The Girls Who Got Me Here

When I reflect on walking down the aisle, my heart swells with gratitude, not just for the man waiting at the altar, but for the incredible women standing beside me. Each of them has been a part of shaping who I am, and together they are my soul sisters.

Ashly

Ashly has been my best friend since middle school, the kind of friend you grow up with and never grow out of. Our friendship is stitched together with basketball trips, laughing until our stomachs hurt at Grandma and Grandpa’s house on Prince of Wales, and sneaking fresh cookies with a side of Redbull in Ms. Stone’s government class. She’s always been my biggest support system and cheerleader, the one making sure I keep my act together when life feels overwhelming. No matter the season of life, she’s the steady voice cheering me on, lifting me up, and reminding me of who I am.

Teela

Teela has been in my life since 5th or 6th grade. We made trouble together in the halls of Houghtaling Elementary, spent countless hours side by side at the soccer and softball fields, and grew up in the kind of friendship that weaves itself into every corner of life. Though life took us different directions at times, reconnecting as young adults was like finding home again. Now we’re raising our little boys side by side, and every day feels like another chapter in an adventure we get to share. Teela is endlessly supportive, and she reminds me of the beauty of having a lifelong friend who has grown with me in every season.

Victoria

Victoria came into my life when I needed her most, lost, new to town, and in search of connection. She showed up as joy, laughter, and consistency, a soul sister who felt like she was heaven-sent. But she also brought the mischievousness that comes with a budding friendship in our early 20s: the kind of fun, slightly reckless, always-laughing energy that made life sparkle in those years. She was the friend who reminded me how to let loose, and at the same time grounded me in the reminder that true friends show up through it all. I’ve never met a girl who loves her friends as fiercely as V.

Ivy

And then there’s Ivy. Our paths crossed at work, in the high-pressure world of the OR. It’s a place that can test you, but instead of breaking us down, it built us up together. We understood each other instantly, in that “feels like we’ve known each other forever” kind of way. Our minds work alike, our conversations never seem to end, and we’ve logged many miles on trails while talking about everything and nothing. Ivy is the kind of friend who just gets it—no explanations needed.

These women aren’t just bridesmaids. They’re the sisters of my heart, the keepers of my laughter, my tears, my stories, and my wildest memories. Having them stand beside me on one of the biggest days of my life is a reflection of all the little ways they’ve stood beside me through every chapter that led here.