Just In Time for the Reception
Listener Submission: Most Interesting Reception Music Story

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Our wedding was, to say the least, not typical. On October 22, 1998, the spiritual New Year for our religion, my husband Sam and I held a private ceremony outdoors in the gardens of our Temple in Chanhassen, Minnesota. We decided to keep the ceremony completely private to demonstrate our belief that the marriage vows were between us and God alone.

A year leater, we had a renewal of the vows with family and friends at the Conservatory in St. Paul. Though the ceremony for our religion is a little different than the typical Christian one and doesn't include music during the ceremony itself, this was the big to-do that I had always dreamed of as a child. It was a celebration of our union with all of our loved ones. And it was a grand celebration indeed.

But because neither our families nor we could afford it, it was not to be an expensive affair. Dear friends from all over pitched in to make it a day we'll never forget. A photographer friend from Paris offered to contribute the wedding photos, artist friends crafted my bouquet and took over the decorating, our clergywoman was in charge of making me beautiful, and then there was the music that we would close the ceremony with.

Years before, when traveling in West Africa, we met some amazing people. Among them were those in an a cappella group called Heart to Heart. Their renderings carried us away in a way no western music ever had. They were delighted when we asked them to join in our celebration by singing at the reception. This wouldn't be the end of the music scenario however.

A close childhood friend of mine, Sarah Archer, had by now moved to LA to pursue a music and acting career. With her pure yet powerful voice, and our shared memories, she could not be left out of the equation. Nor could our family friend, and rockin' guitarist & vocalist, Arthur Lee, go unheard.

As I'm sure must be more typical than Martha Stewart lets on, almost everything was rushed and last-minute in our second wedding adventure. In the days preceding our renewal of the vows, Sarah, Arthur Lee, and Heart to Heart spent time together intertwining their distinct rhythms and styles. They had fun and they had confusion. So did Sam and I.

The day of the ceremony arrived, and we were running way behind. As our guests awaited us, we were frantically preparing ourselves. What should have been a one-hour photo session turned into five minutes on the way to our big entrance. Our friends and family waited patiently while we finally approached the doorway.

Alas, the ceremony was just as wonderful as I dreamed it would be. When we looked in to the smiling, teary-eyed crowd, though, I wondered where our beloved musicians were. In the hustle and bustle to get started, our dear friends had been in a distant room rehearsing one last time, and wouldn't you know, no one told them when the ceremony was about to begin! They missed the whole thing! As we finished our final words, and the music was to begin, someone finally went to search them out to begin their serenade.

Though disappointed at having missed our vows, their gift of music was one of the most special gifts we received that day.

Sarah & Sam Sanderson
Minneapolis, MN