On July 23rd I Get To Marry My Best Friend

Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.

In less than two weeks, I have the honour and the privilege of marrying my best friend of 25 years. We met decades ago at Lisgar Collegiate and have been inseparable ever since. 

She is my partner in crime, my champagne girl, my confident, someone who has seen me at my worst and celebrated me at my best. She was my first call when I found out I was expecting and in true best friend form, delivered (literally) 7 months after me telling her my son would need a friend. 

We have had sleepovers & sleepless nights of supporting the other thru the dramas of life and early heartbreak. We have been by each other side for all the milestones, our first cars, our first pets, our first loves, our first 'real jobs' our first homes, engagements, children ... and now marriage. 

Single life used to mean bubbles & smoked salmon on a patio, talking endlessly about what was going on in our respective lives. We didn't have a curfew and getting up before 10am was unheard of.  Then came the next phase in our life ... kids. 

It is by chance we met . . .
By choice we became friends

Once kids arrived, we spent EVERY morning having home made muffins and coffee & tea and swapping clothes & stories about our new reality. We took turns rocking the others child to sleep so we could enjoy a few moments of serenity. Fridays soon brought a smile back to our faces. It was bubbles & smoked salmon all over again, only this time at home, not on a swanky patio, often in yoga pants not cute little sundresses and Baby Einstein was our music of choice.

Some years later, I decided to venture out into the free enterprise world and create this whole "InStyle" brand. Most thought I was crazy! You are going to quit your corporate job and you are going to what? Start a Concierge company? Here is how I saw things, as a busy corporate mom, I was struggling to get everything that I needed to accomplish in a day done, especially with a small child in tow, I figured I wasn’t alone and needed to do something about it. 

5 years later on April of this year I was recognized as being one of Ottawa's Top 40 under 40 in business. To no surprise, Jill was by my side. She always secretly cheered me on, even though I am sure from a distance she had no clue what Balance InStyle was all about.

Celebrating my 40 under 40 Award

Years later, after the birth of her second child - I had the birth of another kind. Twins. Weddings InStyle & Events InStyle was born. I decided to upgrade my home office business and take the biggest leap of faith yet ... Become a lease holder in the Byward Market and create a high end Wedding Chapel & Event Space. I knew that I needed my partner in crime to pull this off. So I asked Jill to come and work with me ... 2 years later we are an established business, are both licensed officiants and have the privilege to marry couples some 4-5 times a week.

Jill has been an invaluable part of Weddings InStyle - most of you reading this blog are likely past brides or grooms, couples who are waiting for their big " I Do InStyle" or are vendors or suppliers or friends who knows just how wonderful she is. I am proud to call her my backbone, my best friend.

The best part about creating Wedding InStyle is the fact that I am licensed by the province of Ontario to marry people. What most people don't know, is that I prefer to be behind the scenes, creating, designing, dreaming up our next InStyle blog, contest and running all the businesses in general. Jill has performed ALL of the InStyle ceremonies to date with the exception of outside officiants who frequently perform weddings here as well.

Saturday July 23rd, 2011 @ 4:30pm will be my first ceremony, and what a privilege ... I get to marry my best friend. After 13 years, 2 kids, 2 cars, a cat and a mortgage the day has arrived where Jill will marry her soul mate, the father of her kids Stephane.

I am almost sure that it is NOT generally the officiant who is shedding tears during the ceremony but this is a promise I cannot make. I mean, how lucky am I? 

When we share the story of me being the one to marry Jill, the most common statement and question is, OMGosh ...  will she marry you?  All I can say to that is this ...I have recently found my version of a modern day prince charming, so stayed tuned. We are at the beginning of our story book romance and like with any great love story the happily ever after is usually reserved for the very end.

Looking forward to sharing with you one of the most important days of our Weddings InStyle journey to date.

Amanda xo