Sharpes Serendipity: {my best friend's wedding}

Sunday, July 22, 2012

{my best friend's wedding}

Sunday, July 1, 2012 I had the joy of witnessing the beautiful matrimony of my best friend, Ana and her college lover, Brayden!

The special thing to me was that I have seen Ana & Brayden's relationship grow all throughout college! It's a beautiful thing to be an outsider and watch your best friend go from a date, to engaged, to being the most beautiful bride on her amazing wedding day!

We have been looking forward to this day since they got engaged in March 2011! When July 1 finally rolled around it didn't feel real. My best friend was about to become a bride.

We all met in Atlanta on Saturday for a beautiful bridesmaids luncheon.

The bride with all of her maids!

Bride at her rehearsal dinner with her new last name!

Since her wedding was on a Sunday, we had to have rehearsal the morning of {sans the groom of course}. When we pulled up to the site, it was the most beautiful place I have been for a wedding! A&B originally planned to have the ceremony outside in the gardens and then the reception inside. However, this was the week of 105 degree weather so they decided to have both ceremony and reception inside. Ana had been going back and fourth up until the day of her wedding. Did she want to just go ahead and have it outside? Around 2:00 it poured down rain, we even had hail! It was definitely God's way of saying "You all made the right choice!"

We all stared at the beautiful bride as she got her hair done in a beautiful side bun and her make up was flawless. We all got ready and played the waiting game. A&B originally planned to do a first glance, but because of the rain they didn't get the chance. This made it so special as she walked down the aisle toward Brayden.

I held it together pretty well all day long until one special moment. As we were preparing to get lined up to walk down the aisle, Ana's daddy came in to pray with us. The second he walked in the door, I lost it! The way he looked at his beautiful daughter all dressed up in white melted my heart! I dried up my tears and said I wouldn't cry any more. Well, that didn't last! We all walked down the aisle and waited for the beautiful, blushing bride! When Ana came down the aisle I lost it again! My best friend was about to marry the man of her dreams! It was such a beautiful moment!

As they said their vows, we were lead outside to complete the ceremony where they would release doves. As the preacher was reading a verse there was a ginormous clap of thunder {nothing before and nothing after it happened} it was so insane! The preacher said, "Well I better stop there. I think that is God putting a seal on your marriage."

We had so much fun at the ceremony and made memories that will last a lifetime! I know that God will truly bless this marriage and I can't wait to see what He has in store for my best friend and her hubby!