10 March 2009

Our Wedding Music

This post I a reply to a friends blog about her wedding music, and like her, we were maybe unconventional in our choices.

Music has always been a part of Gina and I's relationship. I have constantly made mixed CDs for her and wrote letters using the titles of the songs. My favorite series I made was "Songs and Memories, Tales and Melodies: Music for those Who Love to Love." It was a 2 disc set, and was awesome, complete with my own hand drawn cover art. So when it came time for the wedding we were excited to pick out the music we would play.

Our first song in the wedding was a pretty normal one: Shania Twain's "From this Moment". I walked out to that song with the minister's and the ring-bearer. (Not Frodo Baggins) The next song was very special to Gina and I: Bebo Norman's "A Page is Turned." The song talks about how since a boy and a girl were born God has been raising up their spouses for them. It starts with the boy and moves to the girl, and then to their wedding day. You can read the lyrics here. Gina wanted to walk down the aisle to this song, but the song is like four and half minutes long, so we found a way around it. We made a slideshow of us. First pictures of me growing up and getting older, then Gina, and then us getting together, and all of it timed perfectly with the music. Toward the end of the song we inserted a slide of Gina's hand with the ring on it that said "Please Stand for the Bride." Then I turned around and started to cry.

At the end of the 28 minute ceremony, we walked out to one of our favorite songs as a couple: Counting Crows' "Accidentally in Love" from Shrek 2. It was awesome. Such a high energy song to leave a wedding on. We loved it.

But I think both Gina and I's favorite part of the wedding was our first dance at the reception. For Christmas that year I had written her a song as her gift, and we wanted to dance to it at the wedding. So I went to a friend's studio and recorded the tracks, and we had a song to play at the reception. The title of the song is "For You, My Love," and the lyrics read:

I've tried to write the perfect song,
Full of words worth so much to you.
I hope I get right this time.

You've been with me through right and wrong,
And even when I fall you don't give up on me.
It's so amazing to think,

That the Lord,
Would bless me with your life,
Would bless me with your touch,
All the time.

And I can't promise you,
That I'll be perfect,
All the time.

But my love for you will be.

I promised you a lifetime when I told you,
That I could stay forever
In your arms.

You gave me your hand,
Now here we stand,
Ready to start our lives.
I still can't believe,

That the Lord,
Would bless me with your life,
Would bless me with your touch,
All the time.

And I can't promise you,
That I'll be perfect
All the time.

But my love for you will be.

I didn't take it lightly when he told me,
To love you as he had first loved me.
I guess it was true when he said,
"Ask and you will receive."
You're so amazing to me.

I've tried to write the perfect song,
Full of words worth so much to you,
I hope I get it right this time.