I don’t know what it is about the song “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette, but somehow it has buried itself in my mind in such a way that I will start singing it loudly and randomly, at least a couple of times a month, for the last decade or so. It came out when I was 9 years old, so I’m not even sure how I first heard it. It’s not like I was listening to Canadian alt-pop-rock in between recess and lunch at school, but, here we are, with me singing it so often that when my pre-schooler hears me belting it out she asks, “is that the wedding song?” There’s something about that hook that is etched onto my brain:
“It’s like RAY-EE-AYYYYNNN on your wedding day!”
Jacob was part of the first youth group I led as the full time youth pastor in the small town of Gonzales, TX. He was one of a handful of guys that connected with what I was trying to teach about Jesus, showing a desire to go deeper and grow stronger in his faith. We met often at the gas station in town with the Subway attached to talk about Scripture and life. Jacob has grown into a man that is caring, loyal, physically fit (which was a cool journey for him), and passionate about his faith. He is starting a brand new chapter of his life with his bride, Libbie. She is confident, strong, outgoing, and the perfect match for my friend.
On September 3 a large group of their family and friends crammed into a tiny house that was never meant to be a wedding chapel. A relentless rain drove the wedding festivities inside, and one might think rain on your wedding day could damage such a joyful occasion, but nothing could be further from the truth. The small home that had been converted for use by bridal parties to get ready for weddings taking place in the courtyard outside was bursting with love and happiness as so many friends and family cheered on Jacob and Libbie as they exchanged vows in what was once a living room.
It was not ironic, or even unfortunate. The rain on their wedding day was absolutely perfect, intensifying the love, support, and joy tenfold as family and friends rallied together to make the exchanging of their vows truly special. I was happy to document and create a video showcasing the roller coaster of a day for these two incredible humans.- J