Our wedding invitation “Long Live the Kings!” Set design & vision, Me&Drew, photo Tanya Kechichian

I will preface by saying, indeed this is a wedding blog. However, before you roll your eyes and click away I ask you to consider that this is a story of not only romance and love, but of immense friendship, surprising betrayal, intense manhood, and at least a few changed lives. Truly…

 Us, by Tanya Kechichian

 

Ever since Drew’s August proposal, March 29, 2008 has been a day many anticipated. Our parents and friends expected lights, glamour, drinking, a union, and a massive dance party. This we promised to provide, but it was not without high cost. Certainly there were moments of financial doubt as we scoured yard sales and thrifts for fabrics and platters, sales racks for the perfect outfits, and our creative minds for inspiration. There were times of sorrow and confusion as our banks accounts dwindled, work became more demanding, and the expectations somehow included bells and whistles we had no idea how to acquire. A night of desserts and wine morphed into a full meal that required port-a-pottys, a perfect playlist, decor, 900 feet of white lights, photographers, a videographer, and on and on. Drew and I continually put our feet down on the issues that brought the day away from “simple.” “The less the better,” I demanded.

By March 28th, our chosen loft space in downtown Los Angles was flooded by relatives and friends all coming to help. Our creative friends had fully volunteered their incredible gifts, no strings attached as Tanya decorated and asked to take photos, Ashley was photo-ready and his RV was gassed to be our transportation from the hotel to the loft, Camilla fixed and sewed my super-sale but mangled Christian Lacriox, Jamie and Keith installed these art gallery-worthy centerpieces, Miki prepared his DJ set, my Mom-mom slaved over flower arrangements, Teresa iced her homemade cake, Randy cooked like crazy, and Jess brainstormed hair and makeup. Drew and I hustled and hauled, hung and tacked beside our parents, relatives, and closest friends, constantly fielding calls from helpers running errands and going crazy- all on our behalf. I was already blown away by the moments we were creating but it would not be until March 29 that God would do the spectacular…

 Teresa’s cake creation, by Tanya Kechichian

Long story short, the man that rented us the loft on Broadway was a dishonest person. He looked on as we worked the days away and cleaned his filthy space on hands and knees. His quiet, unhelpful observance was getting on my last nerve, but I considered him harmless. When we left at 1:30AM on Friday and all was mostly done, my cousin and her boyfriend watched him take 2 people on a tour of the space, pretending that he orchestrated everything himself. We laughed him off as pathetic, but on Saturday he would prove far worse.

On March 29, I breathed and took a trip to the Burke Williams spa for a manicure. It was hard to relax, but I rested knowing that I had delegated all the last touches to the most trustworthy people. Because the venue included common area halls and the rooftop ceremony, we could not set up until Saturday morning so nothing would be stolen or damaged overnight. Our friends and family were to come and set up hallways inch by inch and lift 100 chairs and intricate lights onto the roof. I desperately wanted to help but everyone demanded I relax at home and assured me that everything was running smoothly. This statement was true for several hours but by the time my dad and Jess picked me up for the hotel they were hiding a potentially devastating secret, by order of Drew.

At the Hilton Checkers, Jess and I spent the time alone with curlers and lashes and laughter until Drew called. He sounded nervous and upset as he said, “Brenda, I’m coming to your room and I have to tell you something in complete privacy, just you and me. Can you do that for me?”

“Of course,” I responded afraid.

Moments later he entered and asked Jess to stand in the hallway a bit. We sat on the bed hand in hand as his eyes welled with tears. He prayed aloud, which I had never seen him do, “God, please help me tell Brenda this news,” tears fell down our cheeks, so scared, “God please ease Brenda’s heart and show her that everything is going to be OK.” I shook fearing a relative or friend died, but it was nothing like that. The next portion can only be told through what Drew and all witnesses told me afterward.

