You Make It Easy

We have a moment just to ourselves, "I'm really excited," he tells me.

I hold his hands, "Me too."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Christian~

Watching our wedding party walk down the aisle, starts to make me emotional because I know I'm minutes away from seeing Maya.

Bridget rushes around our guests before bringing out Amalia and her small basket of flower petals. Amalia is pretty shy when it comes to big groups.

Bridget walks behind her until she stops about halfway down the aisle. I squat down to her level and wave her over to me.

She starts waving at me. Our guests laugh as Bridget picks her up. She helps her dump flower petals along the rest of the aisle.

She holds her arms out for me, "You did a good job. Go see Grandma," I tell her as our parents sit on one bench instead of staying separate.

She sits between our moms. Soon music starts playing and I know I'm seconds from seeing Maya. The instrumental version of John Legend's All of Me starts up and Maya and her dad stand at the end of the aisle.

Here we go. She looks stunning. It's hard to keep my emotions in because I can't believe this day is finally here.

I shake her dad's hand before taking her hand. Bridget takes her bouquet after fixing the train of her dress. "Hi, Mama," Amalia says and our guests laugh again.

I think that made her cry more than walking down the aisle. She waves at her, "Hi baby."

We give our officiant an okay to begin. "Welcome to Christian and Maya's wedding ceremony on this beautiful sunny Tuesday in July. I have to say that this is my first Tuesday wedding in my many years of officiating."

That's what having an out-of-the-ordinary schedule and life. "Enough about me. Christian and Maya invited you to celebrate not only their wedding but their love for each other and their love for you. They thank you for your time and for being here especially because it is a Tuesday afternoon."

"I had asked them a few weeks ago what their story is and I wanted to share some highlights with you all to see why we're here today. They first met at Maya's work when Christian came in with a sliced eyebrow. To Christian's recall, he claims he wasn't flirting with her. But I have to side with Maya on this one because she was pretty certain that he was."

I laugh quietly, remembering that day. "Weeks went by and they became very close friends. She would go to his games after a long day at work. He would listen to her complain about work. It was balanced and they lived with it. Fast-forward a year and they finally figure it out. They start dating only to start doing long-distance almost immediately. While it was difficult, they believed it made their connection and commitment to each other stronger."

"They found out they were unexpectedly pregnant right before Christian headed back to California. He proposed a few weeks later at their home in Malibu on the beach. They welcomed their little girl, the one waving at everyone and tossing petals down the aisle, last June and they've told me it's been heaven ever since."

"Christian and Maya took the time to write non-traditional wedding vows to each other. We will hear them now, starting with Christian."

He sets the mic in the mic stand, adjusting it to my height. I take my vow book from Collin. "Maya, my stunning, intelligent, and pretty stubborn best friend. You are everything to me and our beautiful daughter. While it's been nothing short of a journey to end up right here, I can't hardly imagine my life without you."