Friends and then some...

Friends, an important part of life. I've been trying to understand the meaning of what a true friend is recently. With the wedding coming up, and the stress of the future and life weighing upon both Erica and I, we have been able to find out which friends would bend over backwards for us to help us out...and those that won't. My eyes are open more and more everyday as I discover what friends will stay in contact with me after I am engaged, and which will drop our relationship. But this leads to another important question...
How do we know what a true friend is? I had wonderful friends on my mission, high school, middle school, heck, I even had a best friend in my nursery years before Kindergarten. But does not staying in contact with them for some time count towards a friendship, or just lost interests?
I have to agree, that the advent of technology today has helped friends "stay in touch" with each other through email, Facebook etc. But does 'friending' one of your old buddies on facebook help rekindle a friendship, or does it just help you follow your friend through life, and when you need their help or favor, you use your past friendship for your pursuits in life?
Is it sad that I won't have close friends (that are not family) not come out to my wedding reception in Dallas? If I were from a different religious background, or went to a different University, would my friends come out then? If the economy wasn't in the tanks, would they come then? Or, do I not have any friends?
The picture I posted was taken my first semester back from my mission. It's me and two friends of mine...David (center) and Jeremey (right) trying to act silly. We had an awesome time that night, trying to get the courage to go talk to girls that night. We had a night to remember, a night that we can look back when we are old and say, hey, remember when we went to that Black and White Mocktail party? I guess it's not how many friends you have, or how often you call them up, but it's about the memories you make with them. The ones you remember long after you part ways.
Friendship...it's a part of life.