A surprise wedding isn’t for the faint of heart—but the couple I married this morning is as brave as they are fun-spirited. This Texas boy & Bulgarian girl met in Germany & had to use a dictionary to go on their first few dates! Ten years later, they hadn’t figured out how to have a big international wedding, so they went the opposite direction: a small ceremony here with his family & a party later with her family.
I posed as a tourist at the Texas Capitol Building & they asked me if I minded taking a family photo. While snapping the photo, I asked if they were married—his family was shocked when I offered to to do the job right then & there! “Really? Is this a joke?”
I felt like some sort of officiant superhero, whipping out my handy ceremony book & arranging the family into a semi-circle around the couple. The family kept protesting: “We aren’t dressed?” “Don’t you need some paperwork?” “Can you really do this?” “Where’s your something borrowed?!”
The jig was up when I referred to them by name & started telling their story–watching the smiles burst out on the families’ faces as they realized this was a set-up almost brought me to tears!
The wedding was ever so tiny but the love radiating out from that little group was as big as the Texas sky. And just as the groom kissed the bride, a group of Austin cyclists whipped by and started cheering!
Afterwards, we just all started hugging & smiling like we’d never stop! I am so honored to have shared this beautiful moment.