My five best friends, who were my bridesmaids in my wedding, are

In the words of Jill Kargman, we hear the triumph of friendship enduring across time. She speaks of her five best friends, who stood as bridesmaids at her wedding, and declares with pride that they remain her closest companions still. In this memory lies more than nostalgia; it is a testimony that true bonds are not fleeting. For when friendships are tested by the weight of years, by change, by the turning of life’s seasons, and yet remain unbroken, they are revealed as treasures more lasting than gold.

The ancients, too, revered such loyalty. The tale of Damon and Pythias tells of two friends whose devotion to one another defied even the threat of death. When Pythias faced execution, Damon offered his own life as collateral to ensure his friend’s farewell. In the end, both were spared, for their bond was deemed holier than law. So too Kargman’s words remind us that those who walk beside us in life’s sacred moments—such as a wedding—are often those who remain steadfast through all trials.

Her reflection also reveals the sacred role of bridesmaids, who are not merely attendants to beauty, but witnesses to covenant. To stand at the side of the bride is to share in her joy, to affirm her love, and to weave oneself into the tapestry of her story. That her bridesmaids are still her companions speaks to a deeper truth: the friends who honor us in our most vulnerable and exalted hours often remain the keepers of our trust forever.

History gives us its mirror in the tale of Queen Elizabeth I, who, though she never wed, was surrounded in youth by ladies of honor who became her lifelong allies. They stood not only in her ceremonies but in the storms of politics and war, their loyalty binding them through decades. As with Kargman’s circle of friends, these bonds proved that the truest companionship is not diminished by time, but strengthened by shared history.

Therefore, let it be remembered: friendship is the second covenant of a wedding, after the vow of bride and groom. To carry those friendships beyond the day of feasting into the long years of life is to possess a wealth that neither fortune nor power can match. Kargman’s words shine as a lesson to generations: honor your friends, cherish those who stand beside you in your most sacred moments, for if the bond is true, they will walk with you not only in celebration, but in all the days to come.