Hosting Angels at Garden Wedding of Robyn Green and Jacob Dilick

It was a miracle.  Not too different from when Moses parted the Red Sea for his people to pass out of bondage. This parting of  torrential rains. I believe the mother's love was so strong, from on-high she held back the clouds for her daughter's wedding. 

A cameo of Cobi Neal attached to the bouquet provided by the groom's mother

The bride's mother flew the pain of cancer on December 14, 2006. But love knows no boundaries. Her spirit was with us last Saturday.  

Edda Gahm, the bride's grandmother, called 10 days before. "The kids" had planned a park wedding- only fate proclaimed that heaven would continue wringing water on Southern California for the first time in years. The small family wedding included family from other states. Even if it didn't rain, mud already closed the parking lot where the nuptials were planned for. Did I have any ideas? 

The answer was instinctive. Hospitality is ingrained into the culture of our faith. God hosted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Abraham and Sarah offered  hospitality to three strangers- only later to find they were angels unawares. We would not know many of guests, but if they were faithful enough to this young couple to brave wicked weather, they are angels to us.

 If Robyn and Jacob (Jake) were amenable, our home and garden were at their service. At my husband's suggestion, we ordered a canopy. Unless the day turned out to be a gale, the bride could have her outdoor wedding. A modest rain, the guests could watch under the patio's protection.  Worst case, we would scoot furniture out of the living room, and they could marry in front of the fireplace. 

After helping set-up, Jake used our bedroom to change into his Air Force dress blue uniform.

With the groom ready, the bride and her friends took over the room.  

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How did the couple come to this day? 

Robyn recounts, We met in passing when I was about 17, he 18, at a friend's graduation party. We would see each other every few years at their New Years parties, when would come home for leave for Christmas. Sparks never really flew until we were Best Man and Maid of Honor at our friends' wedding. After three months of texting and Facetiming I flew out to Florida, where he was stationed. We spent an amazing two weeks together. A couple months after I returned he stationed out here, at Edwards (AFB) to be closer. 

Everything about the festivities was profoundly personal. 

While the rain pushed sideways the day before and after the ceremony, on Saturday, January 21, 2017, the heavens opened for the angels to be Robyn and Jake's guests. The canopy wasn't needed. 

Kandi Schultz Hardy officiated. She has known Robyn since she was the bride's teacher at Valley Christian School in San Dimas. The tone and tenor both sober and celebratory. When asked about the service performed, Kandi explained she lightly updated the archaic language of the Christian ceremony her father, the Reverend William Schultz, used during his pastoral days.  She adds " I feel so blessed that he gave me his actual wedding book, not a copy of the ceremony." 

The guests. Some drove through blizzards to be present. Some flew to give support to the forming of the new family of Jake Dilick and Robyn Green.

Prayers said. Promises made. Rings exchanged. Robyn's father passed to Jake the ring her mother had given him, back in the day. The bride says " I don't ever want to resize it- I'll wear it on a necklace."

The lighting of the unity candle signifying bride and groom are stronger now that they are one to the other. Before man and God. 

With this first kiss,  Robin and Jake's life begins anew.   With little commentary, please enjoy these images. May the silent universal language of photography of convethe joy surrounding this union. 

The groom with his mother, Rochelle Dilick. She covered the dining table with a lavish buffet. 

 She served love from the ceremony the following day in presenting "planned-overs" from the wedding feast to feed the homeless in Lancaster. She wrote on her Facebook page " I wasn't sure how many would 'show up' in the rain. They came. They ate and they stayed around and visited with us all for quite some time. I'm thinking that some are considering this their Sunday Family Meal and that makes me happy."

The bride's father with his new son-in-law. 

The bride's sister, Kaitlin, baked and decorated cupcakes. The bride made lemon and chocolate snickerdoodle cookie bars.  

Nikki served as unofficial Maid of Honor. 

It was a fun moment when the little girls ran in the house together, announcing they had picked "all the plums off the tree" to make money selling. 
When we stopped laughing, we took a couple bags out to collect the big yellow plums, actually grapefruit, off the lawn. Tangerines plus some assorted "jewels" from the pathways were tossed in. Not all- we left some polished jewels for the fairies to find their way back):- 

The bride complemented her forest green lace gown with Converse high-top  basketball shoes. 

It's been a secret wish, to have a wedding here. You made that dream come true. Thank you. God bless. 

Thank you, Robyn and Jake, for choosing to share your sacred start of your life together here. The occasion helped me realize how much I take for granted. Every guest was an angel to us. Come what may, all the love which graced this place on your wedding day shall remain with us -and with this place we call home. 

A special thank you to Nikki, Marissa, Jaimie,  as well as my husband Gerry, for contributing the commemorative photos.  

Until we meet again, thank you for ALL YOU do to make the world more beautiful. 

Lydia