Weddingbee Blog

Sorry to leave you guys hanging like that in my last post—I know, it was cruel.

When I left you, the Dude was waiting for my walk down the aisle.

As I stood in front of the back door to the barn, I took a deep breath and made my entrance to the song that will forever remind me of my father.

(Please play it while you read, if you can!)

The song sounded amazing on the ten-string acoustic guitar.

I wiped everything from my mind but my future husband and made my way down the aisle.

I had the music and the photo of my dad in my locket to comfort me.

And just as importantly, the love of my life was waiting for me in front of our family and friends.

Then it was just us, standing together in the spot where we were about to become husband and wife.

Our officiant, Spike, opened the ceremony with these words:

We have come together today not to mark the start of a relationship, but to acknowledge and strengthen a bond that already exists. This ceremony is a public affirmation of that bond and as their dearest family and friends, it is our honor and privilege to stand witness to this event.

Before we begin, Miss Mouse and the Dude would like to take a moment to remember the loved ones who join us today in spirit. Miss Mouse’s father passed away in May of 2008. Were he here today, he would have enjoyed this wedding even more than the bride and groom.

We are here today with friends and family to celebrate the love that Miss Mouse and the Dude have for each other, to give recognition to their decision to commit their lives and accept each other completely, to learn how to help and understand each other, to travel through life as best friends and companions.

Then it was time for our first reading, by our dear friend Amanda, who introduced us in April 2004. It was such an honor to have her be a part of our wedding. As a fellow lover of literature, I asked Amanda to choose a reading that she loved. I knew she would pick something special, and she did: she read “I Carry Your Heart with Me” by e.e. cummings.

(Unfortunately I don’t have any close-ups of her doing the reading, but you can see her there to the right of us.)

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear not fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

It was a beautiful opening to our ceremony, and I was so relieved to finally be holding hands with the Dude.

All photos by the Nichols.

Previously, on Our Rainy-Day Wedding:
The Rehearsal
Bridal Party Gifts
Getting Ready
First Look
The Dude (Still) Looks Pretty Hot in a Suit
Da Bride
Just Us Part I
Just Us Part II
The Super-Fly Bridal Party
When Stuff Gets Wack Pre-Ceremony