Alyce the Bridesmaid

Alyce and I went to middle and high school together. I don't think I'm exaggerating much when I say I say I would never have made it through either without her. She was kind to me and accepted me for my moodiness when few other people did.

Alyce brings a sense of elegance and poise to the bridal party. She encourages me to feel pampered and beautiful--something that isn't always easy for me.

She is also the most honest bridesmaid. She always been someone I could count on to let me know if I wasn't looking my best. She tells me what she thinks, flat out. Her frankess has been a very useful asset when picking out make-up or going-away dresses.

Overall, Alyce is my first real female friend. That's a beautiful gift for which I can never repay her. She brought all that friendship and warmth to the bridal party and I am I very grateful to her.

Wedding Party: Amy the Bridesmaid

Part two in my series on why I picked my wedding party...

...well, I guess I didn't pick Amy. Amy is my sister. But, even if she wasn't, I would still love to have Amy as a friend and bridesmaid.

Amy brings the fun to our wedding party. That's just who she is. As a life-long worrier and stick-in-the-mud, I've been very lucky to have her around. She's always got a smile on her face and a joke on her lips. She's been the one reminding me that wedding dress shopping is supposed to be fun. And she's the one who constantly reminds me how beautiful I look.

But Amy is more than a party-maker. She also has an unusually keen sense of perspective. Where my mother and I tend to lose focus, she reminds us what is and isn't important. When the bridesmaids' dresses are the wrong length, she reminds us, "Everyone will still look beautiful." But when I fall in love with a slightly over-budget veil, she chides, "You've stayed in budget everywhere else. Go for it."

Best of all, Amy's an honest critic. In a wedding-party whose most frequent response is "We like whatever you like," she really stands out as frank and open. As much as I appreciate the open-mindedness of the rest of my wedding party, I'm extremely grateful for Amy's candid judgments about the dress, the veil, the band... When she doesn't like something, she lets me know. As a result, I also know her compliments and praises are sincere. When she oohs and aahs and begs to borrow my dress when she marries, I know she really loves it.

Amy spent the last two days on a long trek from Atlanta to DC via the Machina Mysteriorum. I can't really thank her enough for her concrete, practical help in starting my new life with Adam or for her more abstract ability to help my mother and I stay sane. If you're choosing bridesmaids, you'd be well-served to choose a fun and earnest friend to balance your party.

Bridesmaids' Gifts

I've been loathe to post about my very favorite DIY project for the wedding because my bridesmaids are more likely than anyone else to read my blog... I think. But I'm so excited I just can't resist!

Because I live so far away from my wedding venue, I've had a really difficult time putting as much of a personal touch on my wedding as I would have liked. In an ideal world, I would have had time to find a second-hand or vintage dress. I could have learned to make my own veil. And Adam and I could have made our own invitations. But, if our wedding is a projection of our relationship, it certainly makes sense that I ought not lament the fruits of our long-distance love.

Still, the result of my DIY-longing has been a manic and focused attention on my bridesmaids' gifts! I want to say "thank you" to four of the most amazing women in my life in the most personalized way possible.

Without giving too much away, I decided to use English culture as the starting point. I've picked out a very personal gift for all four of my bridesmaids. Each one is getting something "quintessentially English" that either fits her personality, or that references a funny story from our past together.

That's obviously not the handmade part. I'm also scouring the Internet for fun ways to present pictures to them. I have an idea for cute photo frames, involving bridal magazine cut-outs, but I'm still looking for the one, perfect personalized present. Any ideas?