The one who got away. Many of you might know a glimpse of our story... Our dad's were childhood best friends. We've known each other since before we could speak. And while our toddler years were spent in each other's company, The Cooper's moved from IL to AZ, creating distance between us. Fast forward years later to our young adolescence, our families began vacationing together. And from the moment I (Emily) saw Bailey (and vice versa) at 13 years old, something shifted. In the blink of an eye, the secret "long distance" crush began. He would become "the one who got away". Staying up past our bedtimes talking, texting one another during class, having "flings" with each other during our high school summers, We were just two kids, having fun and secretly falling for each other. Through the years, though many states apart, our "friendship" remained unwavering. We were each other’s mirrors, always reflecting what we each deserved... secretly wishing it was one another. He was always the right person, only the wrong time. Remaining "the one who got away". College came and went, along with years between us. We naturally grew apart-distant-as the days, months, years continued on. Life challenged both of us in our young adulthood, causing our independent growth, change and maturation. And as we turned into adults, our lives drastically different from what they used to be, we became practically strangers. Practically. Until I (Emily) decided to move to AZ for graduate school. And with one glimpse, one conversation into who Bailey and I had been, it was as if no time had passed. No awkwardness, no strangeness, only remembering. As if the years between us collapsed into nothingness, we were kids again. The "friendship" resumed naturally, The laughter became daily, and our love became intoxicating. Before we knew it, what was once innocent friendship turned into something so much more. There was no 'choice', only a following of what was meant for each other. A trusting of our intuition, allowing the universe to put us back together. Our relationship grew, our paths intertwined, and our futures inevitably combined. We know how rare our story is. Evidence of “if it’s meant to be, you will find each other again.” We are forever thankful and in awe, That we get to marry each other- our childhood best friend. And we are beyond lucky to have been influenced by each one of you reading this. As your impact shaped us into the exact individuals that we are today, allowing for us to step into our marriage together. So thank you for celebrating us. Thank you for witnessing our story. And thank you for believing in love. Because it really it possible to get the fairytale. It really is possible to marry your best friend. It really is possible to get... ...the one who got away.