Dear Ashley,

Ashley, 

I will likely cry during this today and im sorry for ruining your makeup 

I will never forget the day we met. It was at Cabot call centre... You were wearing a pink shirt and I was instantly drawn to you because of your kindness, your smile and personality. I knew we were going to be friends... and since then I have felt like a part of your family just as you are a part of mine.  You offered to draw a photo of Brooke in exchange for my husband to do a website and that’s how it started, since then we pretty much talk every day, you are the first person I reach for when I am hurting or had a bad day, you are always just right there.

Today I want you to know...

I could never have picked a better man for you. I love you both 

Today is the first day of your new life with him, I feel so lucky to be standing beside you today. And he is lucky because you will make his mornings brighter and his nights sweeter.

The day we’ve been dreaming about and talking about for almost a year is finally here and I know you are smiling because you finally found the one.

I know you’re looking back and laughing at all the frogs you’ve kissed before and how hung up you were on them and I know you’re smiling because these days are over and you found a real man who can cherish you and appreciate you. If you ever feel like you’re not good enough for him, I want you to remember today and the way he looked at you as you were walking towards him.

Ever since I knew about him I knew he deserved you, the way he makes you smile and laugh makes me proud. 

I hope he loves you in a way that makes you believe in love every single day. I hope he listens to you when you’re down and go out of his way to make you smile. I hope he always puts you first, I hope he knows that life is incomplete without you, that all the good things in life won’t mean a thing if he is not sharing them with you. I hope you become the only thing he truly can’t live without.

I hope he understands that I am not going anywhere and he should expect me to show up uninvited and call you whenever I feel like it.

 I hope you can completely be yourself with him. Even though I hate to give up my spot, but I hope he becomes your best friend, the one you can talk to about anything, the one you can trust with your life, the one you can reveal your secrets to and know that he won’t judge you.

I hope you can sit together in silence and still be happy, I hope you can have endless conversations with him and not get bored.

I hope he fulfills all his vows and I hope he promises more as time goes by.

He will give you the kids you always wanted and you will love him even more for it.

I will come to your daughter’s dance recitals and your son’s hockey games. Save a spot for me.  I am the honorary auntie. I hope your daughter has your sense of humor, your beauty- I mean just look at you today, absolutely stunning, and your kindness. And I hope your son has his chivalry and his determination.

I want you to know that you are a person worthy of all the love in the world and that you make him happy – even if there are days when you won’t believe it, you do!

You are my person, the one I can depend on. I love you Mrs. Ashley Cooney.  

Ashley and David: 

Let your love be stronger than your rage or anger. Let you learn to compromise because it is better to bend a little than to break. May you need one another, but not out of weakness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you embrace one another, but not smother one another. May you both succeed in your personal goals and celebrate with one another, and not fail in the little graces. Often say, "I love you!" and take no notice of small faults. May all your ups and downs only be in the bedroom! But if you do have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take the first step back. May you both have happiness, and may you find that happiness by making one another happy. May you both have love, and may you find that Love by loving one another.

Let’s raise our glasses and toast to the bride and groom and a lifetime of happiness.  I love you both.