Team Studer: Our best friend's wedding

Thursday, October 20, 2011

One day, long ago, I walked into a dorm room and found my best friends. Granted, at the time I hadn't known they were my best friends. I was probably thinking, "oh, I hope these girls want to be my best friends." You see, my two best friends were brought together as college freshman roommates by a quick brushstroke of lady luck's housing lottery. I only happened to get to know them through another stroke of luck that we ended up living in the same dorm. How I even was able to jump in on their already-established-friendship-since-we're-roommates-and-awesome is a mystery to me. In my mind, we were friends - I can't even remember how it started. But it had started in some way, and it was such a strong way that we stayed friends; the three of us, for four years through college.

And we at lunch and dinner together, and we took brisk walks together, and rented a house together, and we discovered facebook together, and we spent nights making pinky-promises, and we spent nights concocting mixed drinks together, and we spent nights watching sex&thecity marathons, and dyed each other's hair (okay, they dyed mine), and we told each other secrets, and we made up a name for ourselves (akt), and met each other's families, and boyfriends, and friends, and we fell into each other's hearts - like only true friends can.

And then we graduated and each moved and got our own lives.

And we called each other, and wrote emails, and we signed them with "akt fo lyfe" as kind of a joke and kind of not, and we met up in NYC, Altoona, Philly, Erie, and Baltimore, and we sent each other snail mail, and we asked each other to be bridesmaids, and even though we didn't talk everyday and didn't share the same life paths anymore, we still cried when the other was sad and celebrated when the other was happy.

And this summer, boy were we three happy.

The A of akt was a bride this summer. And KT of akt were bridesmaids beaming with pride and love. First we met up on Al's bridal shower eve for some good 'ole fashion akt Friday night fun. Okay, it wasn't that good 'ole fashion because we're older...and wiser...and not so much of the end-up-in-the-bathroom-at-the-end-of-the-night-making-pinky-promises-on-the-floor type girls anymore (although, never say never).

And then we participated in Al's bridal shower the next day where Al was radiating bride beauty like I've never seen before.

And then we got to meet Allison's other friends at her Bachelorette party in Deep Creek. It's one thing to know you have an amazing friend. But then to meet her other friends, who are just as awesome is quite another. Bachelorette party on the lake and cruising around in a pontoon boat...my version of an awesome weekend? yes. The 15 year old boat boy's version of a fantasy? also, yes. Inappropriate that we jokingly asked him if he owned a tear-away fireman's costume? yes. funny, though? yes.

And then we got dressed up, and got our hair done, and held flowers, and stood on the altar because she is our best friend no matter what big or little changes happen in her life.

photo by John Waire of The Wairehouse

And then our best friend got married.

and she was happy.

and he was happy.

and we were happy for them.

photo by John Waire of The Wairehouse

And even though I've changed her name to Allison Karpy Hubbard in my cellphone, she is still Karpy to us. Our best friend, Karpy...who's heart we hold dear...even if its inappropriate to do so on her wedding day.