The Mountain Top Wedding

The phone rang... "Hi McKenna, what's up?" we began...."Mom, Dad, what are you doing Tuesday night around 6pm?" she said excitedly.  "Looks like we are free, why?".  "Ok, you need to just go to the Provo airport and find this building and wait for us."  

We were filled with questions but could sense the twinkle in her eye through the phone. We hung up, looked at each other and wondered out loud...."What in the world is up?"  We knew it was something very different and something very big!  We couldn't wait.

Fast foward, we arrive and McKenna shows up in her wedding dress and Aaron is in his military dress blues.  His parents show up as well!  Then a thin smartly dressed man in a suit comes out of the building and beckons us in and out onto the tarmac.  He opens the large hangar door and wheels out a 7 passenger helocoper.  We start whooping and hollering.... !  What the heck.....??  He tells us to get in and we put on our headphones.  He asks McKenna to put on her favorite playlist on her iPhone.  The first song is "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel.  My favorite song.....  He talks quickly and quietly through the headphones to ground control, starts the engine and then lifts off.....!  Yes, completely crazy.  

We haven't even finished pinching ourselves before he starts exploring Y mountain and Mt. Timpanogas.  

He played along the mountain ridges and then dove down into the snow capped bowls and then stopped still hovering and then opened the side door!  I was petrified.... I looked over and felt things clench deep down!  It was incredibly scary and exciting at the same time.  

He took enormous pleasure in helping feel a few extra G forces!  This was not your normal 30 min tourist heli ride.  This was a man on a mission to create an amazing experience and part one he nailed!

Can you believe it?  I still don't.

 

After about 20 minutes he found this little outcropping and landed his beautiful machine.  

We got out and looked around at the incredible view of Provo, BYU and Utah Lake.  The sun was setting and it was golden.  The weather was perfect.  

He found a little place and then performed the marriage ceremony.  They said yes and kissed. 

And yes... we cried and were so happy for them.  What a setting!

Is there anything that can compare to this?  We could have spend a lot of money on something else that wouldn't have even come close to this.  All they really wanted was to tie the knot at the county clerk due the big trip they would be making to the middle east for a special project.  They needed to be married first, temple came later.... as planned.

The view was unreal.  We stayed for a few more minutes basking in nature, in beauty, in the splendor of this wonderful union.  Our little girl just got married!  

Was the helicopter ride amazing!  Yes!  Did it still the show...?  Almost! :  )  McKenna and Aaron did win the day.  We felt all the emotions we would have felt in a church or anywhere else. The extra twist of flavor of this experience just makes it incredibly memorable and so fantastic.  

Who was this mysterious pilot?  Can't say, he asked to remain anonymous.  But he is something special and he told us he felt something different and spiritual about McKenna and Aaron to feel so inspired to take time out of his busy schedule, his own expense and resource to provide the most exquisite memory for this beautiful couple.  We will not forget his kindness and the reverance and spirit of the mountains.

We salute you soldiers, we thank you for your servie and for this beautiful union.