Number 1 - I was in college and an acquaintance from church was getting married. It would be my first solo wedding performance so I was ignorantly delighted. I failed to ask the all-important wedding singing questions. Where would it be held? What song? When will it be sung? And, in this case, would that be in English?
That's right, I said yes without asking the questions. A few weeks later I was told it was Ave Maria. AVE MARIA. There's a reason only Luciano Pavarotti and Celine Dion are the ones who sing this song. It is impossibly hard and not in English. To make matters worse, I had my wisdom teeth pulled the day before.
The day of the wedding, I woke up worried about my wisdom teeth thing. I couldn't open my mouth all the way and it was still a little numb feeling. By the time I got to the church the jitters had consumed me. The lady was marrying a Catholic guy so it was in a HUGE catholic church that echoed every whisper and the stage was massive - and empty. It was me and that priest standing up there. I was not hidden behind a pulpit or put in the corner. I freaked out. Needless to say, it was absolutely terrible. I liken it to an elementary school child learning to play an instrument for the first time. I was cringing. They were cringing. And it kept on going. Literally. I was slated to sing during communion but because most of the attendants were Christian no one got up. All eyes on me for 6 whole minutes. I was mortified.
To cap it off, one lady got up during the reception and started singing Ave Maria at the top of her lungs. People cheered and I peed in my pants. To this day, I still avert my eyes when I see them.
Number 2 - My best friend's sister's wedding. How could I say no to her? I asked all the questions and loved the song, Twila Paris "How Beautiful". I was prepared, aptly hidden behind the piano, and slated to begin as they took communion. Perfect. What I didn't prep myself for was the emotional attachment that overcame me.
Shelley and Ray are a great couple. While I was singing my mind kept thinking how this couple was exactly what God had in mind for marriage.. My voice got a little wobbly but I was managing until I hit the third verse.
How Beautiful the radiant bride
Who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes
How Beautiful when humble hearts give
The fruit of pure love so that others may live
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ
It was so fitting and I completely lost it and started crying. But I kept trying to sing. and cry. and sing. and cry. I had lost all control. To close it out I pulled the mic close to my lips and whispered the last line, "theee......bbbbbooooooooodddy........offf......Chhhhhrrriiiiisttt." When it was over I shrunk down to the piano bench, looked at my friend on the piano with a look of terror you have no idea. Needless to say I didn't leave that piano bench until the entire church had emptied.
It didn't help that right as I was going down (and taking the song and the moment with me) I looked up and made eye contact with the groom. He has these HUGE eyes and they were so wide eyed and moving from the right to left so fast as if he was screaming, "you are ruining my wedding!!!!" It was unrecoverable.
Later my mom said she almost started singing from the congregation to help me out but Aimee stopped her. Can you imagine?
So those are my worst. Now do you understand why I have a hard time sleeping at night? These things haunt me. The verdict's still out on whether I'll sing at this one. I'm still waiting on the questions to be answered. :)
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