mountain petals

my best friend is now a wife.

i don't think i can fully comprehend it yet.

this entire week has past in a blur for me. a strange, complicated blur in which miracles can happen, the world stops turning for just a moment as two people become one, and small ocean beaches can turn into a fairyland.

i'm still wearing my bridesmaids dress. i can't bring myself to take it off.

this beautiful plum purple gown, barely brushing my knees, and my still-sandy bare toes are my reminders of this day. that, and a small cluster of dark purple and white flowers that lay beside my laptop as i type.

i'm a bit lost for words, i think.

this day was perfect.

a sunrise service on St. Augustine beach in Florida. a cluster of vest-clad young men and dark plum gowned girls, all barefoot and surrounding a chuppah of hewn logs and whispy white linen.

i wore the groom's ring on my thumb as i walked through the sand toward my place as the maid of honour.

and then she came. down the sand on her father's arm. her dress was perfect. her eyes were glowing.

i cried. 

the ceremony was words. close-held hands and tearful eyes.

 i do. 

i do. 

he dipped her down for a perfect kiss. they were joined together this morning on the sand.

they took hands and ran up the aisle. i thought they would never come back.

during the photographs that followed, i caught a moment with her groom. he smiled.

she's perfect. 

i hugged him and whispered, "be good to my girl."

he promised me he would. he promised us all he would.

at the reception, we laughed and ate as i sat next to my best friend and watched her blushing smiles toward the man across the table from her. this, her new husband.

i stumbled my way through my speech, voice cracking and tears spilling into broken sobs. she stood and hugged me. we cried together.

she took his hand and slipped into the silver car, with a final blown kiss at me and her weeping mother.

she is his. 

he is hers. 

this is the start of their forever.

congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Zachary and Alexandria Hightower

i pray you know how much i love you both.

10-16-2011

{pictures from the wedding coming soon}