128 - Until Death Do Us Part

March 19, 2010

Once everyone found their way outside and around the tree, Father Gatean looked at the couple and said, in a voice with the slightest French accent, “Friends and Family, we are gathered here this evening, to join together, both Ariana Moretti and Jon Bongiovi. Taking into consideration the hour and the setting, they have forgone the traditional ceremony for a simpler declaration of their love for one another. So, if there is no one here that feels these two should not be married," after a momentary pause, he continued, " I will turn it over to the couple."

 

Their fingers laced together, they turned to face their friends and family. "We'd like to thank you all for being here with us tonight." Jon spoke. "We know this may be a little unexpected to most, and I won't bore you with the story. Most, if not all of you, have known me or Ariana for a long time and that is why we wanted you to share this chapter of our lives."

 

"S'alright already. It's cold as a witch’s tit out here, so shaddup and get on with it." Richie's bellows aroused some laughter.

 

Shaking his head at his friend, Jon looked at Ariana. "You ready?"

 

"Yup."

 

"Okay then. Please join hands.” Father Gatean gesture to them. "Ariana, you may begin." Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she took one more breath and began.   

 

"Jon ~  Je t’aime! Plain and simple. I. Love. You. I can stand here and list every adjective under the sun to describe the person you are. But it’s cold and our friends will get mad at me.” She gave Richie a wink. “You standing here doing this for me shows them, but it doesn’t even scratch the surface of how much your heart has to offer. What they don’t know is you have been my air when I couldn’t breathe and my strength to help me get up and continue, when all I wanted to do is crawl into a corner and give up. Though our road together has been a long and bumpy one and we have not always been on the same path, we never lost sight of where or how it started. Friends — first and foremost. My one constant. I promise that wherever our journey leads us next, I won’t stray. For I know now, in my heart, without a doubt, you will always be right next to me."

 

For a simple moment, Jon let go of her right hand and, with the pad of his thumb, he brushed away the single tear that slipped down her reddened cheek. While most would think it was a tear from the chilled air of them being outside, Jon knew better. Taking her hand back in his, he gave them both a reassuring squeeze as Father Gatean nodded. It was his turn. Clearing his throat of the lump that had formed, he locked eyes with hers. Pools of azure blue mixed with iridescent green. No one else between them. He spoke.

 

“Ariana ~ Loving you has never been easy, that’s for sure, but it was never, ever hard either. From the bratty kid with a ponytail to the tenacious woman standing here in front of me. I have always loved you. Both beautiful on the outside as on the inside. I think that’s what I fell in love with first. Your willingness to put others first, even when you needed help yourself. For underneath all that bravado lies a woman who needs just as much as she gives. And, as I promised in the past and will continue to promise you every single day, I will be, Your air. Your strength. Your shoulder to cry on — you have my word... until my last breath.”

 

Even with the howling winds, Jon could hear her breath hitch as she tightened her grip around his fingers. Winking, he raised their joined hands to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles.

 

“The rings?” Father Gatean asked.

 

Fumbling with his coat pocket, Richie reached in and withdrew the rings. Setting them in the palm of his hand, he offered them up to Father Gatean, who picked up the larger of the two and handed it to Ariana. With a nod of his head, she acknowledged she was ready. With a shakiness in her voice, she repeated the Priest’s words while slipping the titanium circle along the length of Jon’s finger. After she had finished, Jon accepted her ring and placed it on her finger. In a low, husky voice, he recited the words with no help from Father Gatean. 

 

I Jon, take you Ariana, to be my heart, my friend, my lover. I will be yours in times of plenty and in want. In times of sickness and in health. In times of joy and in times of sorrow. I promise to laugh with you and cry with you, and to love you more each day than I did the day before.

 

Resting his palm over the couple’s joined hands, Father Gatean proclaimed the nuptial blessings, “And before we go, I would like to finish with a quote… Love is patient. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes. You may now kiss your bride.”

 

Eyebrows wagging, Jon leaned in and cupped her face between his chilled hands and kissed her. A sweet, delicate kiss. Cheers of woo-hoo interrupting their intimate moment, Jon drew her in closer, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. “Mrs. Bongiovi," he rasped, “If we don’t get inside soon, my balls will crack and there will be no wedding night.”

 

Ari threw back her head in laughter. Just another aspect of the man she loves, his poetic way with words. Patting his cheek, she announced they could head inside. As the crowd dispensed through the kitchen door and into the bar, Richie and Cara hung back and congratulated their friends. It was these two who truly understood the magnitude of what it took for them to get here tonight.

 

They drew their attention to the stage when they entered the room. Jonas sat on a stool, his acoustic guitar seated in his lap. His fingers gently strumming its strings. Ari looked at Cara, who merely shrugged, not knowing what was going on as well.

 

“Folks, can I have your attention? No wedding is complete until the first dance. Ariana. Jon. Please.” He pointed at the space in front of the stage.

 

Hooking her hands around his neck, she pulled him as close as her belly would allow her. “Show me whatcha got twinkle toes.”

 

“Send these people home and I’ll be happy too.” he slipped his hands over her ass.

 

The music sounded, and their conversation forgotten. Jonas’ deep voice softly singing words so befitting they swayed. Lost in themselves.

 

 

Moi je n'étais rien et voilà qu'aujourd'hui
Je suis le gardien du sommeil de ses nuits, je l'aime à mourir

I was nothing before, still I stand here today
As a keeper of dreams, till the night fades away

I love to death

 

Vous pouvez détruire tout ce qui vous plaira

Elle n'a qu'à ouvrir l'espace de ses bras pour tout reconstruire
Pour tout reconstruire

je l'aime à mourir

You can ruin whatever you want

She just has to open the space of her arms for rebuild everything

Rebuild everything 

I love her to death

 

I was nothing before, still I stand here today
As a keeper of dreams, till the night fades away
Je l'aime à mourir

 

You can tell me again all the reasons to leave

With the touch of her hand

She can make me believe

I belong here, yes, I belong here, je l'aime à mourir

 

It isn't fair, you know
Why should I care?
There are a million just like me
It isn't fair, you know
Why should she care
And live to be, the world to me

When she catches my eye, all the light from the sun
Seems to wither and die, next to all she's become
I am without fear, 

Not a moment ago, I was only a man

She makes me feel more, in a way no one can

I am without fear and I would die here
Je l'aime à mourir

 

Elle a dû faire toutes les guerres, pour être si forte aujourd'hui 

Elle a dû faire toutes les guerres de la vie, 

Et l'amour aussi

She must have done all the wars, 

To be so strong today

She must have done all the wars of life, 

And love also

 

I was nothing before, still I stand here today
As a keeper of dreams, till the night fades away
Je l'aime à mourir

 

You can tell me again, all the reasons to leave
But with a touch of her hand, she can make me believe
That I belong here, I would die here
Je l'aime à mourir