A Weeknight Wedding

I'm not sure when I became old enough to have friends my age get married, but I digress...

Elisa was the very first person I knew in college

We first connected through the Facebook group that William & Mary setup for incoming freshman students in our class. People posted little intro blurbs about themselves in hopes of finding a compatible roommate. I have absolutely zero memory of what I wrote except for a passing mention that I'm a fan of Criminal Minds. Luckily for me, that's all it took! We started chatting and quickly realized our mutual love of food, napping, and, obviously, Spencer Reid.

The first photo we ever took together outside of our freshman dorm :') Please ignore my t*es and (melting) blue hair. (Literally, it was so hot during orientation that my blue hair permanently stained my white pillowcases. Ah, well.) 

El and I spent that whole year falling asleep while chattering to each other and giggling in our absurdly lofted beds. Coming home to a friend at the end of the day made freshman year so much less scary. Even though we didn't live together after that, we remained close.

I've always admired El for her kind, easygoing, and generous nature. She's never turned down someone in need and always has space to hold big, little, (and even ridiculous) feelings expressed by her loved ones (aka me, when I would freak out about something small). We've always just...clicked. During sophomore year, she came over to celebrate my birthday and we both ended up taking naps together, me in my (again) lofted bed and her on our guest camping mattress on the floor. Ah, dorm life.

Elisa's smile is infectious and she can make me laugh in an instant. Over the years, we've developed our own kind of ESP so that we can make eye contact from across a room and have an entire conversation without words—often ending in fits of giggles. When she FaceTimed me in the fall to share the news of her engagement, I cried.

Seniors, back where it all began...

Elisa and Driscoll have been friends at least as long as we have, if not longer. I met Driscoll in freshman year, too, when he used to come by to hang out with El or pick her up to head out for an event. Even then, I had my suspicions about the two of them. "We're just friends!!" (Famous last words.) Their relationship has always made sense—Driscoll is kind, patient, and funny, and their individual connections to their faith are made even deeper by their connection to each other.

In May, Elisa & Driscoll officially tied the knot!

I started crying as soon as El and her father started down the aisle...and honestly didn't stop for the entire ceremony. I know every bride looks breathtaking on her wedding day, but there's something incredibly special about witnessing the union of someone you've been lucky enough to grow up alongside. 

Over the past (nearly) 10 years, we've seen each other begin college, change majors 4+ times (ahem....3+ of which were Elisa's...that talented lady has a brain for science, music, and languages, and had a hell of a time figuring out which one to focus on!), graduate college amid a global pandemic, move to new cities, begin careers, and, now, get married! She is my sister and I was so blessed to watch her embark on this next part of her journey.

Elisa & Driscoll's reception was on a rooftop, where I got to reconnect with some of her family that I haven't seen in ages, befriend some spunky extended family members (my favorite part of every wedding, TBH—seat me at the crazy aunt table, please and thanks), and chitty chat the night away with fellow W&M alums. Weddings are always fun, but this one will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Cheers to the Taylors!