The time has come for the Wrights. It's that time in our lives our parents told us about, the time we would always remember as the happiest. With memories of our beautiful wedding where we promised to love each other for the rest of our lives in front of our friends and family and the life changing experience of becoming parents to our little Liam, our hearts are FULL. Engagements, weddings and babies have been flooding our social media feeds as well as our everyday lives and Ben and I are so excited to celebrate the people we love!
This year, 4 girls who have each had a huge impact on my life got ENGAGED!
:: Caroline & Will ::
My sister Caroline and her fiance Will have one of those stories that makes you want to puke...in a good way :). She and Will are high school Barbie and Ken sweethearts. They have made it through almost 7 years of dating...which is crazy enough...but add the Naval Academy and flight school to that and these 2 deserve a medal! They are finally going to be getting married this August and the adventure of military life will continue as they find out where they will be living only weeks before the wedding!
Caroline and I are 18 months apart and could not be more different. Caroline is extremely extroverted, socially gifted, and thrives in the spotlight while I am easily embarrassed by attention and would rather have a one on one convo than try to mingle in a huge crowd. She is a fashionista, while I wear my husbands clothes. Obviously being so close in age as well as being girls, life as sisters has always been intense. We can fight and love each other more intensely than anyone else in our lives. These past 2 months, having Caroline around has been the greatest gift God could bless me with. It has shown me why our differences are such a blessing. She has come over almost every day to help me adjust to becoming a mom and served me by blow drying my hair, giving me clothes, bringing me chai tea, talking to people when I'm too tired, holding Liam so I could shower and so much more! She has done all of this in the midst of planning her wedding! Caroline, thank you so much for loving me so well during a time when you should be the one receiving the special treatment! You have blessed me in ways you can't imagine over the past few months and kept me sane while I settle into my new role as a mommy. We love you so much and can't wait to start spoiling you for the rest of your engagement!
:: Kara & Ben ::
Kara and I met in college through Laney and I honestly can't remember my life before knowing her! I heard about Ben last year when she first started the Fellows Program. They pretty much loved each other and knew they were "the one" the entire year but had to wait to do anything about it until after they graduated the program. It was so sweet to listen to Kara talk about Ben as they went through the year developing such a solid friendship...but also looking forward to the day she could call him her boyfriend! Their first "official" date was straight out of a movie, Ben planned an elaborate day filled with things he knew Kara would love. A few months later, not so shocking to those who had watched their story unfold, they got engaged! Ben and Kara are getting married in May and I cannot wait to celebrate with them!
Since day 1, Kara and I have had one of those relationships that just clicked. We are able to laugh a lot and be totally ourselves while also sharing a depth and vulnerability that is so rare in relationships. Kara, I am so thankful to have you in my life! I know the Lord has orchestrated our friendship and given us the gift of Tuesday mornings to sharpen, affirm, and care for one another. You are so special to me and I cannot wait to continue to walk through life with you as old married women!
:: Caitlin and Bo ::
Caitlin and I met through Young Life our Freshman year of college and lived together the following 3 years. After college, she moved to Knoxville where she was a part of the Fellows Program. After graduating, she decided to stay in Knoxville to start the real world as a working woman. When the next class of Knoxville Fellows came along, she met Bo! They got engaged this November and will be getting married in August. I can't wait to be a part of the wedding, go to Knoxville, and get to know Caitlin's post college friends and most importantly Bo!
Caitlin was my first college friend that I didn't know from high school. She has played a major role in shaping who I am today and I don't have many memories from my years at NC State that don't involve her! Caitlin, you have been one of the most consistent friends I've ever had. I am so thankful for the ways that you challenge me and for the things you have taught me over the years. You have always pointed me to Christ and supported me in prayer. I am so happy for you and the love you have found in Bo. I cannot wait to watch you become his wife and to walk through this phase of life with you! I know that I am going to be challenged in new ways as we discuss marriage and what being a wife means!
:: Laney and Graham::
Where do I even begin...my best friends are getting married!! I am still pinching myself and asking if this is real...Laney is going to be my sister!
When Ben's youngest brother Graham came to NC State as a Freshman, I was a Senior and living with Laney. I have been so fortunate to have a genuine friendship with Graham since I started dating Ben, but when he came to State he really was one of my greatest friends and we spent lots of time together. When second semester rolled around and he started coming around our house more than normal, I quickly realized it was not just for me. Laney and Graham started dating and Ben and I were so excited that two people we loved so much were falling in love with each other! It was so fun to get a front row seat to their relationship and to watch them grow as individuals because of their love for each other.
A few weekends ago, Ben and I were able to be a part of their engagement! Graham had told us that he was going to propose a few months prior and kept us updated throughout the preparation. It was torture holding in that big of a secret from Laney! When the weekend finally came, Laney was in Boone for a grad school "supervision" session. She was planning on going to dinner with a friend after it ended and then heading back to Raleigh. Graham had called her friend and arranged for her to drive Laney to the park where he would be waiting to propose! Graham pulled off the biggest surprise of Laney's life and proposed in a gazebo decked out in rose pedals and candles with a gorgeous rock and love letters (if you know her, you know letters are a big deal!). That night they drove back to Raleigh to celebrate with her parents, but there was one more surprise. Graham had arranged a celebration at the Bolick's with the Wrights and her closest friends! It was the happiest I had ever seen either of them! The excitement of finally being engaged to the man/woman of their dreams was written all over their faces. It was so fun for Ben and I to be a part of. We were so proud of Graham and the way he had intentionally thought through every detail and we were so happy to see Laney freely express her emotion and love for Graham!
Ben and I are so excited for both of you! It is a dream come true for us to have you in our lives as our brother and sister forever! We'll save the rest for the gushing for the rehearsal dinner ;) We LOVE ya'll!
A few pictures from the night:
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