From bridesmaid to bride to mother

It was her wedding day. She was the bride's friend, a chosen bridesmaid. A chosen one to wear the same dress as the other girls lined up in support of their friend that was marrying the man of her dreams. As a bridesmaid, she stood there alone. On a stage with many, yes, but as a bridesmaid she knew she'd be attending the reception with no date. She was happy and incredibly independent - a hard worker, successful, living in a place of her own. But, happy or not she was longing. Longing for that one whom she would walk down the aisle to - not as a bridesmaid, no - instead as the only one in the signature, white dress.

All the while, he was there. Watching her walk down the aisle and stand tall through the ceremony as a chosen bridesmaid. He wondered her name. Wondered if she was single. Wondered what she did for a living. He didn't care much though. He was already captivated by her. Love at first sight, I guess you could say.

Lucky for her, the guy sitting in the crowd was brave. Or maybe he just knew that there was something to her that he couldn't let pass up. It'd be a crime. So, he got her number from her friend and he called, asking her out on a date. A blind date for her. She very hesitantly and reluctantly obliged. They met for a casual lunch. She just knew that when she arrived she would find a guy that was odd, self-conscious, unattractive - yet bold nonetheless for even calling. She had to at least be grateful for his courage. Shortly after shaking hands, her focus went on trying to hide the fact that she was noticeably surprised he was none of those things. He was actually everything. Everything she had ever hoped to be sitting in front of over a casual lunch.

Then, they woke up...

...to a house in the country, a dog named Cooper and two gorgeous little boys that were theirs. Perfectly her, perfectly him.

From a bridesmaid she became a beautiful, madly-in-love bride to an absolute fitting mother. Her fairytale has unfolded in all the right ways. And, yes even the best of fairytales have hurts and loss and growing pains, but she knows that all of those burdens will be shared with the guy who was sitting in the crowd as she walked down the aisle.

Thank you for your friendships and for letting me call you Snickers and of course, for letting me capture your fairytale-lives on camera. I hope you cherish these pictures for years to come.