Honestly, this blog is like my personal journal. I process things by writing them out. I save things that are important to me by writing them down and when I experience something that changes me or makes me feel happy- I record it so that I can look at it again and again and again. Time travel feels possible when reading a memory takes you right back into the thick of it… I don’t ever want to forget what I felt walking down the aisle to my husband, I don’t want to forget how my dad hugged me and tried not to cry as he handed me off, I never want to forget the feeling in my stomach when Ben said “ I see you now, babe”, and I never want to forget promising my heart to my man in front of all our friends and family. I know all the days ahead won’t be perfect and blissful like our wedding day was- but it helps to remember the good days when you’re in the middle of a patch of sucky ones. So this one is for you future Tori , cranky tori, sad Tori, desperate Tori, lost Tori, grandma Tori, deathbed Tori…
Here is the story of October 13th 2018
The day started early for the girls. Hair, Make up, and lots of excitement! Baby Beck got dressed first…
It felt like I had waited so long to get into my dress. And then all the sudden it was time! AHH! Is this real life?!
Benny is outside waiting for our first look…
But FIRST. Champagne.
Now it’s time to go find Benny Reece!
We want BECK.
We want BECK!
WE WANT BECK!!
I’m so happy we had Beckett there for such a special moment…
Are you getting sick of pictures?
I hope not.
We’re almost to the best part.
Now the Wedding Party!
They call it a wedding PARTY for a reason…these are some of my most favorite humans on earth…
Now it’s time for me to go hide away… The countdown to becoming Mrs. Reece is almost over!
Cheers for good luck to Benny! All these guys met playing Baseball- So they are cheering using mugs made from Baseball Bats!
It’s just about time… The guests trickle in…
The crowd settles in…
Cue the music.
First Up.. Mama Olney
Next Benny and Baby Beck…
When it was my turn, I thought I’d feel nervous. But I saw Ben at the end of the aisle and could hardly keep myself from running to him. Just like the song I walked to sings… “I could search the world from South to North, but I’ve already found what I’m looking for, wherever I go, whatever I do, I was born to love you”…
Now it’s my turn…
Marcus:
“Let me start by saying what an absolute honor and joy it is to officiate Ben and Tori’s wedding today. I know I speak for everyone gathered here when I say we are all so happy and overcome with sheer joy for the commitments that you together will be making today. Thank you for allowing all of us to be here to share it with you. For those of you who don’t know me, I am a very close friend of Ben and Tori’s. Ben and I met in Freshman English class in high school, and I was introduced to Tori on an ice cream double date.
I met Tori a couple months after the summer they finally decided to like each other, and with their blessing, I want to share their love story with you…
It actually began 6 years ago on the Gonzaga Rowing Team when they both first noticed each other. Over the next few years, they continued running into each other in different classes. Finally God got tired of using subtle messages, and threw them both into the same workplace as trainers at Training Ground. Tori loved watching Ben interact with people at his workouts, and her attraction to him grew from seeing how gentle, kind, and patient he was with others. He stood out from anyone else she had ever met before. Ben remembered a chaotic day of training youngsters, and upon seeing Tori walk into the classroom, well technically smelling her familiar perfume first, a calm came upon Ben, erasing the chaos. Ben was able to find peace and tranquility just by the sight and presence of Tori. It was in these little moments that their love story started. A lot of their dating life included finding adventure, joy, and excitement in the little things. No big trip was necessary to get quality time with one another. Even strenuous workouts of running laps up and down neighborhood hills after a full day’s work could become date nights. Ben and Tori look forward to one day starting a gym of their own, and reliving some of those adventurous times that first brought them together.
Some time passes by, and then…the first kiss. As expected, there are two versions of the story. It happened while Ben and Tori were sitting in the car before heading in to a Training Ground event. According to Benny, he made the smooth move by leaning over the center console, aiming straight for Tori…Yeah that didn’t happen. Instead of lips he gave a nice friendly kiss on the neck. What went wrong?…Turns out Tori mistook Ben’s left arm reaching over the center console as a signal for a hug. So naturally, as any normal human being would response, Tori hugged Ben. Not one to waste an opportunity, Ben finished the move out and didn’t mention the FOPAW. Not to worry though, a few hours later Round 2 was much more successful. Roll tide!
There is a verse in Ben’s life that always seemed to follow him wherever he journeyed, Jeremiah 29:11:
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
Plans for welfare and not for evil,
To give you a future and a hope.
