Here’s to Alison and Justin and
“The Best Wedding Ever!”

It is such a blessing that these two exceptional “human beings” (I know you like that term, “human being,” Justin.) found each other.  Scientists wouldn’t waste their time deciding if advantageous genetics or nurturing environments played the biggest part in the outstanding people that Alison and Justin have become, because they were each blessed with both (…if I don’t mind saying so myself… and thank you Larry and Denise!)  I’m sure the Andersen family is as thrilled with Justin’s choice of life partner as the Lima family is thrilled with Alison’s.

Speaking of families… How about the extended Andersen and Lima families making the commitment to travel from all over the country for “The Big Day…” or should I say: “The Big Weekend!?!”  Well, they certainly weren’t disappointed!!!  I think I speak for everyone attending the festivities when I say: “That was the best wedding I’ve ever been to!”  Justin and Al, you guys thought of EVERYTHING!  It’s obvious that you spent many, many hours planning EVERY minute detail.   You took into consideration every single person attending and made sure that each individual was comfortable and had a wonderful and memorable time.  Come wedding day, all the details you (and your expert and wonderful “Wedding Planners”) so thoughtfully orchestrated, combined to create…  okay...  I just have to say it again… “The Best Wedding Ever!”  I’ll again take the liberty here and say “Thanks!” from everyone attending.

I am also overwhelmed by how wonderful a group of friends Alison and Justin have surrounded themselves with.  (I know, Margaret…  A preposition should not be used to end a sentence with.)  The quality of these friends as individuals and as a group is a testimony to the aura of “quality human being” the new Mr. and Mrs. Andersen exude… as individuals, and, as a team.  These are good, kind, and “real” people.  The intelligence and “joie de vivre” of this entire group of friends is demonstrated through their quick senses of humor and their willingness to laugh and share their joy with others.  You are all blessed to have each other as friends.

Well, this is the music that was played at the wedding.  I’m not a musician, and I don’t have proper recording equipment.  This was played on my Yamaha digital piano and recorded to my laptop computer.  I am, however, the father of the bride…  a wonderful, caring, and sensitive bride.  She knows her dad doesn’t dance and fears speaking in front of a group of people.  Alison, in her infinite thoughtfulness, asked me if I would record this music for her wedding and put it on a CD instead of doing the father-daughter dance thing and making a toast.  For those of you who have lasted this far reading these liner notes, please consider this as my belated toast.

The two songs I’m proud of are “Here Comes the Bride” and “Ode to Joy.”  The Lima’s are big “Charlie Brown Christmas” and Vince Guaraldi fans (Guaraldi composed and played the piano tunes in the show.).  “Here Comes the Bride” begins with the opening of the “Theme from Cheers” (to remind anybody who hates the Red Sox that Al is a HUGE Sox fan!).  The left hand is reminiscent of Guaraldi’s “Cast Your Fate to the Wind.”  Just before the “Cheers” chord at the end, I snuck in the chords from Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al.”  For “Ode to Joy,” I took the left hand from Guaraldi’s “Christmas is Coming” and wandered between the melodies of the two songs. 

Enjoy-

To download music from the CD, "right-click" the title and "left-click" on "Save target as.." (or something similar to that).

To listen to a song on your computer without downloading it, "right-click" the song's link and choose how to "open" it from the drop-down menu.

If you wish to reproduce the CD case, I've included the front, back, and inside front cover liner notes as Microsoft Word files.