“Chin up, baby girl. This is your day to shine,” he said as he opened the door and guided me out onto the porch, supporting me as we walked down the steps and out onto the grassy lawn toward the ceremony.
The wedding party had already started moving with Jayne first, Alise, then Kemara, who was my matron of honor. It was the perfect sunny day for the one hundred and eighty or so guests seated in white lawn chairs facing Oak Bowery’s sacred rock that was illuminated by candles and draped by gold and pink satin.
Eva’s nude-colored flower-girl dress was similar to mine with a sweeping lace train. She went ahead of me with a big smile as she sprinkled pink rose petals on the grass. As soon as my feet touched the grass and flowers, the wedding song started playing, and I made my way down the aisle with my father.
The music halted once we reached the rest of the wedding party gathered around the rock. The reverend said, “Marriage is in itse
lf a blessing. But doubly blessed is the couple who comes to the marriage altar with the approval and love of their families and friends. Who has the honor of presenting this woman to be married to this man?”
“I do,” Dad said, and kissed me on the cheek. “I love you, baby girl.”
***
Jeb
She didn’t walk down the aisle, she glided to me. And by the time her father had given her away, I was rendered speechless as I stood there in awe of her beauty.
Tameka had chosen every detail for our wedding from the historic location to the regal gown that hugged the hell out of her curves. I had to pinch myself to know that this was real. We made it to this day. I was indeed marrying her right here in Lafayette, Alabama, and with my father’s blessing. I had Channing by my side as my best man. Bruiser and Xander were groomsmen, and little Kevin stood beside me looking dapper as our ringbearer.
As the reverend went through the customary parts of the ceremony, I stared at Tameka. I simply was unable to take my eyes off of her. She was soooo beautiful that all I could do was keep taking mental snapshots of her so that I could remember her like this always.
“The bride and groom have prepared their own vows,” was the only thing I heard the reverend say. It was time for me to profess what I felt in my heart in front of everyone, and I’d been waiting all day to do it.
“Tameka, you are the woman I have dreamed of, and I love you with every bone in my body and every breath I take. That’s how I know that you were born to be my wife. I am committed to living my life loving and protecting you, Kevin, and Eva. For better or worse, through all of life’s obstacles and all of life’s joys, I will be by your side. I will live the rest of my life honoring the commitments of loving you through sickness and health, putting you first, and forsaking all others for as long as I shall live.”
A few sniffles could be heard from our guests, but I was tuned into Tameka. The reverend gave her the cue to begin her vows, and she did, with tears in her eyes.
“Jeb, I knew everything would be alright the moment I decided to give my heart to you. I knew I was safe with you. I am safe with you. Now, as we unite in marriage, I want you to know that your heart is safe with me. I will do everything in my power to help you and to have your back. I vow to continue to communicate with you, be open and honest, to love you as you deserve, definitely forsaking all others, and cherishing you through sickness and in health, and never leaving your side. Not out of duty, but because I desire to, now and forever.”
The reverend completed the rest of his customary speech before pronouncing us man and wife. “You may now kiss your bride,” he announced.
I slid one arm around Tameka’s waist slowly while looking into her eyes. My other hand came up around her neck and pulled her gently to me. She was so glammed up that I almost didn’t feel worthy of touching her, but my desire to connect with her won, and my lips came crashing down on hers. Tameka whimpered against my lips, and I almost forgot where we were as I pulled her closer to me and dipped her down kissing her insanely.
The crowd roared as we stood there as if we were the only two people on that lawn. The wedding song played again, which was our cue to make it back down the aisle. I steadied my wife on her feet, took her hand in mine, and we walked down the aisle followed by Channing and Kemara, Bruiser and Alise, and Xander and Jayne, exiting as couples.
As I passed the second row, my father’s hand reached out and patted my back.
“Congratulations, Son,” I heard him say, and I stopped and hugged him tightly.
“Thanks, Dad. Thank you.”
Moments later, Tameka and I were whisked down the aisle and to the wooded area to take our first set of pictures as husband and wife with nature as our backdrop.
At the reception, I only had one moment I was anticipating. When it came, the DJ put on Mint Condition’s “Pretty Brown Eyes,” and I pulled Tameka out onto the floor for our official dance as husband and wife.
I wrapped my arm around Tameka’s waist and started dancing with her, and the DJ said, “Let’s roll that back…”
This time, he only played the instrumental that had the first three words of the song on it. Tameka didn’t know that I was going to be singing my own version of the rest of the song.
“Pretty…”
Bruiser slid onto the dancefloor with one of his stiff dance moves and pointed at Tameka.
“Brown…”
Xander jumped onto the dancefloor in a dramatic move and did a two-step before he pointed at Tameka.
“Eyes…”