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Dear soon-to-be bride,

You’ve been looking forward to this day for your entire life. The one day that is supposed to be all about you.

You’ve been planning this day for months, if not longer. The venue has been chosen and the deposit paid. The vendor contracts have all been signed. You’ve found the perfect dress that shows off your best features and makes you feel like the most beautiful girl in the world.

RELATED: To My Daughter on Her Wedding Day

Invitations have been sent and each “Yes” RSVP has sent a little shiver of excitement down your back as you imagine a room full of the people you love, celebrating this wonderful occasion together.

You’ve agonized for hours over the food and the music and the flowers and the linens and the seating chart.

This has been such a labor of love, and you’ve been dreaming about walking down that aisle since you were a little girl.

But suddenly, with virtually no warning—it’s gone.

Canceled. Postponed.

This pandemic has hit at the worst possible time—right during the season for weddings.

Your wedding.

Your gorgeous spring wedding will have to wait. If you’re a summer bride, you’re still anxiously waiting to see what the next few months will bring.

You’re overcome with so many emotions—immense disappointment, anxiety for your loved ones, and stress as you scramble to cancel vendors. You worry whether you’ll even get your deposits back.

You’re absolutely crushed, yet it feels silly to agonize about things that are so trivial in the grand scheme of things. You feel guilty for crying over flowers when others are losing their jobs or even their lives.

RELATED: My Wedding Day Wasn’t That Beautiful

But here’s what you should know:

It’s OK to be upset.

It’s OK to be disappointed.

It’s OK to cry about what this virus has taken from you, even if it’s only this one special day.

And I know that while it might feel like the end of the world, I promise—it’s going to be OK.

Because the man you’ve dreamed of waiting for you at the end of the aisle? He’ll still be there when this is all over.

RELATED: Marriage isn’t Making Vows, it’s Keeping Them

The people who were supposed to gather in your honor? They’ll still be standing by your side when the dust has settled.

And the love that made you want to get married in the first place? That will still be there, too. Maybe even stronger than before.

It’s hard to imagine a silver lining right now. But take it from someone with a few years of marriage behind her—this won’t be the last storm you weather as you embark on this journey. And if you can make it through this, you can make it through anything.

I promise, beautiful bride,

It might not look the way you imagined . . .

But you will still get your special day.

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So God Made a Mother's Story Keepsake Journal

Emily Solberg

Emily Solberg is a soldier, military spouse, mom of two, and fierce advocate of women supporting women. The goal of her writing is to help others feel less alone in their parenting journeys, and she isn’t afraid to share the hard parts of her own. You can find more from her over on Facebook and Instagram at Shower Arguments with Emily Solberg.

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