Wedding planning brought its fair share of stress, excitement, and joy, but it also stirred emotions Ashley thought she had long buried. Each decision seemed to echo with memory—flowers, music, traditions—small reminders of absence threaded through moments meant to be celebratory.
She found herself wishing her mother, who had passed on when she was three, were alive to see this part of her life, to help her into the dress, and to offer advice only a mother could give. The longing surfaced unexpectedly, sharp and aching, even on days meant for happiness.