At last, after three days of non-stop stuff to do like rehearsing “Side by Side by Sondheim” and finishing my latest Journal of Singing CD column, I finally have at least a few moments to write a few words about one of the most memorable weddings I have ever been part of. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to write something before this, but the last three days have been insanely busy and any post I would have written would have had to consist of “It was Great! Gotta Go!” I’m still not sure just where to start or where to end in describing this marvelous day. . .
Maybe one place to start is to say that the worst thing that happened, in terms of mistakes or mishaps, was that the bride’s two grandmothers got prematurely seated in the chapel before they could be ushered in just ahead of the wedding in their designated place of honor (and you would be surprised how many grandmothers manage to do that) . . . and if that was the worst thing that happened, then you get a pretty good idea of just how perfectly everything else went.
Actually the day did not begin very promisingly, with fairly potent showers and thunderstorms that didn’t look like the peetering-out variety. But by late morning the rain had stopped and by early afternoon the sunshine had returned- and although it was forecast to be close to 90 degrees, the breezes of Lake Michigan kept the Carthage campus significantly cooler than that. So the day itself was blessed.
And I have to say that everything and everyone involved in this wedding just radiated beauty. . . from the flowers and decorations to everyone up front . . . and Megan was one of the most exquisite brides I have ever seen. I was about to say that she belonged on the cover of one of those bridal magazines, except that I’m always amazed that the models in those magazines look so sour, as if they’re condemned to marry the ugly troll under the village bridge…. with not a trace of a smile on their face. Megan was beautiful, first and foremost, because she was so happy . . . that matters more than the most wonderful gown or the fanciest hair-do or the perfect makeup when it comes to looking beautiful. And Trevor looked incredibly happy as well, and the overwhelming joy of those two couldn’t help but spill over to the rest of us gathered there to celebrate their love.
The service was really special and I am so happy that Trevor took the reins (and was willingly given the reins by Megan) to choose the music, right down to every piece that was part of the prelude. There was piano, violin, cello and harp in music of Handel, Humperdinck, Puccini, and Bach and it set just the right tone for the ceremony to follow. As for the processional, Trevor chose the Intermezzo from the opera Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni, something he first heard in one of the Godfather movies and then encountered again in opera class. This worked splendidly! For the unity candle, he chose Strauss’ song “Morgen” (which he sang on one of his voice recitals) to be played by Ann Heide on the violin, and it was breathtaking – and it also timed out almost perfectly. The recessional was Hornpipe from Handel’s Water Music, which I played on the pipe organ. And after I had played two of the appointed postlude pieces, I settled down at the piano and began playing various pieces that both Megan and Trevor had sung in voice lessons over the years – O had I Jubal’s Lyre, Gounod’s Barcarolle, Faure’s Chanson d’Amour, etc.- while the bride and groom ushered out their guests. And every so often, as I started a different piece, Trevor would look over at me with a twinkle in his eye. It felt so good to know that he was listening to the music and appreciating it. (He listened to the prelude as well.)
There were a couple of vocal pieces as well, including the Michael W. Smith song sung by Megan and Trevor – and when Megan found herself overcome with emotion at one point, Trevor stepped in effortlessly as though it were planned that way. What an apt metaphor for marriage and friendship – that we lend strength when our partner feels weak. I sang the bach/gounod Ave Maria at the top of the ceremony – and sang Rutter’s beautiful setting of St. Patrick’s Breastplate (from his Mass for the Children) as the benediction, with a third verse I wrote for the occasion. But with all due respect to everyone who sang – (including Adrienne and Janelle, who sang a very pretty duet during the prayers) – the best singing of the day was when the assembled congregation raised the roof on “love divine, all loves excelling.” I had all the stops pulled out for that one and it sounded like the cherubim and seraphim themselves were joining in.
In addition to the music, I also was a groomsmen – and I also offered some prayers for the couple. ( I told someone afterwards that I did everything except frost the cake and dress the bride . . . ) Truth be told, when Trevor first asked me to be a groomsman back in January, there was going to be a string quartet and harp and my hands-on involvement in the music would probably consist of singing a song. Then all that changed and I was thrilled that they changed because it felt absolutely wonderful to be playing multiple roles in this wonderful celebration, in this wedding of what Pastor Jeff described in his fine sermon as “the ultimate Carthage College poster couple.”
And afterwards, once all of the guests had been ushered out, we gathered the front steps of Siebert Chapel where a group photo was taken . . . with the ecstatic couple front and center, basking in the joy.
Maybe all that gives you at least a hint of how wonderful this occasion was and of how privileged I felt to be part of it.