About a month ago, I was asked to officiate a wedding in Northern New Jersey, for an energetic young couple. They lost their officiant about 10 days before the wedding—so I was something of a last minute replacement. As a Celebrant, not just a wedding officiant, I try to personalize ceremonies even when I have little time to prepare for the ceremony. The couple was overwhelmed with wedding preparation and other demands, so they had little time to provide information that I might use in the ceremony script. One nugget of information that I unearthed was that they met while rehearsing for the age old classic show “The Music Man.” As I so often do, I turned to friends and colleagues to help me brainstorm about my work. My colleague Jayne, a sometimes actor and Broadway enthusiast, suggested that I look at the lyrics of the famous Music Man song, “Till there was You.” Presto! The lyrics, while dripping with sentimentality, were a great way to wrap up their ceremony…..exactly where the relationship started, at this great American show. You just never know where you’ll find a gem for a wedding ceremony!
Till there was You:
There were bells on a hill
But I never heard them ringing
No, I never heard them at all
Till there was you
There were birds in the sky
But I never saw them winging
No, I never saw them at all
Till there was you
Then there was music and wonderful roses
they tell me in sweet fragrant meadows
of dawn and dew
There was love all around
But I never heard it singing
No I never heard it at all
Till there was you
Then there was music and wonderful roses
they tell me in sweet fragrant meadows
of dawn and dew
There was love all around
But I never heard it singing
No, I never heard it at all
Till there was you
Till there was you
