A Beautiful Moment

This was written for an assignment called Person, Place, and Song that I was assigned in Creative Writing class. The directions were to choose a song/piece of music and make up a story (it could have been true or not and I chose to make it fiction) about where you were when you first heard it. The first sentence was required to be: The first time I heard (SONG) I was.....). I chose a song that just inspired me to write this story that was conjured up in my mind upon hearing it. The amazing thing is that I’ve never even been to a wedding in my life but I still managed to create this.

The first time I heard Canon in D Major by Johann Pachelbel I was at my wedding in August 2023. I was patiently waiting at the altar. Smiling, I looked around at the crowd of family members and friends, first mine then hers. All the joyful faces anxious to see the whole event unfold, just as most of them watched our relationship grow into what it is now. As the symphony finally started playing, the groomsman and bridesmaids began marching in to the tempo of the music. Each of them paired to symbolize the union of my imminent marriage. They were all so well dressed in their suits and dresses it was a relief to see it all so coordinated. I never realized how much I loved them as they passed me two by two. How they all have supported me through different parts of my life, and how I have supported them also. Maybe it was just the atmosphere of the vicinity, but I felt that we all are together in a way, somewhat linked. This is what makes us a family, one beyond a blood based family. I was grateful of my friends for the fact that they were more than that to me and that they would be here for me when I need them most. As the last of them came through and the crowd stood up, I knew who was next.

The music stopped, Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major began and my heart nearly stopped when I saw her. There she was, the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She walked in slowly in her draped white dress. She looked like something more than an angel. Her Father walking next to her had told me he’d be very happy for me to marry his daughter when I asked his permission to propose. I will be forever grateful to him. As I recalled that moment I realized she had been coming down the aisle for what seemed like eternity. I was so ready and excited but there were no words to describe my happiness. He finally let her go as they approached the altar; I shook his hand in a final appreciative notion, and took my bride up to steps. She handed a beautiful bouquet of flowers, the type I first bought her, to her maid of honor.

Finally we stood in front of the priest as an engaged couple. As I held her hands I remembered the first time we both held hands. The priest took his time as he led us through the rest of the ceremony. We said our vows, she went first then I followed with mine. I was so excited I stumbled through a bit of mine, but the crowd loved the moment for what it really was. The priest continued and we held hands again; I could never get away from her warm touch. Next, the priest asked the best man to give me the rings. As I held mine and gave her one, I began to say to her, “I, Irell Vincent Lee Jr., give to you this ring as a symbol of my commitment, to love, honor, and respect you. I offer this ring to you.” The priest went on to speak saying to her, “Do you take this man, Irell Vincent Lee Jr., to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love and cherish him until death do you part?” She looked at me, and in her soft voice said, “I do” So I slid the ring onto her finger. Then she started to repeat the question and the priest asked me that final question, “Do you take this woman, to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love and cherish her until death do you part?” I looked at my beautiful bride, and she looked back at me. We gazed in each other’s eyes, us both realizing that this was finally happening. I smiled, at that moment she did the same impulsively, and out came the words from my mouth, “I do”.

At that time the priest spoke the final words, “Then by the power vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.” For seconds we stood there in disbelief, quickly wearing off as my lips touched hers. We shared a passionate kiss; it seemed to be only me and her in the room alone, until the crowd got on their feet and applauded the new union they had just witnessed. We stood together on that altar; hand in hand, formerly engaged, now and forever husband and wife.