Mark and Ani // My Friends are all getting married!

Weddings, Engagements, New Relationships, Breakups…. Tis the season? It seems like everyone I know is getting pegged by cupid (or the opposite) about now ;) I can think of 4 weddings in the past month of friends from Middle and High school years. People getting engaged. New girlfriends. New boyfriends. Maybe it’s summer love or maybe it’s just that time of life. Regardless, I was so thrilled to celebrate with one of my best friends yesterday as she and her new husband joined their lives together.

Ani and I have been friends for about 10 years now. It started back when I parted my hair religiously in the the center and wore polo shirts like I was paid to. Ani was, and is, a curly-headed outgoing little girl full of smiles and laughs. We hit it off from the first day while she was cleaning up after her new puppy that had an accident at the waiting room at her mom’s clinic where I was waiting for my mom. Since then we’ve shared lots of laughs, done plenty of stupid things together, and stayed up late talking about boys, family, college and everything in between. After high school she headed off to Florida for college and I went to Mexico. Not really the best way to keep a friendship alive. Despite the distance, her changing schools, my living in 3 different countries we’ve managed to stay close over the past few years unlike some of our high school buddies and I still love her to death.

When I left for Spain in June I made her promise not to let me found out via facebook if if Mark popped the question. About 3 weeks into my trip I got a facebook message…. ;) A few days later we got a chance to talk and she told me I’d better start shopping for a dark blue dress. =) I was originally going to be the photographer as well as bridesmaid, but she and Mark ended up hiring someone so I would be able to enjoy the party and not have to worry about pictures which was a good thing as an hour before pictures were supposed to start we were still packing her suitcases with uncurled hair! =P Of course I still brought it along, and amidst the flurry of activity and prep was at least able to take just a few photos.

The night before us bridesmaids, Ani, her brothers and Austin went to Mac City to see what we could find… Apparently even Labor Day Weekend they shut down at 10pm but we made our own good time between a few tee shirt shops, fudge, planking on fountains and being slightly ridiculous.

 // AJ in the fudge shop //

// this shirt was made for you, Austin! //

// The bride and I //

The morning of. I was so busy that the camera was only out for a few minutes but here are a few shots.

The reception and ceremony were held outdoors on Mullet Lake at her grandpa’s house. Everything was simple and beautiful, with lots of candlelight and a dessert reception. They each wrote their own vows, and in place of a unity candle did a sand ceremony. Ani’s two “little” brothers walked her down the aisle, and I was tearing up as they gave her bigs hugs as they went back to their seats. I was able to hold it in for the rest of the night, until Tosha’s Maid-of-Honor and Sister speech and I was grabbing for the napkins off the cake table.

“And there is no combination of words I could say
But I will still tell you one thing
We’re better together.”

                                             -Jack Johnson