Aaron and Sarita are married!

Yesterday we attended a wedding unlike anyone I have ever attended. Our dear friend, Aaron married his adorable bride, Sarita yesterday in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Towards the end of high school, my free time was defined by endless hangouts with five close friends. It's one of those things I almost can't put into words. There are some people you can just breathe around. These are my people. I have been angry and frustrated with them, I have cried with them, laughed with them, and prayed with them. It has been such a precious blessing to look forward to little reunions with this incredible "friend group", as we so lovingly called it, throughout college. We celebrated our own special Christmas each year, and sat on porches in dirty clothes together, talking about nothing. We have served together in various capacities. La Porte. South Dallas. (Kristen, our trips together could get a full separate blog post. Thankful for that.) We stayed up all night together and swam together and we lived summers that felt endless and perfect. Thanks to a Sunday school getaway to the lake and a trip to camp, we logged almost a solid two weeks together right after high school graduation. Every single day, every trip to Olive Garden, every drive around the block had meaning and laughter and joy when I had these five by my side. I know these sentences are choppy and dull and probably have no meaning to you, but just typing them brings tears of happiness and thanksgiving to my eyes, thinking about how richly these people have blessed my life, and Ben's too.

Ben, me, Seth, Kristen, Aaron, & Liz at one of our many "Friendsmasses"

If you know our story, you know that Ben and I spent a good amount of time apart during the middle of college. Now, in reflection of that time, I realize how much grace our friends gave to us. They extended grace when we said mean things about each other or pried for information about each other or were stubborn and wouldn't let us all be together, like we were supposed to be. (Okay. Fine. Those things were just me. Ben has always been too wise for those kinds of shenanigans.) These four loved and supported us through all of the deep hurt that was happening. They were patient with us. I will never forget in all of my days the fact that Kristen kept a photo of Ben and I hanging in her room for the full year and a half we were broken up. She didn't give up on us. I love that. We didn't deserve that. She just loved the picture of us so it was on her wall. These are the kind of people that you keep a photo of in your guest bedroom because you know they'll find their way there many times over the changing years.

It was a very happy day for the friend group when the first marriage happened. The first time Ben told me he liked me, Liz and Kristen jumped around in the room crying happy tears with me. These two sisters are so dear to me. I realized this weekend while helping them move out of their apartment that I can genuinely tell a large amount of cleaning/moving memories that we have shared. That's real friendship, people. I digress. The first wedding didn't add a new member to our group. We left that up to Aaron, who got engaged just days before our union.

I would encourage you to read the story of Aaron and Sarita, if you are the kind of person that enjoys Jesus written love stories. Which you should be. So... go, shoo. Read. Then come back here to finish reading the rest of my post. :) My favorite part is in Aaron's side about when Sarita won prom queen.

This weekend was their wedding. Let's be honest, the first time Aaron told us about Sarita we were already trying to guess their wedding date. It was so worth the wait for all of us loving bystanders, and I'm sure the couple would say the same.

Photo stolen from someone random on Facebook who tagged Sarita. No shame here for my photo stealing! 

I say nothing about their wedding was traditional because in a world of millions of dollars spent on weddings each year, focused on designer dresses and elegant venues and complicated seating charts, their wedding was about Christ and their love for each other and the people around them. They were married in a field of wildflowers overlooking a pond. Or is it a lake. Who knows what the size classifications for bodies of water are? NOT ME, HEY HEY!

More stolen photos. Sorry to the people of Shawnee. 

Sarita rode in a horse drawn carriage and I was already crying before she was out of that sucker because I knew Aaron was in hysterics of joy at the sight of her. I know for sure that Aaron was dressed from head to to in attire from the local thrift shop, and I heard a rumor that Sarita's dress was also thrifted. All the flowers were picked from the field. They were some of the most beautiful arrangements I've ever seen, for more reasons than one. This wedding was about everything but money and that is how it should be. They made me want to tell everyone to get away from theknot.com and throw their wedding magazines out the window and to just gather inspiration from what makes them smile, from what's simple. Their ceremony had approximately ten photographers and videographers getting up close and around the couple. People couldn't help but try and grasp for something tangible during their meaningful ceremony. They wanted something to hang onto to remind them of this precious union. You and I both know that I'm all about the pictures, but the something tangible from this day is the love of Jesus Christ. Their story contains time after time after time where God answered prayers and guided them together. Eight or so little girls of all ages, all races, came down the aisle before Sarita, serving as flower girls. At that moment I felt like I was attending the Southern Weddings Yellow Rose of Texas editorial wedding because of those flower girls. The food at the reception was set up on two tables. One with Aaron's favorite foods, one with Sarita's. More weddings need cheeseballs. Cheeseballs are humble and happy and simple.

I feel like a straight up creep saving this photo of their first kiss to my computer and uploading it to my blog but sometimes you just have to be a creep, I suppose. They saved their first kiss as a couple for their wedding day, and it was perfect. They were giddy. Literally giddy. Their kiss was lengthy. It was great and everyone cheered with such joy. I wish I could put into words all the incredible symbolism that they used in their wedding to point the direction to Christ, but I can't even begin to try. Their ceremony was rich with Jewish traditions.

Yesterday, we got to establish a tradition of our own, a "friend group" photo at every wedding. We initiated our first new member. Wait, that sounds sketchy. We just hugged and welcomed Sarita with welcome arms. We talked about how over the years these pictures would grow. We imagined full baby bellies and toddlers and new spouses being added to the group. Looking at this picture, my heart is full, imagining the faithfulness of God that is only to come.