source: emilianohorcada
I come from a family of musicians, mostly on my dad’s side. As long as I can remember we’ve gathered after the “Thanksmas” meal and sang Christmas carols. (We’ve been known to sing in five part harmony: soprano, alto, tenor, bass, and Grandpa.)
Dad played the trumpet and piano. My mom, the clarinet. Uncle Tom plays a multitude of instruments, among them the euphonium. My grandmother was a piano teacher. My sister plays the violin (and sings like a true opera diva).
Me? I sing. I have dreams of mastering the French horn; but Mr. V discourages them greatly, saying it’s the worst instrument to listen to someone learn to play.
When it came time to decide on music for our wedding, I knew I wanted family members to sing.
My sister and a friend from college sang “The Prayer” in English and Italian. As Mr. V and I knew we would be picking up and moving 600 miles away directly after our honeymoon, we thought the lyrics were especially appropriate:
Let this be our prayer
As we go our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with Your grace …
I also asked my Aunt Jennie, Uncle Tom, cousin Laura, and Uncle Steve – all members of the infamous Thanksmas carolers of my dad’s side – to sing “For the Beauty of the Earth.” You want to know why, truly?
Because I love the part in Little Women
Granted, it was in the movie because it IS a classic wedding hymn. As I will still claim is the reason we had it.
What I didn’t know when I asked was that my uncle, the euphonium player, would make a new arrangement of the hymn, just for my wedding. It makes me feel like the Queen of Sheba. I can still see the four of them standing in the front of the church, beautiful harmonies melding, as I waited to walk down the aisle.
Nearly six years have passed since our wedding day – six years next Saturday, to be precise. And both of those songs still move me to tears. Which makes me think we made the right choice: in each other, and in our wedding music.
Inspired by Weekly Writing Prompts at Mama Kat’s Losin’ It.
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