I first discovered her in Maria’s “My Favorite Things.” There she was, dancing through the lyrics of the song, capturing my imagination years before I held a camera.

I met her again in Beauty and the Beast, Belle longing for something more, who fell in love with the heart of a man and found him in what I think may be the most romantic animated kiss, ever. I still get chills every time I watch it.

I saw her once, walking through a door held by her tall, dark, and handsome guy. Of course he would know about chivalry. I saw her tilt her head up to smile at him as she passed.

I thought I’d write a book about them.

As my friends began to fall in love, I found her in the way their eyes sparkled, in the shock and silliness over The Rings, in the love stories and the wedding planning.

I learned another side of her when I got married, how much she wanted to be beautiful, how much she wanted to please everyone she loved. She expected her daddy to cry when he walked her down the aisle, she wanted to dance the day away with the one who loved her, she wanted to tell everyone who came how much it meant to her that they were there.

I have seen her smile so real at her man, seen her throw back her head and laugh with joy, seen her let go her prim propriety to become the girl she’s always wanted to be. I’ve seen her spin in her white dress, throw herself into the embrace of her loved ones.

I’ve seen her ask if she looks all right, if she can be this human and be that beautiful, and I have said yes and yes and yes, and because it is her wedding day, she believes.

She has shared secrets with me, told me about special she’ll include about herself and her groom. She’s told me about the Starbucks run between ceremony and reception, left tradition aside for the fun of it, danced crazy with her flower girls on the dance floor. She’ll have the wind in her hair and let her beautiful be just a little imperfect for the spin of the thing.

She loves her bare feet and dances in rain, and she’ll be married in the morning so she can wear the dress all day, this girl with the little bit of dream tangled all up with her real life. She doesn’t have a lot of guests – just her closest friends and family, the people who know her well and best, the ones who want to see her dream come true – even though she’d hold the whole world in her heart if she could.

I always think of her on her wedding day as I get ready, always pray her a day full of wonder. And then I take her wonder together with my own, and I give everything I can to make her dream come true.