We are Totes Wedding Singers

My beautiful Kayla done got hitched.

I consider her to be my own sweet friend, but she is also the oldest daughter of our dear friends, the Fransons (whom you may remember from our AWESOME backpacking adventure last Fall, or from our Beard and Wig Party . . . or perhaps even from Calvin being born).

I love this picture of Kayla from her bridal shower--
her cheeks are full of gum.

I guess we didn't drive them crazy with our singing on the backpacking trip, because John asked Allen several months ago if we'd sing at Kayla's wedding reception.  Like, the whole time.  We've sung lots of times at different events, but never for two solid hours, love song after love song.  Naturally, we said yes.

Allen practiced almost every night for two months, getting the songs just right on the guitar.  My behind-the-scenes work involved veto-ing half of his song list.  "Allen, no bride wants you to sing "New Slang" by The Shins at her reception."  You're welcome, Kayla.

The sunset from the Franson's back porch on the FREEZING
night before the wedding

Allen practicing so I can do a sound check on the speakers.

Anyway, the reception was June 14th, and we had so much fun.  I know it's a lot of work and stress for everyone getting food and decorations and tables and other logistics running smoothly, but we got to show up and sing and eat cake . . .  pretty sweet deal.  Kayla's best friend and bridesmaid, Krystle, also sang a half-dozen beautiful songs and played the guitar, so we had a regular concert going on . . . the reception really did turn out fabulously.

This is a video of our rehearsal the night before, when it was windy and the temperature was in the frigid forties, and we were all praying for better weather the following night (which prayer, as you can see in the pictures above, was answered).  I don't know that I'll ever load videos from the actual reception, because they are on my video camera, and much harder to upload to YouTube.  Plus, this one has a funny part where Allen can't read the words . . .


"Never Stop" was Jess and Kayla's song, which we learned just for this event, but our repertoire included the following, not counting all the instrumental riffs Allen played between sets:
"Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Callait (which we also sang at Kevin & Morgan's wedding luncheon)
"For You Blue" by The Beatles
"Bells of Harlem" by Dave Rawlings Machine
"Blue Eyes" by Coldplay (it's originally called "Green Eyes," but both the bride and groom have blue eyes, so we went ahead and changed it)
"You and I" by Wilco
"Modern Nature" by Sondre Lerche and Lillian Samdal
"I Will" by The Beatles
"When We Fall In" by Sean Hayes (a totally fun song to sing)
"Parachutes" by Coldplay
"My Darling" by Wilco
"All the Right Reasons" by The Jayhawks