When Chris asked me to marry him this past spring people started me asking me all sorts of questions. They wanted to know what colors we were going to have, when was the wedding, did we have a theme? There was literally so many questions, from so many people, & I had no answers for anyone. Honestly the only thing I did know, what who I wanted to stand next to me on my big day.

I am lucky enough to have a group of girlfriends that I have been friends with since we were kids. As we get older & get our own lives, we have grown closer & our friendships have gotten stronger. Our relationships have changed a lot since we were 14, they’ve even changed a lot since we were 23, but these girls are a part of me in such a big way, I couldn’t imagine them not standing next to me.

I grew up with my sister & cousin being two of my closest friends, so when I moved to California & Chris’s younger sisters & I hit it off right away, I was so happy. I knew I needed to do something special to ask these ladies to be a part of our wedding.

A friend of ours makes amazing jewelry. (You may have seen some of her work on my Instagram here, here, & here.) So when I remembered that she has an amazing knot ring, The Jessica, I thought it would be the perfect gift to ask the girls to help me tie the knot… get it… tie the knot…

And in the theme of our wine wedding (yes, we have a theme I guess) my mom found these adorable novelty wine glasses for each of the bridesmaids.

Since my sister was out here last month, I took advantage of our time together to ask her to be my maid of honor, & a week later, I asked Chris’s sisters to be bridesmaids. I knew I wanted to ask our sisters before anyone else but I had no idea how I was going to ask my cousin & girlfriend’s from back home to be in my wedding.

Being that my mom has always had a very close relationship with my friends, she invited them over to her house last week for a Sunday dinner where her & my maid of honor had the gifts all prepared for everyone. It was great because even though I wasn’t able to be there, they were all able to be together & my mom had a huge part in being the one to ask each of them for me.

Asking your girls to be part of your big day is a huge task for a bride because you are asking them a huge favor. I wanted my gifts to not only show part of me, but also be something that would be special to each & every one of them also. These rings were the perfect gift for my bridesmaids & Annie did such an amazing job on them. I am so thankful.