Daniel: Can I keep you?
Stacy: You mean really, really keep me? Like a thousand years times infinity?
Daniel: No, a MILLION years times infinity.
Stacy: Ok. But only if it's a billion.
As always, I started with lots of notes. Gathered from an initial chat with Stacy via phone, several email exchanges (plus she and Daniel's great wedding website) plenty of wonderful song-worthy details about their relationship were obvious immediately. The way they met online, their Seuss-inspired endearments and their shared spirituality was all great fodder for a special song of their own.
My challenge with this wedding dance song wasn't going to be not having enough great information and imagery to mold with melody. What I thought might be tricky would be creating the right balance between the silly and the sweet. Too much on the serious side and this song wouldn't fit the whimsical wedding theme. Too much on the silly side and I wouldn't earn those happy bride tears that help me know I've written something she and her family would cherish for lifetimes.
"Oh. My. Goodness. On a stick. This is AWESOME!!! YOU ROCK MY SOCKS! I sent the song to my mom, and she cried. She said it was perfect and so beautiful. You've created something to cherish for a lifetime of love." --Stacy Mayfield, Custom Wedding Song called "Times Infinity", May 2010.
Some of the details that rose to the surface for this custom wedding song were...
- Daniel & Stacy had Seuss-esque endearments for each other that felt to me like a special language all their own. Like adding a "ses" sound to the end of words (love is pronounced "loveses") and using adorable mash-ups like "huglovesquish" as nicknames. I knew I wanted to use some of these sweet "nonsense" words and pronunciations in their song, which would lend themselves beautifully to their wedding theme, even if the only people who fully got the reference were the bride and groom.
- Spirituality was an important theme from my song notes, so I wanted to include something to symbolize their faith. "Holy water" became the ideal image because I could use it as a counterpoint for another of Stacy's ways of telling her hubby-to-be how much she loves him, which is the phrase "Olive juice". (If you don't know this already, mouth that phrase while looking at yourself in the mirror. It looks just like you're saying "I love you.")
- When Daniel proposed to Stacy, he asked "Can I keep you?" which is a line very special to their love story so I knew it had to be featured in this song in a prominent way. And, as you can see at the top of this blog post where I quoted them both, their "times infinity" exchange....one-upping each other each time on how MANY times infinity they would love and care for one another....became the focus of their song's chorus and the title, as well.
Stacy was one of those brides you dream of working with. She was so charming and positive. She gave me details so rich and romantic. She allowed me to trust my muse in piecing together a loving song very personal to she and Dan that they would want to listen to every year as part of their wedding anniversary celebrations to come.
And that's not all. Stacy planned this song for her wedding dance. But once "Times Infinity" was done and recorded for her, she changed her mind. This would now be the song she used to walk down the aisle. A surprise gift for her beloved boy during the ceremony itself.
To hear Stacy & Daniel's custom wedding song "Times Infinity" please click on the player link below or at the top of this blog, too.
Times Infinity
Words & Music by Jennifer Haase, c 2010
One fish, two fish
Me and Youfish
One long Huglovesquish
Forever more
Some call it nonsense
We say it's loveses
Just like this ring says
My heart is yours
And it’s clear as holy water
We’re the real thing
Every year let’s hold each other
On this day and ask again…
CHORUS:
Can I keep you?
May I, Loveyou?
From this moment times infinity
Share my language. Share my space ship.
But only if it’s for a hundred times infinity
When fate first matched us
What slowly hatched is
A sweet new friendship
About to spark
No one yet knew this
Our two lit fuses
Were twoloveyouses
Waiting to start
And it’s clear as holy water
We’re the real thing
Every year let’s hold each other
On this day and ask again…
CHORUS
(…but only if it’s for a thousand times infinity)
And it’s clear as olive juice
That we’re the real thing
Olive juice in a house
Olive juice as my spouse
Olive on and on and on and on, Amen.
CHORUS
(…but only if it’s for a million times infinity…for a trillion times infinity….for a triple billion zillion times infinity….times infinity…you and me…times infinity)
THANK YOU to Stacy and Daniel Mayfield for an incredibly moving songwriting experience. I cried while writing it. I weep joyful tears when I look at these wedding photos that tell a loving, playful story all their own, too.
THANK YOU http://www.offbeatbride.com/ for the advertorial feature on my Custom Song business that caught Stacy's attention and led to her hiring me. Your website is a rockin' awesome source for the non-traditional bride, BRAVO! Here's the Offbeat Bride link about me: http://offbeatbride.com/2010/01/custom-wedding-songs
Please FOLLOW me on twitter!
To COMMISSION your own CUSTOM SONG please send me an email with your questions and ideas at haase@rhymeswithclassy.com
I look forward to writing a special song for you, too.
--Jennifer Haase (rhymes with "classy")
This song makes me cry just thinking about it! I don't know how Stacy kept herself together coming down the aisle. I would have been a hot mess with runny eye makeup at the altar! :)
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