The Luckiest.

Did you know that it’s good luck if it rains on your wedding day?”

Yes. We all know. Every bride knows. It’s the polite thing to say. And every bride prays for no luck. PLEASE no luck on my wedding day.

Well, it did rain. And it was everything we could have ever dreamed of.

Our pick for our first dance? ‘The Luckiest’ by Ben Folds. And with that song, it seamed that the day’s fate was sealed. With rain, and luckiness and all of the best tangible and intangible things any bride and groom could hope for. Our day was destined to be drenched, surrounded with wet expensive rentals that didn’t mean a thing, and incredible people and moments that meant everything.

I should have checked myself before I decided to walk down the aisle to a song that started with “When THE RAIN is blowing in your face”. But that was the song that Jacob used to put on in the car when he’d pick me up from the airport in Lake Charles. Its also the song that he’s put on every juke box, karaoke list and car ride for the past two weeks, trying to “desensitize me” so I would make it down the aisle without curling up in a pool of tears while Dominique, our grooms-woman, sang it. It worked. I didn’t cry. I made it down the aisle. We said beautiful words to each other and we both survived. When you’re both “cryers” this is a real victory.

I was barefoot. Marrying the love of my life, under a 200 year old magnolia tree strung with flowers and a chandelier made by my mom. To a Bob Dylan song with my sister and best friends standing next to me in their best sequin party dresses, with handfuls of daisies [a nod to Daisy in Gatsby]. Complimented by their companions, Jacob’s groomsmen, [including 3 grooms-ladies] standing proudly by Jacob’s side. If there is one thing that makes an elaborate wedding worth every penny, frustration, and last minute scrambled thought for elopement, its having everyone you love in one place. Learning about each other, swapping stories, making new memories and just hanging out. Even though it feels like a short moment, it’s a moment when everyone was there to share that split second in time with you.

So, I made it down the aisle. I almost didn’t. Unlike typical aisles, there was a turn. Thank goodness for my stepdad Jack. As I tried to keep walking straight, he swiveled me around and we were back inline heading for Jacob. Jack was calm and collected, and he made sure I wasn’t holding my bouquet in front of my face. This was a real fear. We’ve all seen the bride who’s flowers slowly creep until it’s basically above her head. Jack had this on lock down. So he gets me down the aisle, gives me away and I’m standing in front of Jacob.

Jump 30 seconds into the future and we’re getting married in front of our rightful altar, the 24 foot gold clover vintage bar we rented that was safely under the tent. It started to pour, and with one laugh from me, Jacob pulled everyone under the tent to finish our vows. We wrote them to each other. We shared them. Everyone agrees mine were better ;). Our officient was Jacob’s Godfather “Uncle Will” who we adore, and our ceremony was the most perfectly us ceremony that ever was. The best part of the entire thing? Jacob’s best man David delivered his ring to me via PURE MAGIC. A trick he’d practiced over and over until it was perfect. It flew through the air, landing in my hand, in the most Gorilla Cinema type of way. We put magical rings on each other. Got married, and celebrated with a Gatsby-worthy champagne tower.

It continued to rain. and it didn’t just rain, it poured. The entire night. As the green and blue velvet couches and rentals in the lawn became soaked, and the elaborate lighting and 8 orchid-topped table arrangements drooped in the downpour - we celebrated each other under the cover of a tent in a circle of friends and family that came there just to be with us, in just that moment.

We are truly, and in every way, ‘The Luckiest’.