Corpus Christi Love - Cielo and Samantha Married June 12, 2024

Well, friends and family, we know that Cielo and Samantha are here today to get married and that they are perfect for each other. Can I get a hell yes!

But how did we get here today? How did these two people somehow not only end up meeting, but also end up falling in love and choosing to spend the rest of their lives together? Well, I'd like to spend the next few minutes telling you a true version of how that happened.

This love story begins on a day like any other, When Cielo, who's just about as interested in dating as a cat is in taking a bath, downloads the dating app. Her thumb moves lazily over the screen, swiping through profiles with all the enthusiasm of a kid made to eat their vegetables.

Suddenly, she stops. There's Samantha, as cute as a button and standing out like a fresh doughnut in a box of stale ones. Cielo’s heart does a little jig. She wasn't looking for much on the app, but now she's hoping for a lot. She's hoping that this Samantha, with her sparkly eyes and infectious smile, will message her back.

Meanwhile, Samantha is also scrolling through the dating app. She's got a specific kind of person in mind, someone with piercings and tattoos. She's about to give up, thinking that this app is more barren than a desert, when she stumbles upon Cielo. Samantha's heart skips a beat. Cielo has long blue hair, eyebrow piercing, and an aura of confidence that Samantha finds as intriguing as a mystery novel.

Samantha is taken aback by how quickly Cielo opens up, becoming vulnerable to a stranger. It's something she hasn't seen before, like a rainbow in the middle of a storm. It's May 9th, 2022, and little do they know, that this is just the beginning of their love story.

The day of their first date finally arrives. Cielo is up at the crack of dawn, driving almost an hour to pick Samantha up. Samantha, on the other hand, is practically bouncing off the walls with excitement, having gotten the green light for the date.

Cielo pulls up in front of Samantha’s house and honks. Samantha's heart flutters in her chest as she steps out of her house and into Cielo's car. The car ride is filled with anticipation, both looking forward to their day together.

Their first stop is Corpus Christi, Cielo's hometown. Samantha has never been there before, and she's thrilled at the chance to explore it with Cielo. They go to the mall first; a place Samantha has never seen before. It's a whirlwind of color and noise but being there with yellow makes it feel like an adventure.

Next, they pick up Mexican takeout for lunch. The food is delicious, the flavors burst in their mouths. They eat in Cielo's car, parked at Lakeview Park. The conversation flows easily between them, filled with laughter and shared stories.

After lunch, they embark on a tour of the park, walking around to see all the turtles, ducks and geese. The animals are fun to watch, but it's the company that makes it truly special. Cielo and Samantha spend the rest of the day at the playground, talking and getting to know each other better. Their conversations are rich and meaningful, the connection between them growing stronger with each passing moment.

As the sun begins to set, it's time for them to part ways. Cielo drops Samantha off at her house, they're both already looking forward to their next date.

It's a day they both cherish, a day filled with laughter, shared experiences and the beginning of a beautiful bond. The date may have ended, but the memories they created will last a lifetime.

And that date leads to the next, and soon Cielo and Samantha are building a life and a future together.

Samantha and Cielo find themselves out on a nature trail, soaking in the fresh air and enjoying the beauty of the outdoors. Nerves are running high, though they each try to hide it from the other. They are both curating a secret, and it's a big one.

Cello, seeing a perfect moment, points out something in the distance to Sam, “Hey, what's that over there?” As Sam turns to look, Cielo quickly drops to one knee, the small box now opened in her hand. It's a classic move, but hey, classics are classics for a reason, right?

Meanwhile, Samantha, who's been planning her own proposal for a while, is momentarily distracted by Cielo's interruption. She's got her own nerves to deal with, after all. They've only been dating for a year, but as she likes to say, “We are lesbians, things move fast.”

As Sam turns back around, she finds Cielo on one knee, a ring twinkling in the sunlight. Cielo pops the question, her voice trembling just slightly, “Will you marry me?”

Surprised, Sam is momentarily speechless, staring at Cielo in disbelief. The surprise turns into joy as she realizes what's happening. She grins, her heart overflowing with happiness, “Yes!” She exclaims, “Yes, I will!”

With that, they both burst into laughter, their nerves after evaporating into the crisp air. Their joy is infectious, their love undeniable. They have found their person, their forever, in each other.

And here we are today.

This is a beautiful story. It's a story of two people who were brought together by shared interests, kept together by shared ambitions and values, and who face the future of more shared adventures together because of their deep and growing love.

