Go ahead and read that last sentence again if you have to.

Janelle & Sean had decided to make it a surprise wedding.  They started by making sure the people who lived the furthest away knew about it (like me) so they could make plans to attend, if at all possible.  Then Janelle had to steal her wedding dress from a closet at her mom’s without anyone noticing.  They wanted to hold the ceremony (and reception) on a small yacht while cruising around Lake Washington.  Sean came up with the idea of telling the family that he had won a catered party on a boat as some sort of holiday raffle prize from his work (Microsoft) which would provide them with an excuse for getting everyone all dressed up and onto the boat.  In the last few weeks, Janelle & Sean set about making all of the other arrangements (caterer, music, photographer, etc.).  Finally the wedding weekend was upon all of us.

I flew to Seattle after work on the 21st and took a shuttle to the house (after some great debacle at the airport where apparently Seatac had about a billion people who had flown in for the holiday and so there were about a billion people trying to pick them all up).  Saturday was mani/pedi day and otherwise was spent making sure I wasn’t seen by Jel’s family in order to avoid suspicion.  Sunday was crazy…  There was running and showering and rain and hair appointments and timing issues with trying to get everyone and everything onto the boat (bride, goom, dress, etc.) without being seen by Janelle’s dangerously punctual family.  But it all got done.

Finally the stage was set.  The characters were in place.  Sean, Zaiah, and Keelie were downstairs.  Jel and I were in the back bedroom getting her laced up in her beautiful gown.  She was gorgeous.  Captain Jim had everyone seated for the Coast Guard safety talk.  Then the music began.  Janelle and I walked out.  All you heard aside from the music was gasps from the family members as it dawned on them what was going on.  Zaiah walked her up the aisle.  The Reverend Captain Jim performed the ceremony.  Zaiah read a poem he wrote about his joy in God’s provisioning of a father to love him, to make his mom happy, and his sister.  There were no dry eyes.  Sean and Janelle exchanged vows and words of love, thankfulness, and devotion.  This day was a long time coming for both of them – and I don’t just mean the time they were engaged.  If I could have dedicated a song to be played for them, I’d have chosen this one:

The Broken Road
by Rascal Flatts

I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through

I couldn’t see how every sign pointed straight to you
I think about the years I spent just passing through
I’d like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You’ve been there you understand
It’s all part of a grander plan that is coming true
Every long lost dream lead me to where you are

Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you.

Once the ceremony was done, we partied.

The whole weekend was a blur, really.  If I didn’t have the pictures, I might not even be convinced that it actually happened.  But it did…and it was by far the highlight of my year.