It was a memory verse at Evergreen Christian School, in a birthday card from grandma, displayed on his roommate’s desk the first day of college, even seen slapped on a bumper sticker a couple weeks ago. The verse has helped guide Ben through some of his biggest life moments. Most importantly, Jeremiah 29:11 hung on the wall of Tori’s house, which of course Ben took note of, and thus knew he was on the right path.
Ben proposed to Tori on January 11, the day after her 24th birthday. And for the single ladies out there right now, if you ever wanted to know what the ideal model of a man looks like…he’s right here. He may hate me for sharing this story, but I cannot think of a better example of the kind of relationship these two have. Soon after the proposal, Tori’s sisters and mom took her out dress shopping. She found the dress of her dreams, but unfortunately it just wasn’t within the budget. She walked away thinking that if it was meant to be, it would be. Sometime later, Tori got a phone call saying that her dress had been paid in full and was ready for pick up. Turns out, Ben gave a check and specific instructions to Tori’s sister to buy whichever dress Tori tried on and loved. Now if that doesn’t tug on your heartstrings, nothing will.
Then came the most precious blessing that could ever come in an 8 pound, 6 ounce package. The Reece Herd got a little bigger on August 16 when baby Beckett was born. And I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so much loving support poured out by parents, family and friends on a single baby…. Beckett, you are a beautiful, tiny human being who is so loved by so many, thank you for coming into this world. You have the World’s Number One Dad and Mom on your side.
This quote is a great way to illustrate Ben and Tori’s love story. From the book The Alchemist:
It was the pure Language of the World.
It required no explanation,
Just as the universe needs none as it travels through endless time.
What the boy felt at that moment was that he was in the presence of the only woman in his life,
And that, with no need for words, she recognized the same thing.
He was more certain of it than of anything in the world.
He had been told by his parents and grandparents that he must fall in love
And really know a person before becoming committed.
But maybe people who felt that way had never learned the universal language.
Because, when you know that language, it’s easy to understand that
Someone in the world awaits you,
Whether it’s in the middle of the desert or in some great city.
And when two such people encounter each other, and their eyes meet,
The past and the future become unimportant.
There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written by one hand only.
It is the hand that evokes love, and creates a twin soul for every person in the world.
Without such love, one’s dreams would have no meaning.”
Ben and Tori graciously shared with me copies of their love notes that they wrote back and forth to each other while they were dating to help me prepare my message. I gotta tell you, that was definitely my favorite part about preparing for today. You two have such a special love that just reading anything about you fills my heart with joy and makes me cry happy tears, every time… One of the many things that I RED that showed how in love these two are and how ready for marriage they are, was their knowledge of scripture. They share the understanding that their relationship is rooted in their faith and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is their rock and foundation. In one of Ben’s notes to Tori, he referenced Ecclesiastes Chapter 4:
Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their toil.
For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm,
But how can one keep warm alone?
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone,
Two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
God did not create us to be alone. I’m not saying marriage specifically is for every single human being, but I am saying that companionship is for every single human being. There is definitely strength in numbers…HASHTAG HERDSTRONG. Another sign that indicate Ben and Tori are ready for their next chapter in life, is the fact that they already know two secrets to a successful marriage, the first being HARD WORK. Ecclesiastes talks about the benefits of cooperation and collaboration. As a married couple, you must work together as a single unit, be intentional about your time with one another, listen, not just hear, and dedicate energy and attention to your spouse when they are exhausted and feel ignored by the world. You two have the greatest work ethics I have ever seen, and I know you will continue to strengthen your relationship with your intense drive to always be building each other up.
And I just love the fact that for this particular letter, Benny had flipped to the most romantic, love-filled book in the Bible known for its flowery poetic love language… Ecclesiastes…that is a JOKE. Ecclesiastes is anything but! But that is exactly what I love about this couple! Their relationship is so much more than the superficial, emotional part of love. Their relationship has much deeper roots. Tori, I know you’re a big fan of affirmations, so I got a couple for you and Ben:
- You are stronger together than apart.
- Your baby boy and future children have the hardest working parents ever.
- God wants the best for you, listen to His words and act upon them.
I mentioned that Ben and Tori knew two secrets to a successful marriage, the second being DO EVERYTHING IN LOVE. First Corinthians Chapter 13 reads:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
And if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Chapter 13 goes on to continue with the well-known “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast…”, but it starts with the realization that everything in our lives is completely meaningless, if done without the all-important piece of the puzzle, love. God created each of us as unique individuals with special skills and talents. He molded us into the people we are today, exactly how He intended. We are the culminating result of years of family rearing, different environments, and personality types. And when two people come together as one, each person realizes that the other may not have the same expectations, reactions, methods, or plans as they do. But marriage isn’t about changing who your partner is, First Corinthians doesn’t say that. It says to do everything in love. You can share your thoughts! But share them in love, always and forever, that is my prayer for you.
