Will You Be There?

"Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there."

 {source}

When Mr. Ostrich & I first got engaged....I didn't want any maids of honors or bridesmaids.

Was I being ridiculous? Maybe. But we had also agreed on a small {50 people) wedding and in that group of people would be my very bestest girlfriends. And if I really decided to have bridesmaids, knowing my indecisive self, there would be more people standing up front than sitting in the audience.

So what happened to this master plan of mine?

Mr. Ostrich decided he wanted his 3 "best men"  & 1 "best girl {his honorary sister}" standing by his side.

"No question." he said simply. "These are my bestest friends who have been there - from couple fights to way-too-drunk nights - every single time."

Ack. So I had to face my fear of picking a bridal party. And if there is one thing I absolutely dread, it's excluding people. I love all my friends for different reasons and they've all helped me at different stages along my wild ride of life....what makes only a few of them bridesmaid-worthy?

{source - our labor of love}

So one night, armed with a big bottle of red wine and a lifetime of memories, I found my 3 "best girls" & 1 "best guy."

Looking back, I had originally thought many of my friends deserved to be a bridesmaid for one reason or the other - "We've known each other since we were 6," "We were inseparable since high school," "We spent the whole summer together," and of course...."I was a bridesmaid in her wedding."

{source}

But this time, instead of looking back, I started to look forward..."Who's pushed me to be a better partner to Mr. O?" "Who do I confide in when I've royally screwed up in that crazy little thing called life?" and "Who do I call, when I'm terrified, shattered and shame spiraling, to be there with a case of wine and a shoulder to sob on?"

For this incredibly private Ostrich, when everything is rosy I love to confide in my many wonderful friends. But when I'm in a dark and twisty place, it's an entirely different story. I hide, shut down and try to deal with it on my own instead of burdening my friends with my drama. But there has always been a few who know me better than I sometimes know myself and have, like Mr. O said, "have been there...every single time."

And that's when I found them....my best girls & guy...my source of strength, love and all that warm and fuzzy stuff.

First up? 

V, my high school bestie and world traveling partner. We've shared our big dreams and our private hearts with each other since the tender age of 15. And while she is one of the most fiercely independent gals I know, she is also the most reliable, supportive, non-judgemental friend a girl could ever wish for. 

{Me & V in Rio de Janeiro, May 2010}

Then there's A, my sister in more ways than one. She and I met when we pledged for our sorority many moons ago and have been inseparable ever since. And if she didn't let me use her ID ten years ago, I never would have met Mr. Ostrich! She's always been my quiet pillar of strength,  and I'm so lucky to be the godmother of her magical, 1 year old son.

{Me (changed out of my bridesmaid dress) & A on her wedding day, 2006}

Ah, BB. That's her, my red headed partner in crime. We've known each other 10 amazing years and from 80's dance parties, shopping sprees, movie dates, holiday baking extravaganzas, endless phone therapy sessions and our 2 years working side by side {she was my boss!}, she is the fiercest, most selfless friend and sister a girl could ever dream of. She's "my getaway car" - the girlfriend I call when I have the urge to run away from a problem. And her grandfather? He's the brilliant jewelry designer that helped Mr. Ostrich design my engagement ring.

{Me & BB her NYC apt, 2008}

And last but certainly not least, my best guy.

My little bro.

Well, he's taller than me by many inches now but he's technically 1 year younger. But growing up and until this day, he's always been my bestest friend in the whole wide world, my protector in life and biggest fan. He's been there when no one else was....and vice versa. We talk on the phone every day and I wish for nothing more than for him to live the most amazing, blissful life a person could live. I adore him beyond words and will protect him until the end of time.

{Me & Bro in the Philippines, 2005}

Now it's your turn, bees! How many people are in your bridal party? And what made these few stand out in your life?