It was time for our ceremony to begin.
Roberto began the service by welcoming everyone.
Family and friends, you have been invited here today to share with Carla and Chris a very important moment in their lives; the moment when they become husband and wife. Today is about love: the love between the two people before you, the power of love to heal and transform, and the notion that with love, all things are possible.
Carla and Chris, you have waited for this moment, planned for this moment and worked towards this moment for a long time. Now I ask that you simply be in this moment. Stop thinking about where you are going to be in the future and simply celebrate where you are right now. This is what you worked so hard for, so take a few deep breaths and savor this moment.
Then it was time for our first reading. We asked each reader NOT to share the reading they selected with us before the ceremony.
Carla and Chris have asked three people who are very special to them to select a reading for today. The first reading will be from Chris’s cousin, Ked.
My reading if from Capitan Corelli’s Mandolin:
Love is a temporary madness,
it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides.
And when it subsides you have to make a decision.
You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together
that it is inconceivable that you should ever part.
Because this is what love is.
Love is not breathlessness,
it is not excitement,
it is not the promulgation of eternal passion.
That is just being “in love” which any fool can do.
Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away,
and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.
Those that truly love, have roots that grow towards each other underground,
and when all the pretty blossom have fallen from their branches,
they find that they are one tree and not two.
After Ked sat down Roberto introduced Mama-In-Law Meerkat. Instead of having a standard wedding address we asked her to surprise us with her version of our love story. We wanted all our guests to know how we had gotten from two goofy college kids to becoming husband and wife.
When I was first asked to write the love story of Christopher and Carla from my perspective the first thing that came to my mind was that Christopher and Carla were the last ones to know. Everybody else in both families seemed to find it so obvious that the two of them were meant to be together but they remained ambivalent.
Christopher and Carla first met right after we dropped Christopher off at Western in 2005. She was one of the orientation volunteers. When Carla went up to speak at the front of the room she knocked the table over. Christopher said that was when he knew he had to meet her. Soon Carla became part of every conversation I had with Christopher. It was apparent that he had found someone special—that she was somehow going to make an impact on his life. He just wasn’t sure what it was at that time.
Del Sol Photography
She encouraged him to step out of his safety zone and try different things. You began hearing about coffee bars of all things and the wonderful different coffees and teas she was having him try. You have to know Christopher to know that he never really liked coffee or tea before this, but he was trying anything she put in front of him. And now every time you think of Christopher and Carla, the first things that you think of are the coffees, the teas, the presses and all the things that go along with them. And you also think of the lifetime of happiness and new experiences that Carla’s going to give to Christopher and Christopher will expose Carla to.
The connection between the two began to grow soon after that. Christopher was very excited when Carla asked him to join the women’s engineering society. Then there was the robotics league, something that Carla had done in the past and that Christopher joined to help her. He was amazed by her patience and her understanding. And most of all he was amazed at her love of playing with LEGOs because there was nothing better than that for him.
Del Sol Photography
On one trip to Kalamazoo, Christopher ask if he could bring a friend along to dinner. We assumed it would be one of his friends from high school, and he came in with Carla. After we said our goodbyes and Sister-In-Law Meerkat got in the car, she looked at us and said, “friends? no way.” It was clear to me, as Father-In-Law Meerkat and I talked on the way home, that this was the start of something that was going to last a lifetime.
Not long after that Christopher called and asked what we would think of him asking Carla out. And my response was that I had assumed they had already been dating. He said he thought she was great but didn’t know she felt but hoped that she would share the same feelings. When I asked Carla about that time she said she didn’t know they were dating until Chris leaned over and kissed her.
Christopher and Carla are two very unique and special people to many people. Their love for so many things including each other will continue to grow.
When Christopher took Carla to Mackinac Island to propose, he had carefully thought out everything. From designing the engagement ring to packing his own picnic lunch. And on a romantic beach he asked Carla if she would spend the rest of her life with him. Carla said she knew it was right as soon as he put the ring on her finger.
Carla and Christopher are definitely a couple cast from one mold. Their love for all things that are geeky—computers, gadgets, film, video games, coffee, and tea, but most of all, their love for each other will bring them a lifetime of happiness.
Christopher and Carla, we are so happy to share this beautiful day with you. It brings us great joy to watch our families grow together and to witness the next chapter of your love story. We love you both and wish you great happiness.
Up Next: Our Sand Ceremony
Oh love your parasols and your orange flowers 
makes me want to visit the beach!
xoxo,
Shana
Come visit me
http://whimsyweddingday.blogspot.com
Wow your MILs version of your story is so beautiful. It is obvious how much love they have for the two of you and how much love you share. I can see why you needed to wipe away some tears!
That was beautiful! I loved the speech that your MIL gave…very nice.
That’s such a great idea to get a relative to tell your love story. What MIL Meerkat wrote is so sweet!
i’m in tears….that was so beautiful….it touched close to home because its similar to my and FH’s love story….. sooooooo beautiful!! :’-)
Your MIL’s story was so touching. Your in laws clearly care so much about you and really support your marriage. Thank you for sharing!
What a sweet thing, to have your MIL share your story. Love that!!
What your MIL wrote and read is so sweet – gave me goosebumps!
That was a beautiful story your MIL told! Your guests must have loved soaking up every bit of it!
from the captain corelli’s mandolin reading to your epic love story, your ceremony was magical all the way around, M.
I absolutely LOVE the reading choice…which made me teary. May have to steal that idea myself.
Can I just tell you I am so jealous of the beautiful blue ocean in the background of your first picture.
I am totally crying right now. Ohhhh god, I just had a thought. I’m crying from READING the ceremony readings (not even the vows!) from someone I’ve never met… I am going to SOB at my own wedding. Ohhhh noooooo! Hahaha.
Seriously though, that was amazing! I can’t wait to see the rest of it! You are so blessed to be surrounded by so much love!
This is so sweet! That first picture is so beautiful.
Oh my gosh, what an amazing and personal ceremony! I love that you had her tell your story of how you two fell in love.
By the way, she has the nicest handwriting too!!
Awwwe, I was tearing up over here, MK! Gorgeous EVERYTHING. I absolutely love the personal touches.
Mrs. Meerkat, Kalamazoo, MI/Riviera Maya Age and Occupation: 30, Application Engineer Fiance's Age and Occupation: 23, IT Consultant Engagement Date: July 26, 2008 Wedding Date: December 2010 Venue: Al Cielo / La Laguna About Me: I’m a tech-savvy tomboy with an affinity for hot tea and good sushi. Us Meerkats are just a couple fun lovin’ geeks from Michigan. We love anything having to do with movies, books, video games or technology and we hold a special place in our hearts for our two very spoiled shih-tzus, Wicket and Bravo. We also LOVE to travel. We love it so much it only took us 12 hours after we got engaged to decide to have a destination wedding. We are working our little Meerkat tails off planning a rustic-chic, travel themed destination wedding in the Riviera Maya with a semi-formal, vintage-turned-modern, outdoor at home reception back here in Michigan.
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