This is a story that I had sat down and wrote many, many years ago on Mother’s Day. I was so touched by this family that every chance I get I try to convey this to couples who ask me if they should have a videographer. “If it’s in your budget, do it. If you don’t think it’s necessary today, this month or this year, think about your life 5 to 10 to 20 years from now.” I’ll stop there.

We recently planned a wedding where the bride’s mom had passed a few years earlier.  At the wedding, the bride had two lovely tributes to remember her mother. One tribute was this sweet arrangement in memory of her mom’s “place at a daughter’s” wedding. The other special memory was a beautiful portrait of her mom that we displayed as everyone walked into the ceremony area. It was so touching from the very first meeting we had established that her mother’s presence would be part of the wedding. The ceremony was beautiful, and our bride was stunning. She had mother’s beautiful blue eyes and so did her brother.

During the reception just before her brother was to give his toast, he said to me, “what should I say?”

I said to him, “say what is in your heart. I know you will figure it out and it will flow.” We stepped into the shadow of the tent and with his Jack and Coke in hand he practiced and then after a few times he walked past me, he said “What do you think?” I said, “You’ll do great.” He handed me his now empty drink, picked up a glass of champagne, came out of the dark and proceeded to the center of the dance floor. And then he began, and it went something like this:

“They say that the mother is the heart of a family and so today I look forward to my sister stepping into that role. Not only for her future family but for the members of her family that are here and not here today. She is not only the heart of her husband but for the loved ones that are now part of her new family. As a brother I have watched my sister move into that role and I could not be prouder. For a family, it is always important that we show our mothers, that they are cherished, honored, respected, and loved. Congratulations to my beautiful sister and her new husband. As a big brother, when I leave here and return home, I feel confident that she will be taken care of and most importantly she will be loved. Cheers!”

(This excerpt is from an unpublished post, and although it’s not Mother’s’ Day I felt it important to share today)