An open letter to my best friend on her wedding day

Dear Soph,

I started writing this post quite some weeks ago. It was on Tuesday, July 11 to be precise - the day we went for your first wedding dress fitting.

I hadn't yet seen your dress so I was so unbelievably excited to see it for the first time. After a somewhat stressful drive there (bloody Great Yorkshire Show!) we made it to the shop just in time.

As you disappeared behind the curtain to get into your dress, my heart was beating so fast. I couldn't wait to see you in your dress. I can't describe the pride I felt when I saw you in it. You looked absolutely breathtaking.

The day is finally here now - the day I get to escort you down the aisle and watch you marry the love of your life, the lovely Paul.

You two first met 'romantically' after we had gone for a meal at Capri, in Selby, for my 17th birthday. It was 17th October 2008. You'd gone out into town afterwards and got chatting to Paul.

From there you started dating and, before long, you were boyfriend and girlfriend. You didn't have the easiest of roads at times, but you fought for your relationship and came out the other side stronger than ever.

After getting engaged and buying your lovely first home, you got your gorgeous little Digby and Frodo. You've got the perfect foundations laid for the most perfect marriage and family life together.

The way you have handled the obstacles that you have come across is inspiring. I really could not have coped the same way as you have, with Paul working away for such long periods at a time. While you struggle, and admit it gets difficult, you handle it so, so well. I really could not be as strong as you. I'd be moaning all the time!

The pair of you together are just a dream. When I see how Paul looks at you it makes me melt. I am so, so glad you've got someone who takes care of you so well and, quite clearly, adores you.

I have so many fond memories of you and Paul, particularly in the early days of your relationship when we used to go out in town and would see him and his mates out.

I recalled this memory the other day, as part of my pictorial countdown to your wedding, but I'll talk about it again now.

We'd not long been 17, it was just a couple of months are you and Paul met, and we used to go out in Selby. Carly was working at the Blackie at the time, so we used to get a lift into town with her and go into the pub as she was starting her shift. We used to always make sure we walked in with Carly so that the bouncers would ID us. In fact, we had no worry of this as they often thought you were the older sibling!! Awks.

We'd be out from about 9pm usually, not daring to move onto another pub incase we didn't get in and were left outside in the cold.

I remember going out the first weekend after New Year and it being so, so quiet. I think there was only really me, you, Paul and his mates out! I remember us dancing to Kid Cudi 'Day N Nite' on the little dancefloor in Blackie. That song always reminds me of those nights.

Just like the Lady Gaga song, Just Dance, reminds me of the next morning when it woke us both up and we rolled over, looked at each other and sang 'RED ONE' really loud before bursting into fits of giggles. We then went on to lay in bed eating custard creams for our breakfast. It's the stuff dreams are made of.

There are so many things that remind me of the memories we've shared over the years we've been friends.

I've never been able to eat Wotsits in the same way, Dolly Mixtures always make me smile when I see them on the shelf in the supermarket, and I can't listen to Ella Henderson's 'Ghost' without howling remembering all the crazy videos you have of me singing it.

We've been through such an incredible amount together and have been there during every big event in each other's life. We've fought at times, my lord have we fought. We've had some screaming rows which, now I look back on and find hilarious.

My personal favourite was when you thought I'd blocked your number and you rocked up at my house and we were just screaming at each other. I remember Tom sat at the bottom of the stairs, peering round the corner into the lounge every so often to check we weren't ripping each other's hair out. Fast forward half an hour, though, and we were hugging on my sofa, crying and telling each other how much we loved each other and how special our friendship was.

We're mental. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

I've always wanted a sister and, our biological make-up may be different, but I'll always count you as a sister. Like we say, we're soul sisters!

You're the Dec to my Ant (I said it the other way round cos you'd definitely be Dec, being the shorter one!), the Minnie to my Mickey, the fish to my chips, the ying to my yang.

I am so incredibly happy, proud and honoured to stand beside you as you and Paul say your vows and make your lifetime commitments to each other. You guys are inspirational and couple goals in so many ways. Tom and I are lucky to have you in our lives, and I cannot wait to see what our future will hold as the awesome foursome.

Congratulations to you both on your wedding day, here's to the new Mr and Mrs Duck.

I love you both insane amounts
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