7/10/2004

Mariah’s wedding

If my father had been alive, this would have been my parent’s 56th anniversary. A fact that made it a very special day.

My sister Becky, the bride’s mother, had everything planned down to a T. Almost everything went according to plan and it was very neat, but the most beautiful part of the wedding couldn’t have been scripted.

First the groom, Collin, and the preacher came in from the side and went up the 6 steps to the podium; they turned & watched the maid of honor and best man come in. The two bride’s maids and groomsmen came in next. The bride, Mariah, came in with her father last. She looked beautiful; wearing a sleeveless white crocheted gown. I cried a bit then; wishing Dad was there. I was sitting with my brother, David, and I think that I embarrassed him.

The preacher, Mike Basket, said a few things then asked the groom’s father, Steve, to come up and say a prayer. Steve went up on the podium and started the prayer. He choked up a bit during the prayer but no one thought anything of it.

The preacher said some more than it was time for the vows that the couple had written. The preacher recited the words Collin was to say and Collin got choked up on the first part, then when he tried to say the second part he started to cry, he was so emotional. He was having a really hard time getting through it. Mariah reached over, with tears running down her cheeks and a smile on her face, and patted Collin on the cheek. He took a step forward and laid his head on Mariah’s shoulder. She hugged him and he took a deep breath before he stepped back to where he was supposed to be. Collin started to speak then began to laugh and said he forgot what he was supposed to say. The preacher repeated it and everything went according to plan after that. There was so much love and emotion on that podium it was absolutely beautiful. I will never forget it. I wish Dad could have been there but I know his spirit was with us.