Realizing our guest's excitement over being a part of the wedding, we then decided to go a step further and made another sign up for needed items. Things ranging from fold-out tables, random decoration etc. Once again they started signing up. HOW WONDERFUL!
We also created a sign-up list for those that were wanting to perform something at the reception and names quickly starting filling the spots. This wedding was going to truly be something different and amazing and everyone was excited to be able to help bring it together.
My heart so quickly filled with love and I couldn’t wait to see how the day would unfold. I loved the idea of everyone we cherished coming together and helping set up this beautiful day with us... as a community…. as a family. Our reception music would be compiled from friends and family, playing the music that is close to our hearts. Our children would also lift their voices in song and the dancing would continue for hours.
But I am once again skipping ahead of myself.
Attempting not to leave anyone out we decided we would have a large wedding party including our closest friends and family; one of which came all the way from Belgium. This is one of the men that had a helping hand in arranging our engagement in Paris… Conrad De Muelenaere. Franck Esteves wasn’t in the wedding party, but was an intricate part of our engagement and flew in from France for the wedding festivities.
The morning of the wedding arrived and I slowly picked up the phone to check the weather. It had been so dark and dreary and rainy over the previous weeks. But this particular day was ours and the skies cleared and we got married on the only warm and sunny day that month. Waking up in a house filled with my bridesmaids and my daughter was the perfect start towards my happily ever after.
Upon arriving at the venue I could see people already quick at work and my heart was full… everyone had embraced the bohemian vibe and was arriving with items and helping set things up. I didn’t want to have a preconceived idea of how everything would be set up so it would be easier for people to help without my overseeing every detail, which ended up being wonderful. Once everyone realized I really didn’t mind them taking creative liberties they flew into action setting things up and I went in for hair and makeup. My lovely friend Autumn and her team of stylists drove in from San Angelo where she owns A Rock salon. Autumn and her team along with Caitlin Yoes had the bridesmaids looking picture perfect and I was happy to be able to do my own daughters hair while having mine done.
At this point, we are all running behind and the guests were needing entertaining. Only at a musician’s wedding would this moment be saved by your friends. With the impromptu mindset of performance, our friends and wedding party jumped up and started entertaining the guests. Oliver Steck saved the day more than once. He brought lots of smiles to faces and won’t soon be forgotten for his football updates. Did we mention we got married on Super Bowl Sunday? Because we did. We decided more of our musician friends would be available that day and we had a fantastic turnout.
I heard the sound of music and realized the wedding procession had begun. I look up and see my sweet daughter Bella Jane running to me and I knew how important to her walking me down the aisle was. Wammo and Chloe led the wedding party down the aisle singing Love and Happiness by Al Green and then Mary Mae and Guy followed their cue. Now it was our turn. I took her tiny hand and she excitedly pulled me out the front door…. I remember her big smile as she kept glancing at me to see my expression and we danced to the chorus our friends and families were singing all the way to my soon to be Husband who happily waited at the front. How have I ended up so lucky?
Our vows and ceremony were written by us and were specifically catered to reflect the family union we wished to bring together on that beautiful day. It started with a reading of The Prophet by Kahil Gibran from our dear friend A.Whitney Brown.