Ben and Tori chose to write their own personal vows which they will now share.”
BEN:
“Victoria Rose, Remember back in the day when we used to play Uno for an hour after dinner because we thought we had to be “productive” before we could make out…Or when you dressed up as a firefighter and I was the cat stuck in the tree… I think of moments like these throughout our past two years together and smile. Think of what we can do with Forever!
Life this past year has got us feeling all of the emotions. From the extremes of happiness to despair and everything in between. I think both you and I have felt it. And in typical Ben and Tori fashion, it’s go big or go home, so we decided to cram all of our major life events into this year.
A move across the state, new jobs, an engagement, a baby, and finally our wedding. This last year was a big test, but it showed both of us that together, we are unstoppable. We were meant to be here, right here, in this moment with each other. You were the girl I had so desperately prayed for. The girl that I knew was out there, but could not see. Now I can see you babe, and you look more beautiful than ever.
Mrs. Reece, I promise to never let you go. I promise to love you more each day. I promise to protect you with all my strength. I promise to hold you when times are tough and celebrate life with you always. Some of my most favorite times together are the simplest ones. Waking up next to you when you are still sleeping, holding our beautiful baby boy as we watch “The Office” for the 37th time. Or laughing at your really lame jokes, even though you are the only one laughing most times. Let’s do these things forever…even though forever will not be long enough.”
TORI:
“Ben, Loving you has been the best adventure of my life. I’ve laughed harder and smiled more than ever before. It wasn’t until I got to live alongside you that I really experienced how happy and full life could be.
Because loving you has been such a wild adventure there are a million things I want to promise you today… I promise even though I don’t understand football- I’ll raise our babies to be die hard Alabama fans. I promise I’ll keep learning how to be score keeper so you can play in endless softball tournaments and I promise to get the mail when you’re at work- even though I think mail is dumb. I promise to watch golf videos with you when there’s nothing new on Netflix and I promise one of these days I’ll learn which way is east and which way west… but until then You’re just going to have to accept the fact that I’m literally lost without you.
People keep telling me that love is not all sunshine and rainbows… and even though I’m pretty sure they’re wrong I want to promise you this: William Benjamin Reece, I will love you with everything I have even on the days, weeks, or months that it feels hard. I will love you when it feels like nothing is going our way, I will love you when life feels overwhelming, and I will love you when you don’t deserve it. I will say sorry first, I will forgive you even if you don’t ask for it, and I will trust you to love and lead our family even when it’s scary.
I promise the hard days will come, but they won’t break us. And because of that, my favorite thing to promise you is this-
I will speak life and encouragement into the deepest part of your heart. I will dream big dreams with you and FOR you, I will pray for you and I will laugh with you. I will be your biggest supporter and I will remind you of who you are and all that you are capable of when you can’t see it for yourself. I promise to keep learning how to love you bigger and better. And I promise to be only yours everyday for the rest of my life.”
MARCUS “Ben, as you place the ring on Tori’s finger, please repeat after me, ‘This ring I give to you…As a token of my love and devotion to you… I pledge to you all that I am… And all that I will ever be as your husband… With this ring I gladly marry you… And join my life to yours.’
”Tori, as you place the ring on Ben’s finger, please repeat after me, ‘This ring I give to you…As a token of my love and devotion to you… I pledge to you all that I am… And all that I will ever be as your wife… With this ring I gladly marry you… And join my life to yours.’
“Ben, do you take Tori to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, for as long as you both shall live?”“I do”
“Tori, do you take Ben to be your wedded husband to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?” “I do”
“Ben and Tori, you have expressed your love to one another through the commitment and promises you have just made. You have formalized the existence of the bond between you with words spoken and with the giving and receiving of rings. It is with this in mind that I now pronounce you husband and wife. Ben, you may kiss your bride.”
Cue the Party Music…
I would relive this day a thousand times over if I could. All I wanted was to marry my best friend. But what I got was a day filled with more love, laughs and picture perfect memories than I ever could have hoped for. I am forever grateful to our friends and family that made this day possible. As great of a day as October 13th was… our grandest adventures, our most audacious dreams, our loudest laughs, and our biggest accomplishments are still ahead of us. And how lucky are we to know our best is yet to come….
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