Wedding poem

Our nephew married a beautiful young lady last Saturday afternoon - in the garden of the Denver City Park. They looked beautiful and so happy under a cloudy sky that didn't really open up until everyone was inside.

They asked me to write a poem to be read during the ceremony by Jeremy's sisters. Though they weren't sure they could read it without crying because of the references to their dad, my brother, who died last June 23, they pulled it off without a hitch.

I took the content of the poem from Jeremy and Kelly's love story that was posted on their engagement/wedding website.

A Romance with Three Signs

Kelly and Jeremy are a vision
in white, khaki and teal
in this garden overflowing with flowers
and green lawn.
They are surrounded by family and friends
and little children wearing
rainbow-colored ties and sashes.
But their journey was a little less than
the idyllic scene you see here today.

The handsome bald guy with the great smile,
and the fun-loving blonde-haired girl
with bright blue eyes
got to know each other over
drinks, dinners, emails,
and lots of time together just talking.
She found him very forward –
even up for karaoke on their first date.
Though she noticed he used some cheesy lines
he was serious about her.
He wanted to call her his one and only
almost from their start.
She wasn’t buying any of it.
She put off his ultimatum
until one day she showed up at his door
holding up the first sign:
“I want to be your girlfriend.”

And she opened her heart
to him. Over the next year and a half
they met each other's families,
hung out with friends,
dressed up in fun costumes,
took a trip to Mexico,
and became best friends.
By then she wanted a future with Jeremy.
But, he wasn't sure.

So, they broke up, until Ken,
Jeremy’s dad, was dying,
and Kelly became even closer
to Jeremy and his family.
They broke up again
after Ken’s death,
but not for long.
Two weeks later
Jeremy appeared at her gate
with the second sign:
“I want to be your partner.”

The best part is the day
Jeremy proposed.
It was last August 15, Ken’s birthday.
Jeremy wanted to create a happy memory
on a day that would otherwise be sad.
Kelly came in the door and there he was
on one knee with roses in one hand
and in the other, the ring and the third sign:
"Will you marry me?"

And, as all romantic stories end,
they live happily ever after.