Wedding Party
Chelsea Duckworth
Maid of Honor
This is actually a story of “I wouldn’t be here without you,” or more correctly, “WE wouldn’t be here without you. When my eldest sister decided to take her little sister to a Memorial Day party house that day, I’m absolutely certain she did not think she was starting me along the road that would one day arrive at a wedding altar. Chelsea & Dave were friends long before he ever came into my life, and I couldn’t be happier to have someone so important in my life be important in his as well. Let’s all give a toast to my big sister, my guide, my best friend, and my unintentional match maker.
Mallory Kosmin-Harmon
Bridesmaid
When we used to fight as kiddos, our Ma used to always tell us, “you may hate each other right now, but one day you will thank me for giving you built-in best friends.” Ladies & gentlemen, she was not wrong. I can and do call her for all things anxiety & happiness. I will never find a more considerate hype woman, and I didn’t even have to find her. She came built in.
Nicole Seldon
Bridesmaid
My longest held friend. I met her in an entirely different country, while watching an entirely inappropriate Robby Williams music video in a pub at age 14. When our “is anyone f’ing seeing this?!” eyes met, we were basically inseparable. From toothpaste wars, to divulging the horrors of cute aggression, to running from stalkers, to toe-fights, through all of our firsts and into adulthood - she’s been the savage love of my life. While I may be getting hitched and soon have a hubby, she will forever be the only one I call “Wifey.”
Charley Hall
Bridesmaid
True, good friends aren’t easy to find in adulthood. When I was about to give up, thinking that I obviously didn’t know how to do the friend thing… Charly came into my life. She was instantly my best friend, instantly a sister to me. She is empathetic and thoughtful to everyone in a rare, and beautiful way. She also sends pictures of herself twerking badly in front of gorgeous vistas - asking if that canyon makes her butt look big - on the REGULAR. She is a bestie to not only me, but also Dave, and I am so glad that fate brought her into our path.
Melani Cardona
Bridesmaid
I met her when the “world shut down,” (COVID), and can’t be more grateful to have found her during that difficult time. Sometimes you just meet someone and know they are family - it just clicks. She is protective, to-the-point, and supportive during the hardest things we go through, even when it’s hard to talk about. Surface friends are easy to find, heart-mates are not.
Marlen Cardona
Bridesmaid
If “sheltering at home” had any silver lining, it was meeting the people who would come to be chosen family. During those months when we saw no one else, she was always a ray of happiness. To this day, she builds me up like no one else, is so happy for others, and has so much love to give. She is the shoulder to cry on, and the first one to make you see the bright side. I’m lucky to be able to have her as my chosen family.
Sonia Hubbard
Bridesmaid
Maybe it’s trauma bonding, maybe it’s meant to be. Through the craziest work chaos, to me having a premonition about her being pregnant, to supporting me through all of my “if you see a computer flying through this unit, it’s me” moments, Sonia was an instant bestie… and one that didn’t fade away when she changed jobs and moved back to Cali out of fear of tornados and being stuck in Texas during COVID (she was not wrong). She always has a different and hilarious perspective for me to learn from, and manages to be present and active in all things in life. I’m continuously amazed by her, and her antics.