Whatever Gets You Going

On Sunday, September 29, 2024, I officiated Naomi and Alex’s wedding ceremony at the Springs Denton (The Lodge), in Aubrey, Texas. Here are the remarks I shared with them and their guests:

A little more than 600 weddings in, these remarks have never included product placements. Naomi and Alex’s story doesn’t really begin without one. We are not talking about a particularly romantic brand. Its motto is somewhat utilitarian: Whatever gets you going.

Naomi says: “We graduated high school in 2012 and fell out of touch all together. In 2015 my grandma came into town, and she needed (note “needed” not “wanted”) a soda and a lotto ticket, so we went to Race Trac. I saw Alex behind the counter and had butterflies instantly. He looked like a deer in the headlights. 

I didn't give him my number because I didn't want to in front of my grandma. I went back the next day, and he wasn't there, and I went every day for a whole week, and he wasn't there. A coworker of his told me on the sixth day he was out of town and would be back tomorrow for the graveyard shift. That night I went up there, gave him my number, and we started to date shortly after that.”

Can we pause for a minute for the co-workers who waited until she had visited six days before telling her he was out of town? What’s up with that?! Whatever gets you going apparently means whatever gets you coming back…

What Naomi and Alex teach us, though, is the importance of persistence, of showing up, of going after what you want to get, as individuals and as a couple. They also teach us the importance of acceptance and mutual growth and support. 

Indeed, when describing why she wants to get married, Naomi says: “My love for Alex since then has grown into such a strong, indescribable feeling. There is no one on this planet who accepts me and loves me like he does. There is no one I feel this safe with, that I can talk to like we do, and helps me grow each day like he does. He has helped me during my darkest times showing me there is a reason for everything and to always move forward. When I picture my future, I don't see anyone else but him… Alex radiates this happiness most people look for their whole lives. I love him so much.” 

And Alex says: “We have pushed each other to grow in ways that I do not think would have happened without each other. I have only become a better person since choosing to spend my life with her. She is simply the love of my life, and I can't imagine life without her. In my mind she is already my wife and has been for years… We know each other inside and out. Our love has only gotten stronger over the years... If there's one thing in this world, I'm sure of, it's my love for Naomi.”