Third Time's A Charm

With two invitations to be a bridesmaid and two subsequent retractions under my belt, my record wasn’t looking so hot. Forget 27 Dresses—I was 0 for 2. Still, I was able to put the past behind me and move on. I was continuing to enjoy my new job in my new home and was slowly but surely making friends. One friendship that blossomed early was with a woman named Danielle. Quirky like me, we got along fairly well, but by no means would I have called her a best friend. So when she asked me to be part of her wedding, I was surprised. Realizing the gravity of the situation and given my past strikeouts, I took a few days to make my decision. Could this really be it? Was my dream about to be fulfilled? Or would I once again get kicked to the curb?

Skeptical, I made certain Danielle was aware of my flubbed past. After she promised not to kick me out of her wedding, change the date, or otherwise ruin my chances at being the best damned bridesmaid ever, I said yes.

With that, the pre-wedded bliss began.

Danielle was to be married Memorial Day Weekend at The Danbury, an old Victorian farmhouse that sat on ten sprawling acres. The property featured a number of amenities, including short hiking trails, a manicured lawn, a large covered porch perfect for dancing, and a 50-year-old weeping willow that immediately caught Danielle’s eye. This is where she was to have her ceremony. Once the ceremony and reception site was booked, Danielle turned her attention toward entertainment. It wasn’t hard to come by. An avid dancer, Danielle had many friends in the performing arts community, including one of her other bridesmaids, who performed professionally with a group of belly dancers.

This was shaping up to be one fantastic wedding.