renee and I are two peas in a pod when it comes to event and wedding planning. She gets me when I am obsessed with little details, color schemes and my excel spreadsheets. Renee was one of my first friends to get married out of college and I was honored to stand up in her wedding. She and her husband, Clay, are expecting their first child in June and I seriously could not be more excited for them. The two of them are going to be amazing parents.


      

ASHLEY (Bridesmaid)

PALM TREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, inside joke. :-) Ashley also attended SIU and was in the same major as Renee and me. We did not hang out until my senior year and quickly became good friends on our trip to Myrtle Beach. You really get to know someone when you spend 36 hours in a van with them. :-) Ashley is your typical blonde, bombshell who tells it like it is and has the best facial expressions. We share a love for One Tree Hill and Channing Tantum that only few can appreciate. She appreciates my thug music, love for Mexican food and is always up for a good dance session. While she is a die hard Cardinals fan, I still love her and except her faults. ;-) Ashley, unfortunately doesn't get up to Chicago to visit much because let's be honest, she belongs in a warmer climate and on a beach. Her dream is to own her own surf shack somewhere exotic. I obviously approve of this dream and encourage her often to follow it so I can come visit her. Ashley married the most adorable red head, Joel, in December 2012. I'm looking forward to not only having her in the wedding but seeing her and her husband quite a bit in 2014. 

      

ANDREA (Bridesmaid)

Believe it or not, she and I are related. I know, I know, we look NOTHING alike. But alas, it is true. Andrea is my MUCH older sister. :-) Sorry, I had to. Like most sisters who are seven years apart, we never quite got along growing up. I was the annoying little sister who wanted to try on her clothes and follow her around everywhere repeating everything she said and she was the emotional older sister who well, hated everything I did. It wasn't until I went away to college that we finally started getting along. We have our ups and downs but bottom line, we are family and are always there for each other and I'm thrilled she'll be a part of this big moment in my life. She is one of the most intelligent people I know and I think part of that comes from her studies at Truman State University - the Harvard of the midwest. ;-)  The whole family felt very blessed when she married my brother-in-law, Matt - the saint, a few years ago. Their love of politics, James Bond and video games makes them a perfect match. Andrea is currently working on her PhD at University of Illinois at Chicago and teaching on the side.

      

LAUREN (Bridesmaid)

I met my future sister-in-law a few months before I met Ron. It was at a "Mr. CUC" men's pageant at the university where I used to work. She was hootin' and hollerin' at all the boys trying to get her friend Kelly (also a bridesmaid) to bid on one of them for a date. She is one of the most outgoing and emotional (in the best way) people you will ever meet. It amazes me how she can carry on a conversation with just about anyone! Lauren LOVES everything and anything related to wedding planning, interior design, babies and puppies, which is obviously why we are so much alike. She graduated last May and took a job as a kitchen and bath designer hoping to one day have her own design firm. Here's the fun fact about Lauren....she is getting married this coming May to Ron's roommate and best friend, Chris. She's pined for him ever since she was a little girl and in a few months she'll literally be marrying her childhood sweetheart. :-)


      
KELLY (Bridesmaid)

Last, but certainly not least, there's Kelly. I just adore this girl! We met while I was the staff chair for the Colleges Against Cancer student group at the university where I used to work. Kelly was the go-getter in charge of finding sponsorships for our on-campus Relay for Life event. She is one of the most determined individuals and has a sincere passion for helping people. She would stop by my office to have daily chats, sip on coffee and talk about boys. She always said she needed to find me a guy for all the weddings I was in and that's exactly what she did. Who knew "that guy" would turn out to be my future husband?! (I'll blog about her and Lauren's devious plan to introduce Ron and me at a later time.) She finished her undergrad this past December and will be furthering her education in the medical field. Kelly is one of the most goofy and fun-loving people I've ever met. When I asked her to be a bridesmaid over lunch one day, it took her a good 4-5 hours to realize what I actually said to her. When she realized what I'd asked she left me a message screaming with enthusiasm and excitement. Best....reaction....EVER! She is literally the reason I'm able to blog about a wedding today and therefore I will always feel indebted to her. :-)

My girls saying "Yes!"