Rain on your wedding day is good luck.

"Rain on your wedding day is supposed to be good luck!"

If one more person told me that on August 14, 2015, I might have lost it.

Sarah and I looking at Pastor Gary's bulletin getting soaked by rain just seconds before deciding to move the wedding into the barn.  Photo by McKenzie Canaday.

It was 5:00 am on August 14, and I couldn't sleep.   I was giddy and excited.  I was nervous and anxious.  I was eager.  Twelve hours from that moment I would commit my life and everything I am to my best friend by saying, "I do" in front our families, friends, and most importantly, God.  I could not wait.  But as excited and anxious as I was to marry Sarah, the threat of inclement weather on our wedding day clouded my mind.

Photo by Anna Lisa Johannessen

The morning hours looked promising with a mountain blue sky and a gentle breeze.  We spent the morning carefully setting up chairs and arranging center-pieces.  By the time chairs were in place and decorations were complete, I took a sigh of relief, looked up to the sky, and thought, 'the weather might actually hold out.'

I was wrong.  By 1:30pm the hope-filled crystal-blue sky was thwarted by 'good luck.'  By the way, did you know that rain on your wedding day is good luck?

I have no doubt that every third person attempting to comfort my weather apprehensions had the best of intentions, but honestly it never seemed to help.  And whether or not it's true, I worried that rain was going to ruin our (perfect) day.  In retrospect I know it's silly to think rain could somehow dampen our moment of joy, but with 3 hours until our wedding and storm after storm rolling in, I was in panic mode.

 

At 2:00pm, while the family was busy getting ready, I stood on the porch of our wedding house (in the rain) and looked down the hill at our 'wedding venue.'  "Damn," I whispered to myself.

        

l looked at the red barn where we would have our reception.  I looked at the tables perfectly decorated. I looked at the yard games ready to be played.  I looked at the pond and the 150 perfectly aligned chairs.  I looked at the rugged cross, which Sarah's father crafted specifically for the wedding.  I looked at the spot where Sarah and I would say, "I Do."  And I looked at it all through the rain. Damn.

You fill my cup, The way you laugh.
Eyes of a child, Lean on me, you fill me up, You make me love, So unconditionally, Generous to me, you give me love And break my heart.
Slip, you fall, I pick you up and dust you off, You break my heart.
Rain, rain, rain down on me, Again and again,
Rain down on me. 

~ JTR by Dave Matthews Band (of course)

I know it's cheesy and becoming a theme, but in that moment I heard this Dave Matthews Band song in my head.  Rain. Rain down on me.  To be honest, I could only recall the chorus for the most part, but I heard it in my head. Again and again, Rain down on me.  Over and over, I heard it.  It gave me a new perspective: No amount of rain would deny the love that Sarah and I shared.  No amount of rain would prevent us from professing that love to one another.  No amount of rain would take the smile from my face or the joy from my heart.  If anything, the rain would just make it that much more memorable.  

As this new perspective was settling in, this happened:

First look! I bet you didn't even notice the rain, did you?  I know I didn't.  Photo Credit: McKenzie Canaday

Let me first say, Wow!  She looked incredible!  It blew my mind (and still does) how lucky I was am to marry Sarah, my best friend.  In that moment everything was perfect, and I couldn't care less about the rain.  In fact, the rain stopped long enough for us to take pictures with our wedding party and family.

At 4:30, the sky was (relatively) clear, and family and friends were arriving.  As they took their seats we were hopeful that we could sneak the wedding in before it rained again. 

Photo Credit: McKenzie Canaday

At 5:00, the music started playing and I was breathless.  Sarah came down the aisle.  I was elated.  The sun was shining and I was happy.  

At 5:15, Pastor Gary greeted the congregation.  He didn't get more than two sentences out until the sky opened up and it began to pour.   It rained harder than it had all day.  In our moment of dryness, the rain came.

Did you know rain on your wedding day is good luck?

Look, I don't know what rain has to do with luck on your wedding day, but if rain means:

  Being surrounded by your family and closest friends,

  Laughing, smiling, and crying all in the name of joy,

  Dancing the night away under a dream-like parachute,

  Gaining an incredible mother and father-in-law,

  Merging families,

  Sharing the happiest day of your life with the people you care most for,

  Eating wood-fired pizza from a food truck and drinking fantastic beer,

  Staring into the eyes of your closest friend and promising to share you life with them,

  And marrying your best friend who is the girl of your dreams,

well, then maybe they're right.  

So, if rain on your wedding day is good luck, I am the luckiest.