Kelly Clarkson's wedding to Brandon Blackstock is less than two months away, and on Wednesday, Aug. 7, the first-ever American Idol winner revealed that she just asked childhood pal Ashley Donovan to be by her side during the Oct. 30 ceremony in Nashville. Tweeting a picture of herself with Donovan, Clarkson wrote, "Introducing my official maid of honor!"
Clarkson and Donovan grew up together in Burleson, Texas, where they worked as ticket-takers at their local movie theater. Shortly after the pop star won American Idol in 2002, she and Donovan got a place together in L.A.
"If you want to know the truth, what we really like to do is just hang around the apartment, staying up late and talking and watching reruns of Kelly's favorite shows, Friends and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," Donovan once told Texas Monthly of their low-key lifestyle. "Don't ask me why, but she loves Dr. Quinn."
The two have remained close over the years, and now Donovan will be playing an integral role in the "Tie It Up" singer's wedding to Blackstock, 35. "They are doing a smaller, homey version of Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert's wedding at home in Nashville right after the Maroon 5 tour wraps," a source tells Us Weekly of the future spouses. "Kelly wants it to be small but really personal and fun."
According to the source, Clarkson, 31, "is planning most of it herself and having a blast doing it."