My Little Girl is Getting Married Soon… and I’m Feeling all of the emotions now

I’ve always known this day would come. But somehow, now that it’s just around the corner, I find myself blinking back tears more often than I expected.   

My daughter is getting married soon. My girl. My baby. The one I used to snuggle as I would sing Amazing Grace to soothe her while she fell asleep or cried in the middle of the night.  My beautiful little baby girl Ariana Jade. She’s now 27, thriving, independent, and in love. And suddenly, all those years seem to collapse into one beautiful day - her wedding day. 

Leading up to their wedding, we talked about whether I would marry her or simply attend as the Mother of the Bride.  You see, I spent several years as a wedding celebrant here in New Zealand a while back and I was lucky enough to officiate weddings for many beautiful couples, each one unique, filled with love, laughter, nerves, and joy. From beachside “I dos” to quiet garden vows, I witnessed hundreds of tender glances, shaky hands, heartfelt promises, and cheeky giggles. It never got old. It was always a privilege and now it is my daughter and future Son in Law's turn! 

After discussions with Ariana, we decided I will enjoy the day more by simply being Mother of the Bride, rather than their Celebrant.  That means that I get to be on the other side of it. Not the one standing with a microphone, but the one watching my own daughter walk down the aisle to her soul mate. And it’s different. It’s tender and personal and deeply emotional. This time, it’s my girl—stepping into her new beginning.

In ceremonies past, I used to offer guidance to help couples create something meaningful and memorable and to help couples navigate the Ceremony planning I wrote this little resource to keep offering that support from afar—an e-book for engaged couples filled with sample vows, ceremony outlines, and inspiration to help make the planning process a little easier, and a lot more intentional.

It’s the very guide Ariana and I have used as we put finishing touches on the ceremony and special day. 

To anyone else preparing for a wedding—whether you’re the bride, the groom, a proud parent, or a best friend cheering them on—enjoying every moment of it. These moments are fleeting. But the love, the laughter, the promises made with trembling hearts… those last forever.

Arohanui,

Kylie