You are my people— the people I go to when I don't want to talk to anyone else, the people I go to when I can't contain my excitement, the people I go to when all I can do is cry. You are my people, and I want to thank you for that.

Thank you for coming into my life at the time that you did and staying in it, even though I'm hard to love. You showed me that unconditional love is real and that I can be my true self and still receive that love.

Thank you for making me get out of bed when I refused to. You're the one who came into my room and jumped on me until I got out of bed. You're the one who made me shower, put on clothes, eat, go to class, and go through the motions when I couldn't do it myself.

Thank you for laughing with me no matter how stupid. You're the one who I shed tears with, not because of sadness, but because we couldn't stop laughing. You've made me laugh so hard I snort like a pig and ruin my make-up with tears that stream down my face.

Thank you for being there when I couldn't stop crying. These tears were different, they were hot with anger and hurt and sadness. They rolled down my face relentlessly, but you were there the whole time. You held me when I couldn't speak through the sobs. You made those terrible times in my life bearable.

Thank you for giving me tough love. You tell me when I'm being more stubborn than usual or when something I say rude that hurts you or someone else or when something I'm wearing doesn't look good. And somehow, you always say it nicely.

Thank you for helping me be the woman I am today. You have had such a huge impact on my life, even if you don't think so. You have made me see life from a different perspective. You push me to go outside of my comfort zone and try new things. You have helped me grow in my walk with the Lord and continue to encourage me to love Him more than I love anyone else.

Thank you for being there with me on my wedding day. I don't think you will ever really understand how much it means to me that you will be standing with me as I begin a new chapter in my life. I hope that you love my future husband and that you'll also be there for him on that day and every day after that.

You've given me love that I don't deserve, and that has honestly made all the difference in my life. You've pushed me to be a better person, forced me to open up and be honest with you and with myself. You've not given up on me yet, and I hope and pray that you never will.

You are truly a gift from God, and I am so thankful for you. I am so excited to stand next to you on what will be one of the best days of my life.

Thank you for being you.

All of my love,

A Future Bride