I hate you. You darn gorgeous, wonderful, beautiful thing.

I hate you because I’m so incredibly jealous. Because I can see how your smile stretches effortlessly across your face, how you glow with that pure type of happiness, how your entire body and face are absolutely radiant.

You’re in love, the real kind of love, the forever kind of love. The finally-found-your-prince-charming kind of love.

And I have to say, I kind of hate you a little for that.

Just kidding. I couldn’t be happier. I couldn’t feel more pride, more joy, more excitement bubbling in the pit of my stomach for you. See, this is the moment we’ve dreamed about since we were little kids, since we fell in love for the first time in high school, since we got drunk off wine on a winter night in college and spent the evening laying on your bed, talking about what it would be like to find ‘the one.’

And now you’ve found him.

I bet you’re feeling a little of everything right now—bliss, terror, fear, anxiety, nervousness, euphoria.

Knowing you, you’ve probably glanced in the mirror a thousand times, checking your lipstick, messing with that one little bobby pin or the tendril that’s hanging perfectly to frame your face.

I hope you know that there’s not a thing you could do to look any more beautiful than you do right now.

It’s all in your smile, in the way you shine with your love, with his love.

See, sweetheart, it’s not about the makeup or the dress, the way your hair lays or even the way you walk down the aisle. (Though I’m praying you don’t trip, you’ve always been a little clumsy.)

It’s about the feeling in your heart, the ring on your finger.
It’s about tying your life to your dream guy. Forever.

Do you know how long forever is? It terrifies me to think about it, but I know you’re ready. I can see it in the way you run your hands over the folds in your dress, in how you bite your lip the way you always do when you’re nervous. You’re ready because the thought of forever is scary, but you’ve already said yes to it.

And now you’re sharing that yes to the world.

You’ve found the place your soul calls home. And I cannot wait to see you exchange your vows.

But before you walk down that aisle, I want you to know one thing—even though you’re wrapped up in this wonderful man’s love, and will be for an eternity, I will always always love you.

No matter where your future takes you, how our lives change and grow, you will always be my best friend.

I will always be a shoulder to cry on, a voice in the receiver to vent to, the comfort in the back of your mind when you’re feeling lonely or scared.

I will always be the coffee date, the Wine Wednesday, the hungover couch cuddling on Saturday mornings, even if we won’t get drunk on the weekends as often as we used to.

I will always be the ear that listens, the shopping buddy, the dinner date that you can shamelessly pig out with.

I will always be the woman you can turn to, who loves you just as much as that man standing at the end of the aisle.

And this is my vow to you.

So please, my beautiful best friend, take a deep breath. Let me fix the beads on your dress, the flowers in your bouquet, the veil over your face. Let me do the worrying as you begin your journey across this church and into the world of forever.

I’m proud of you, happy for you, jealous of you. Thankful for you.
And I hope this day is everything you imagined.