You know those times in your life when it seems like everyone is getting engaged? And you watch as friends from high school, friends from college, people you only kinda know commit to their significant others, knowing that someday soon one of your bff's will be one of those engaged people?
Well, my someday soon is here, and one of my best friends is getting married. I've found there are seven stages of what I call the "oh my gosh, my best friend is getting married" feeling. Kind of like the seven stages of grief, but so much happier.
1. Secretive excitement *whispers* “oh my gosh, my best friend is getting married”
This is what starts it all off. It could be getting a picture of the ring, finding out when the proposal is going to happen, finding out that a proposal is in the works, anything that starts things. For me, I hit this stage twice: once when I got a picture of the ring and again when I found out when the proposal was happening. It's a mind-blowing excitement but it's also hard cause you have to be quiet and not spoil the surprise!
2. Endless joy mingled with a tiny bit of relief “oh my gosh, MY BEST FRIEND IS GETTING MARRIED”
Okay okay, I know the tiny bit of relief might throw you off, but just think about transitioning from the first one to the second one! You didn't spoil the surprise! Everything went off as planned! You just found out your best friend is getting married!! It's a glorious time.
3. Public excitement “OMG, HEY WORLD, MY BFF IS GETTING MARRIED”
Now, you were probably one of the first people to find out, so you couldn't shout to the world that your best friend was getting married until after they had told all of the other important people in their life. But now that's over so you can scream to everyone you know, or, ya know, post on social media. It's basically the same thing, right?
4. Giddy “ohmygosh, mybestfriendisgettingmarried”
This is another stage that I've hit twice, and am expecting to hit several more times. It came the first time I saw my bff and her fiance in person after the engagement, again when we had a little celebration, and again when my bff tried on wedding dresses for the first time. It makes you feel like dancing a jig and jumping around.
5. Realization “oh my gosh, my BEST FRIEND is getting MARRIED”
Hey, remember when you met your bff and it was the two of you against the world? After hitting this stage, it'll be clear that it won't just be the two of you anymore. In my case, that isn't a bad thing, partially cause my bff's fiance is another one of my bffs and partially because I love the two of them and can't wait to see this through. But also, it's so crazy to think that the girl I became bffs with is now a woman getting married.
6. Proud “oh my gosh, MY best friend is getting married”
Stage five and this stage go almost hand in hand. Yeah, you're realizing that things won't be the same, but you're also realizing how awesome it is that the girl you became bffs with is so sure of who she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Yeah, that's MY best friend out there, planning her wedding AND doing the DIY stuff herself. She's pretty much the best there is. Again, another stage that will most likely pop up more than once.
7. Happy tears "oh my gosh, *sniff sniff* my best friend is getting married"
I am not much of a crier, so this isn't a stage I'll hit often. Yet, the day of the wedding is going to get me. Everything has been put together and my bff is looking stunning. It'll be a party to remember and by the end, she won't be GETTING married anymore. She WILL be married, and I can't wait to see that.
So, while I'm currently residing somewhere between stages three and four, I am looking forward to experiencing the rest of the stages. After all, I still have a year until the wedding, so there is still plenty of time for the rest.
Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health, says science
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