Bridesmaids so far...

I'm doing the picking and asking thing VERY...S-L-O-W-L-Y...
and everyone I ask, I want it special...a special and personal request.
So far I have:

Malissa as my Matron of Honor:

(Missile and I...hobo party...she will kill me when she sees this eyepatch pic up)

She's...well...she's my lady. I spend all my time with her, we do fun things together, she knows my taste, I know her sense of direction and style, and we're honest with each other.

I asked her to be my MOH in my car. We were on our way to the suburbs on a girl's day out. I was nervous to ask...I had been planning and plotting. I wanted to surprise her with a trip to the spa, but the timing had not worked out. SO. I took her on a quest for retail therapy and on the way, I said "I have a surprise. Do you want it now or later?" and she said, "Now!" and I said, "Uh, I'm not good at getting very emotional with stuff...I mean, I WILL, but I feel dorky if I cry, so...ahhh...will you be my matron of honor" and she was so happy! And then we went and I bought us shirts with some store credit I had at Anthropologie (so ghetto I am...but we had fun). They are now our Matron of Honor shirts.

Malissa is in charge of all things happening in Chicago.

THEN, I asked Claire to be a bridesmaid.

Claire and I are fairly new friends, but I can't imagine getting married without her by my side. She's been a friend of both Bern and I - she hosted the party after which we were engaged. She's sooooo awesome...and we're both excitable about the same things. I can go to Claire's house with pockets full of dirt and she will have some fabulous glass to put it in and some amazing adjective to describe it with...and if that scenerio would actually happen, I know it would be, like, the BESTDAYEVER.


[claire in the summer...2007]

I went to Claire's house with a bottle of $10 wine and a pencil I bought her from the Garfield Park Conservatory. It was all I could afford. So sad, but there's something sweet about giving someone a pencil...right? I presented her with the wine and as she was about to throw the paper bag it came in away, I said, "OH! Claire! I have a pressy for you in there!" and she pulled out the pencil with this goofy puzzled grin...and then I began my speech:

"Listen, Claire, I wanted to come here today to ask you to be my bridesmaid"...and it went on and on...I get really excited about things...so I was talking all over myself...and she was smiling and said she was honored and I was SOOOO happy. If Claire's involved in anything, one knows it will be done up right.

Claire is in charge of making things classy in Chicago.
And also...she has to make spinach puffs one time at a bridal get-together. The one at my house. With just me and her...me in bed with a huge table cloth on as a bib...and Claire cooking and then spooning her spinach puffs into my mouth.

And last, but certainly not least, I got a Maid of Honor two days ago.

My best friend from College of Charleston, Miss Amy Kisabeth (the kiss of DEATH) - she's still IN Charleston, so this whole "PERSONAL" thing was tricky...BUT her boyfriend Ben helped me out. I emailed Ben a picture of us and a card explaining why I loved her and why I can't get married without her next to me...because she's my Amy and we've always been connected at the hip and we love each other. She's my Charleston! So Ben took her out to dinner and after they ate, he presented her with my picture and card. Amy said he was being very serious and said something like, "I have something for you...and I don't really know how to ask, so I guess I'll just ask..." (I laughed and asked her if she thought he was going to propose at that moment)...and he gave her the stuff and she laughed and said "yes" and then called me after dinner and we talked forEVER about stuff...life stuff...and she also said she was excited and honored...

Amy is in charge of all things Southern.

I feel like I have a great team so far!
There's more to come!

*Oh, and PS - all of my maidens are class act! Malissa bought me a bridal book and a magazine and is planning a shower, Claire sent me a formal "thank you note" for my asking her (you're too sweet)and is already talking about cool things to de (and experiences from weddings past), and Amy is already on top of helping me with a shower. You guys ROCK!