{Me + Dad at the wedding rehearsal}

I am a shameless Daddy’s Girl to the core. I’ve written before about why he is the best (here and here, if you’re interested). And my friends know I love Father of the Bride so much, they threw me a Father of the Bride-themed party right before Tony and my wedding. So, the very thought of my dad as Father of the Bride, giving his speech, made me cry multiple times leading up to the wedding. It was just too emotional for me to think about.

My dad is hates public speaking and usually chooses to “wing it” just so he doesn’t have to think about speaking in public until he is actually doing it (this is maybe why, at our wedding welcome party, he got up to make the announcement about the shuttle schedule and did not say when the shuttles would be stopping where). So, I was also worried about him – I think his speech gave him more anxiety than the final wedding price tag. But, never in a million years did I expect the speech he actually gave…

HE WROTE A SONG. (Well, technically, he re-wrote the lyrics to “Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother” by Ray Wylie Hubbard. Because nothing says “wedding” or “love for your daughter” like the word “redneck!”) And, he sang it. A cappella.

Everyone died laughing. And teared up. And joined in, sing-shouting the chorus right along with him. It was one of my favorite moments of my life. Here’s what my good ole’ boy Texan of a father wrote:

She was born…….in Colorado

Her husband’s name is Anthony Cavalero

They brought their friends and family together

To attend their nuptuals in west Lake Tahoe

So its off into the world newly marrieds

Newlyweds who love each other so well (so well, so well)

They have three dogs, so please save all your scraps for them

Then its dancing all night long and raisin’ hell.

T is for Tahoe, where we currently are at

O is for overbudget

N is for never was a freakin’ budget

A  is for the anthem this song will surely become

N is for newlywed

N is for newlywed

I is for , well , there is no “I” in wedded, it’s we from now on, so no “I”

E is for everlasting love

“TONANNIE”

Off into the world newly marrieds

Newlyweds who love each other so well (so well, so well)

They have three dogs, so please save all the scraps for them

Then its dancing all night long and raisin’ hell.

IN LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA, USA!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you, Dad. Thank you.