The Shisler Family Blog: Bridesmaid-of-Honor

As our 18th Wedding anniversary is today and I wanted to share one of my favorite all time stories on our blog....it is about my cousin Annette.

Annette is a year older than I am and the daughter of my dear Aunt Sandy and Uncle Dean. Annette has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As little girls we played Miss America, Miss Universe we shared baths at Grandma's house, we laughed and laughed and laughed. I cannot tell you at what age I learned, or realized that Annette had some special needs. It was just a part of Annette and she was who she was and we all just adored her. She was honest, and sensitive, and funny, very funny. But at some age I realized it....and she is the reason I wanted to major in Special Education. Because I adored Annette, and I thought people with special needs were terrific. It was so natural for me to be drawn to that area in college.

One thing you need to know about Annette is that she is honest and I mean brutally honest. It's what we love most about her. She is never afraid to tell you her opinion and she doesn't really care if you agree with it or not. It has been entertaining to grow up with.

When we played Miss America as kids we BOTH always won, she liked it that way. When I started dating Scott and she met him for the first time, she looked right at me and said "Dump him, he's too old"...yep right in front of Scott. And I cannot remember his comment back but it was witty and quick and I think it made her adore him even more. I could tell she loved him, despite her comment. He could keep up with her humor and they would almost spur one another on.

So....fast forward to the fall of 1994. Annette and I had pizza together on a Thursday night, while unknown to me Scott had taken my parents out to dinner to ask their permission to marry me. Scott and I were engaged the next day of Friday and by Sunday my Mom had whipped up an Engagement Party for us at home. Annette was there. She was excited and thrilled and told me she would be getting engaged soon too, she has been engaged several times. :). But the best thing happened when all of the guests had left...we were sitting at the kitchen table. Annette across from me and Scott next to me...here was our conversation. (granted we had been engaged 36 hours at this point) I still remember it almost word for word...

Annette : "So what's the deal, am I in the wedding or not?"

Me: "Sure what do you want to do?"

Annette: "What are the things to do in a wedding?"

Me: "Well you could be a bridesmaid"

Annette: "What do they do?"

Me: "They basically stand up front and look pretty next to me"

Annette: "well that sounds boring, What else is there?"

Me: "well you could do the guestbook? Or hand out programs."

Annette: "I don't think that would be fun, I would have to talk to a bunch of strangers. No"

Me: "Well you could stand at the table with placecards at the reception"

Annette: "I don't want to do that because I want to sit with my Mom and eat."

Me: "Well what would YOU like to do?"

Annette: " This is what I would like. I want to dress up like a bridesmaid with the dress and shoes and everything and look pretty. I want Scott to walk me down the aisle but I don't want to stand up front I want to sit with my Mom. Can I do all of that?"

Me: "Sure, you can do all of that and we will call you our Bridesmaid of Honor"

...and that is just what we did. She looked beautiful on April 1, 1995. Scott proudly walked her down the aisle before our Mom's were seated. And he seated her with her parents. She had a bouquet and everything. Looked just like the bridesmaids but didn't have to stand up front with all of them, that's BORING. In the video from our wedding you can see her tell her Dad "I feel pretty" as she is seated. It is honestly one of the BEST parts of our wedding for me.

It was an easy decision for me, and I didn't even have to look to Scott to see what his opinion would be I just knew. She did JUST what she wanted to do. It's is one of our most treasured memories of that day.

Too tired to figure out how to turn the picture...but THIS was taken the night Scott had my parents out to dinner to ask them if he could marry me. We ate dominos and chips at home.