It's because of the moments in this story and the many others in their light years together that Cielo can save Samantha when I asked her what she loves about her: “What I love about my fiancée is that no matter what every time I look at her, I get the biggest smile on my face. I love that when I'm with her I feel safe and at home. I love that to me home isn't a place; it's a person who has these beautiful eyes with a cute nose. I love that whenever I have any type of news, she's the first person I want to tell it to. I love the big warm hug she gives because every hug from her is filled with so much love. I love it when we hold hands because her hand fits perfectly in mine like it's made just for me. I love her smile because when she smiles, I feel like the world stops spinning - because at that moment I don't want to be anywhere else. I love her laugh because with me she laughs for real and not anything fake like when with people she's not comfortable with. I love that at night we go to sleep the way her arms fit so perfectly around me. I love it when I get home from work, and she's so excited to see me as if it's been days since we last saw each other. I love it when we're at a store, and she sees something that she loves, and her voice gets high pitched, and she squeezes the item really tight. I love it when she looks at me with her beautiful brown eyes and it says if the world stopped in that instant for her but most importantly, I love everything about her and all her flaws. There's nothing about her that I do not love. We're getting married because we both have so much love for each other and why not do it now. It's the best time to do it and right in the middle of Pride Month. It’s perfect and plus in the future we want a family of our own and most require the couple to be married for a certain amount of time so we'll be saving money and looking forward until that time comes when we finally get to have our own little family.”

And Samantha says of Cielo when I asked her: “What do I love about my fiancée? I love the way she laughs and gets giggly when she's happy. I love it when I call her beautiful, she'll argue with me in a playful way with a high-pitched voice saying no over and over again. I love how she grabs a stuffed animal and rubs it on her nose when we go to a store. I love the time she sings in the car and is way off pitch. I love it when the sun hits her eyes and they turn to a river of honey gold. I love that sometimes, when she's concentrating hard on something she'll bite her tongue. I love that she knows my order at Whataburger by heart. What I love most about her is the fact that no matter what life throws at her, how strong she is. She has been through so much trauma and hurt and ungodly situations but has always come out stronger. I admire that about her. These past two years she has grown so much mentally and spiritually and I'm so proud of the hard work she has done. I love her because her soul is beautiful and kind. I love her because she's the first person to treat me right and took the time to learn everything about me, all my flaws and scars and still she stayed. I am completely in love with this woman just the way she is, and I couldn't have asked for anyone better. There's no number of words that could describe how perfect she is, she'll say she isn't but to me she's the sun and the moon, the stars that shine at night, the warmth that hugs you like a blanket, the Jelly to my peanut butter, but most importantly she's my person, my other half, my best friend.

Marriage isn't something to take lightly. I have always believed that the person you marry is the person you want to be with for the rest of your life. No matter the ups and downs, you work through it. I don't believe divorce and marriage is a onetime thing for me personally. I am marrying Cielo because I am in love with her, and I can't imagine a life without her in it. I knew I was going to marry her the first month of us dating there was no question about it. It doesn't matter how long you've known someone when you know, you know. And nothing should come between that. We decided June 12th because honestly, I took her birth date and subtracted mine and it equaled 12. We could have picked a cooler month, but we wanted something that was soon but also had enough time to plan so June was perfect.

Friends, the most important thing about today- about a wedding- about what makes us all come together in this Texas heat- and less than comfortable shoes- is what happens in these moments to follow. Because obviously Cielo and Samantha did not just fall in love today. Love is grand, but we aren't just here to celebrate love. We are here to witness and to celebrate what this love story has inspired: promise. We are here celebrating the profoundness of commitment- how a seed has fully blossomed into Cielo and Samantha’s wanting to say to each other, “I will be the person who is always here for you. What we've enjoyed for these past years we will Foster and cultivate for as many years as we have left on this earth.”

So today, Cielo and Samantha, you're here to say publicly to us and to each other, that the bond that started to take root online, and in a mall in Corpus, and in a parked cars here in this very park, and buying socks and waiting for friends, and all your mundane moments and exciting excursions- that bond- you will commit to keep cultivating wherever like life takes you together from this day forward.

Rev. Sabrina

Happy Anniversary!  It’s a privilege to have officiated your wedding and to see the love you share grow each day.  Here’s to a lifetime of happiness and love!

#HappyAnniversary #TwoYearsWed #SanAntonioWeddingOfficiant #UBBYWed @theIDoLady 

I hate that I have no pictures of this couple to share! 😭