When You Ask Someone to be Your Bridesmaid...

...and you aren't even engaged, you may be a flaming idiot a little overzealous.

Just for fun, every once in awhile, Ian and I draw out how our wedding party will ideally look. This usually occurs while we're waiting for our food to arrive at a restaurant, usually on a paper napkin, and usually in the privacy of a booth at which none of his friends, acquaintances, or even mere passers-by can take a peek and mock him. Sometimes, we draw our wedding party with more regard to how we're feeling at the moment and with less sincerity than is required to make such an important decision. Sometimes, we legitimately draw our wedding party the way we'd want it to look if we were getting married that very day. Remarkably, the way we've drawn it --when we've done it with genuineness -- has only changed once (with the exception of matching bridesmaids and groomsmen based on height).

Since Ian and I have no immediate plans for engagement or marriage, I won't embarrass either of us by posting a picture of one such napkin. However, I will disclose that this beautiful lady has graced the napkin since the beginning of wedding party design napkin couture.

During the spring of our freshman year at Longwood, I joined the Greek system and proudly became a sister in Alpha Delta Pi. Lauren, who (barely) knew me vicariously through close friends, handmade me a bracelet in the colors my Big Diamond Sister had used for all of my sorority accoutrements. It's still attached to my key ring, where I placed it four years ago.

She also crafted one of the most beautiful pearl necklaces I've ever seen, complete with multiple strands and interchangeable ribbons, for my 23rd birthday. (I know, right?!)

She's earning an MBA, I'm earning an M.Ed. (She loves numbers, I despise numbers.) She has fantastic fashion sense, and I... well, don't. She's in the 757 and I'm in the 804. Honestly, we couldn't be more opposite. We both, however, ended up dating Hampden-Sydney gentlemen who are friends and members of the same fraternity. Briefly, we were the worst long-distance accountability buddies ever. But that's enough anecdotal evidence for now.

We don't always agree on everything, we don't see each other nearly enough, and after an adult beverage or two we could both argue with a brick wall, but this girl is around for the long haul! I mean, if she's listed as a bridesmaid on a Macado's napkin, it's official, right? ;)