the wedding season begins

well,
I have never been in a wedding. never a flower girl (i was robbed b/c my godmother was getting married the same day my aunt in the bahamas was getting married, and we had to go to the latter wedding) or a bridesmaid until this upcoming fall.

I have always liked weddings. Most of the ones I've attended have been adult family friends, people from church, extended family, etc. Now is the time in life where the weddings of my peers are taking the place of the other sorts of weddings.

Since I've never been in any weddings, and my closest friends are unmarried, I have never been involved in much of the bachelorette festivities. Last night however, a new friend, who rapidly became a close friend, invited me to her bachelorette weekend, since I cannot attend the wedding.

It was a Southern lady Philadelphia invasion, and it was such fun! I was even reunited with a good friend from old church camp days, who happened to go to college with the bride-to-be. It was really sweet to have Ellen's friends celebrating her life up until this point---friends from elementary school that you daydream about your wedding/husband/grown up life with; college friends who witness your first bits of real heartache, the stupidity of men, the ridiculousness of our own gender; lady friends made when you live on your own in a new place, and really get your hands dirty with your independence--all these parts of your life coming together to celebrate your transition from a free soul, to a partner in one of the greatest institutions there is when done correctly. I got a tad emotional I must say.

I wonder, when that day comes for me, how emotionally full I will be. That last night was beautiful and bittersweet and full of hope and anticipation of what is to come. Since I've got the weddings of some very good friends coming up, this was a great way to start thinking about it.