MEMORIES OF MY WEDDING DAY

A young woman getting ready to be married is full of joy, anticipation and the hope of a beautiful new life beginning on the day she says, “I do.” I remember my last night in my parent’s home, in my bedroom, August 17, 1990, admiring my beautiful gown and imagining what the day held for me.

Saturday morning, August 18, 1990,  began with all going wrong. Early in the morning the small crew that was supposed to help me at the reception hall, never showed up. I climbed the ladder to put up decorations, opened up tables and chairs and set up the place as best as I could feel it looked beautiful, alone. 

When I got home, the house was empty. My family was busy getting things in order and I got in the shower to cool off. Soon I worked on my hair and makeup, and smiled. I thought I had done a pretty good job. Mom helped me with my gown, and I felt like a princess. Time to go to the church came and I walked out into the front of the building filled with neighbors and elderly people I truly loved. They clapped and cheered as I came out, showering me with such love! 

I think this was one of my best moments. Everything was on time at the church service and it seemed all was going well until the minister decided to do his own version of a wedding ceremony. The minister refused to allow us to read the vows we had written. Tears ran down my cheeks as my heart pounded within my chest. This just couldn’t be happening.

I wondered, can things get any worse? Once at the reception hall, the air conditioners died, uninvited guests showed up, the so called professional catering brought in burnt food and my parents started looking for ways to get food in enough time to serve guests.

 The music never played, I never had the traditional dance with my father or my first dance with my new husband, people behaved rudely demanding to be served, the photographer gave us an attitude, and my beautiful cake fell as it was being placed on the table. Thank God the woman that made it was so talented, she fixed it right there. My desire is not to make you sad, but to show you that when we trust in God, He shows us what really matters. Love.





I share these things not so you can say, “Angie, I'm sorry or, Angie, it’s over, suck it up, it’s in the past.” No, I want to show that even when everything went wrong, something good happening overrides it and makes it all right. One great moment was my mom's embrace and hearing her say, “I love you, princess!” The second thing that went right was in the car ride, now married, when my husband of a few minutes said, “You look beautiful and I’m so glad I married my best friend. Angie, I love you.” That changed it all!

You see, even though my wedding ceremony and everything at the reception was a disaster, God never intended for things to continue going ugly. 

Twenty three years later, I'm blessed with the gift of a family, three beautiful children, who make waking up each day a wonderful adventure! In marriage, through the ups and downs and moments when we wanted to kick one another’s butts, my husband still says, “You’re beautiful and I’m so glad I married my best friend.” 

I am so happy with the family God has given me and this is truly perfect. What I have today surpasses the sadness of one day because I have a thousand moments of endless reasons to smile and be thankful.

There have been difficult moments but God has always helped us. Choosing to walk by faith and live by God’s word, I’ve learned to be real about what I believe and preach. Daily, it is choosing to love, even when you want to go all Bruce Lee on your mate. Daily, it’s forgiving, even when in the back of your mind you want to bring out the past, God says, “I don’t remind you of past mistakes. Why should you?”  Daily, it’s choosing to see the reason why you said, “I do” one crazy, boiling hot, August Saturday and still rejoice in your heart through all the chaos and everything falling apart, because you know in your heart, neither of you, alone is perfect, but together, you can be. And even when you know you don't have it all together, together and with God in the center, you know, you have it all.

Please, don’t be sad because I shared that my wedding day was a mess. We all face sad times, difficult moments and days when it seems the rain cloud is only on us. The choice to move on and seek those moments of happiness is yours. God always has something better! The Lord will always show you He has a better plan, yes, even in the midst of a horrible start in a marriage like my wedding day.  Do what you can to make each second count, magically memorable, beautiful and always amazing today and each new morning! 

 Below is one thing that went right and has forever been a strong part of both Frankie and  myself, our wedding song and theme, I Will Be Here by Steven Curtis Chapman. Watch, Enjoy and be blessed.

Frankie and Angie ~ August 18, 1990

#christian #wedding #trials #blessings