A Happy Homecoming

I had one other post that I wanted to write about Michelle's wedding earlier this month. Although it's not my own story, I thought it was such a touching story that I wanted to share it. Michelle is oldest of three girls, she has two younger sisters, Lindsay and Julie. Soon after Michelle planned her wedding, they learned that her middle sister Lindsay was going to be deployed and would most likely not be able to be there for her big day. Michelle was heart broken about this but accepted it as best as one in that situation possibly could. Her loss was greatly felt at events like the Bridal Shower and Bachelorette party, one could only imagine how hard it would be to get married without your sister being there.

When Michelle went Bridal Gown shopping her two sisters, along with her mom and grandmother were all there to watch her try on dresses. Michelle was about 95% sold on this particular dress, but while also in that store they fell in love with the bridesmaid dresses. When the owner of the store (Barefoot Bride) went to go measure the Michelle's sisters for the Bridesmaids dresses they explained to her that Lindsay was going to be deployed and most likely not going to be able to attend the wedding. The owner of the store refused to believe that and said I don't care, I am buying your sister the dress just in case she is able to make it there. Having been the sister of someone in the military it touched home for her so she bought the dress for Lindsay. That secured Michelle's thoughts on her own bridal gown and knew it was meant to be her dress and went on to purchase her dress there as well, it was meant to be.

Months went by and as the wedding neared closer, still no sign of Lindsay being able to make it home in time for the wedding. She was due home jsut about 2/3 weeks after the wedding. But as luck and miracles would have it, her end date was moved up to only a week after the wedding and by a miracle she secured a pass to make it home a week early and get to the wedding. Her assignment was literally set to end of the wedding date. But Michelle still had no idea this was all in the works, so needless to say she was so surprised by her sisters arrival, you can see the look on her face in the pictures below when she saw Lindsay for the first time at the hotel the day before the wedding.

Never having tried on the dress at all until the day before the wedding, they were amazed to find that it literally fit Lindsay perfectly and required no alterations at all. Of course it didn't matter what she wore to the wedding just that she was there but it was all the more perfect that she had a dress. Michelle had been at the bridal store earlier that week for her final fitting and the owner had asked her about Lindsay's presence  Michelle called the owner that night after Lindsay's arrival to share the news with her, which brought her to tears. The owner was having a particularly bad day and said that Michelle's call meant so much to her and reminded her of why she was in that business.

In the end although the weather threatened the beach wedding Michelle had planned for so long, it didn't matter since her sister was there to witness her get married. The rain held off and got to get married in front of her sisters and all of her family and friends. It was such an awesome homecoming and such a great story I had to retell it! So happy for them!!!