My Lovely Maids!

Gary and I decided who was going to be standing up for us while we were in Mexico. It gets a little tricky when the two of you have a different number of people that you want to be involved. I know it's not a TOTAL no-no to have uneven numbers but what can I say...my pain in the arse perfectionist side says uneven is lopsided. Plus with a small wedding, we wanted to keep the wedding party small too. No need to have half your guests standing up with you :)

I had three ladies (and a little lady) in mind that are of the utmost importance to me. While they are all pretty much obvious choices, the most obvious of them all is my big sister Andrea. Although I never call her that, I've never known her as anything but Ange. Supposedly I started that nick name too. Ange will be standing up next to me on our big day as our Matron of Honor. I was a little too young to have the responsibility when she got married but I'm glad that we will at least get to have the experience together when I get married.

Here we are at about age 4 and 9 I'd say. I'm still jealous of how well her hair can hold curls.

My next lady has been a great friend of mine since second grade. We've probably done just about everything together. When anyone from home sees one of us without the other, the question was inevitable "Where's Kate?" "Where's Amanda?" They knew better that someone must be sick or dying if we were not together. We tried to live a year apart, me at MSU and her at WMU, but that didn't last very long. I ended up transferring :) Now we live about 10 minutes from each other in Detroit.

Here we are playing on the monkey bars in Grand Haven circa second grade. Showing a little tummy...she was scandalous even back then :)

My third lady best friends from college. They say the people you meet in college will be your friends forever...and I know that is the truth with Kristie and I. We are very alike in some ways but very different in others. I think our personalities compliment each other well. I also have the pleasure of standing up as Maid of Honor in her wedding in July. We've had so much fun planning her big day, I can't believe it's right around the corner!!

Kristie and I at Curwood, the annual festival in her home town. It was a tradition for a while but sadly I missed it this year :(

And last but not least, my little lady. She's too old to be a flower girl so I've asked Gary's niece Emily to be my junior bridesmaid. Not that I don't ADORE my nephews, but I am so excited to be gaining a niece!! I'm hoping to be a good role model for her as she enters her teens in a few years.

Here is Gary with his brother and Emily in California while Gary lived there about 4 years ago. She's grow up a bit since then!

And there you have it! Gary hasn't asked all of his men yet so I'll save that for another post!