While I sat nervously at home, our team was setting up all the chairs and lights on the roof. Suddenly, someone uninvolved asked to speak to Drew. He explained himself as the building owner’s assistant and demanded the whole operation be shut down and no one be on the roof. Everyone was in utter shock and confusion as Drew announced, “No one is to say a word to Brenda! Not a word until I talk to her.”…

Drew and the guy that rented us the loft went into the alleyway downstairs where he apologized but offered no solution. Drew looked him in the eyes, unshaken and stated, “I will not get off that roof until the owner sees my heart, looks me in the face, and tells me we have to get off that roof.” After arguing over the potential of this happening, the renter picked up his phone and talked while Drew distinctly heard in his spirit, “its a fake phone call.” The renter claimed the “horrible” owner hung up on him and Drew didn’t believe it for an instant.

Feeling utterly hopeless, after the renter left, Drew paced down the alley shaken and with tears in his eyes. As a man that can do everything from video to edit to clean to sew to fix cars to race to build furniture to cook to write to fish to anything his hands touch, this moment was the one that got him. Drew looked to heaven, closed his eyes and admitted, “God, I have no idea what to do. I need you to do something. I need you to do this!”

Just then, Drew spun around to see a man named St. Louis. This gem has been living in a tent in St. Vincent court (the alley) for 14 years . From day one, St. Louis has emitted a sparkle we could not explain. He spends his days cleaning the alley and watching out for everyone that enters and exits. He promised to keep our guests safe and feeling welcome on their way to the wedding but now Drew felt he needed him more. Amazingly, St. Louis was able to get a hold of the owner right away and the truth was revealed. The untrustworthy renter was the culprit and had lied to us from the beginning. The owner explained that no one is ever allowed on the roof due to lawsuits and he was so sorry but there was nothing he could do. Interestingly, when Drew hung up the phone St. Louis asked, “Why would you want to get married on that roof anyway? Terrible things have happened on that roof.” Drew felt clearly at the moment that God never intended us to be united where such dark things occurred; he felt it was God Himself who demanded we get off that roof…

Suddenly it occurred to Drew to ask, ” What if we did it in this alley?”

St. Louis lit up with excitement and said, “Oh yeah, absolutely! Me and my boys will take care of you!” Now with a plan B, Drew made a speech to the whole team. He explained that St. Louis and his friends were washing down the entire alley and that everything will be moved to the street.

So fast forward to the hotel, we sat on the bed, story told, as I smiled and cried, “Of course, of course that’s OK! That is so beautiful!” We embraced and Drew left to continue the hard work. I cried and cried as Jess held me. Never had I felt so confirmed and assured that not only is Drew “the one” but that God held our wedding and assuredly the remainder of the marriage that follows in His astonishing hands. It felt like He tore down all our plans and rebuilt them in the most beautiful way…

 The alley,set for the wedding- by Tanya Kechichian

Since everything had changed, my family, Jess, Kim, and I drove in Ashley’s RV with no idea what to expect. As we turned down the alley, I teared at the sight of St. Louis’ friends. They guarded the alley with crates until our arrival when they excitedly moved them aside to allow us through. From there, our sight was of the orange-lit alley and a hundred mysterious silhouettes shadowed by lights. Everyone but my dad and I exited and found a seat. Ashley took a dramatic pause and drove slowly towards the crowd of those we love. I waved with a huge “thank you” as we passed St. Louis. Then my dad and I did our huge U-shaped walk, he gave me away, and the ceremony began…

There was something about the ceremony that felt like heaven itself touched earth for an hour and some. The attendees were the most phenomenal human beings we know, St. Louis cleaned the alley better than the renter could clean his own loft, and God Himself clearly chose this place as the spot we would be married. Tanya spoke of our love, my brother Kris made a hilariously sweet speech, Tony talked about how astonishingly humbling and beautiful our flexibility was on such an important day, and Teresa read gorgeous poetry and legally united us as one…

 The vows- by Tanya Kechichian

In the end, the joyously fun dance party that followed filled with the kindest of words. Few people even told me I looked pretty, as the ceremony and event completely overshadowed all else- which I LOVE. Some even stuttered out their feelings and could only explain it as “indescribable.”

 So, thank you to all my treasured friends, my amazing family (original and brand new), my over-worked family, everyone who spoke, everyone who danced, St. Louis and God Himself. I’ve never had before such an utterly perfect day.

 Nearly cleared out and still dancing- by Tanya Kechichian