Adrienne Eliza Bailon. Thug Passion. Adri B. A. But my favorite title: “BESTIE”

Congrats. 🙂 You did it.

It’s only right, in typical Ashley fashion to say… “ I TOLD YOU!!!!” Yep, I told you A.

Remember the guy you cried over constantly because he just didn’t understand you? Or do you remember when you moved across the country because your ex boyfriend cheated on you? How about the time you spent listing every possible attribute of your next boyfriend in your notebook because you were convinced you never wanted to be treated poorly again?

Do you remember I told you it would all be okay? I told you your prince charming was right under your nose and you didn’t even know it. I told you you were deserving. I told you to wipe your tears and I told you not to worry. I told you I couldn’t wait till your wedding day when we would close our eyes, look back at the bad times, and laugh.

Well A, we’re here. I told you so.

Here we are, on YOUR wedding day. Everything is perfect, why wouldn’t it be? The venue is breathtaking, the guests are full of love, and the tone is set to make a night full of memories that will last a lifetime.

I want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for always being here for me, whether near or far. (Sometimes you take too long to reply via text, but I’m not allowed to rag on you today.) Thank you for answering the phone at any hour. At any hour. Like 5am the week before your wedding when I’m having MY own meltdown. I know he is your man, now and forever, but you can still count on me…. Forever.

In our 15 years of friendship, we have seen friends come and go. We have seen careers shift, dreams realized, & goals grow. In any of my darkest moments, you were always the light that shined the brightest and the Amen to the prayer my heart just couldn’t get into words. In you I found a soulmate, someone to spend a plethora of drunken nights with, to cry & laugh ourselves to sleep with, to spend holidays with, someone to go to church with, someone to create goals & crush them with, I could go on forever. We understand each other. To find that bond as early as we did, and to keep that bond strong despite the deterrents that we faced, is something I’ll forever be thankful for.

And in the next 15 years? I promise to do even more: to show up to your daughters’ dance recitals & musical programs, to remind you how to keep it sexy when things get boring, and to always let you know when he has “lost his damn mind!!!” I promise to be here to comfort you, support you, and uplift you. I promise to always be available to pray with you & love on you when you need it most.

Adrienne, I want you to know you give me hope, and you always did. You give me hope that love exists and that it can be both pure & strong. You show me that love can heal people and that only GOD knows what’s for us. If you ever feel like you’re not good enough, stop and remember the way he looked at you today, as you walked down the aisle.

To your husband, you have won over the heart of my best friend. I know my role in her life was to hold her hand until someone else was good enough too, well here you are. I hope you always remember to put her first and know that life is incomplete without her. I hope you know all the good things in your life truly won’t mean a thing without her by your side. I hope that you listen when she speaks and continue to go out of your way to make her smile. I hope you support her dreams, even when you don’t understand them and encourage her when she’s lost all hope. Last but not least I hope you know, I’m not going anywhere and please expect that I will show up uninvited whenever I feel like it! 🙂 I will also call AND FaceTime at ANY annoying hour. While this is OUR forever covenant to God, should anything ever get crazy… “I WILL CUT YOU!” And always know, she has an army of women like Angie, Juli, Eva, and Ecca who play 0 games.

Adrienne, while I will miss the days when you had all the time in the world for me, I’m happy you get to share it with your HUSBAND. I am so proud of you. I am proud of the woman you have become, the wife AND mother you are becoming, and the friend you have always been. You are worthy of all the love in the room tonight.

Love always and forever,

Your Best Friend.