"That VCR alone is worth getting married for."

Diane's wedding is about seven weeks away now!

When Di came over my apartment in May to tell me she was engaged my first selfish thought was, "Oh God, I have to pay to be in two weddings this year." When she informed me there was no wedding party and just her sister, Nancy, would be standing with her, my second selfish thought was, "I'm being gypped."

If there was ever one wedding I thought I would be in, it was Diane's. As we've been best buds for 22 years, I had always thought I'd get the top job. What's weird, is that I'm getting to do a lot of the top job tasks.

At her shower, I was the one handing her wrapped gifts, putting the unwrapped gifts aside, and carefully taping the greeting cards to the gifts so she could correlate them for her thank you notes. She and I went out a few weeks ago to find the perfect wedding shoes. I've seen countless centerpiece ideas. I went with her on Thursday for her first fitting and learned how to thread and pull her corset.

And you know what I realized? I may not have the top job on her wedding day, but I have the top job in her life. I am her "Buddy of Honor" and that's good enough for me. Being the Buddy of Honor means you get to experience all the meaningful details of the months leading up to your best friend's big day, without having to shell out a $1,000 to be in the event. Being the Buddy of Honor means you are the one entrusted to come up with a saying for the shower favors and search countless shoe stores for ivory cocktail shoes with ankle straps. It's reviewing the menu choices and reminding the bride to either borrow or buy a veil. It's all the small and incredibly important things that two women who've known each other since they were 14 can share.

That's me...the Buddy of Honor.

I love you, Diane.

(My title is a quote from Steel Magnolias.)