CCAirwaves
Welcome to CCAirwaves! CCAirwaves is the official podcast of the Catholic Cemeteries Association. Our hosts, Paige Muttillo and Joel Hansel, will provide informational and inspirational segments that will help you work through your grief in a healthy way, learn more about our Catholic faith, and much more. CCAirwaves is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Buzzsprout, and other streaming platforms. If you have a topic you'd like us to discuss, please email us at podcast@clecem.org. We look forward to forging relationships with our Catholic community!
CCAirwaves
Messages from Heaven- Weddings
What if a loved one who couldn't attend your wedding managed to be there in spirit? Whether you’re a fan of weddings or simply cherish stories of human connection, this episode promises to leave you feeling uplifted and inspired.
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Podcast: "CCAirwaves" on your favorite streaming platform!
Thank you so much for joining us. Hello everyone and welcome back to CC Airwaves. My name is Paige Matillo and I am here with my co-host, joel Hansel.
Speaker 2:Hello, paige, I'm well. How are you?
Speaker 1:I'm doing really well. You know I'm kind of sad Summer's coming to an end and I'm going to miss the sunshine, but I'm kind of ready for fall. You know, carving pumpkins. I actually don't like pumpkin spice lattes, so I can't say I'm excited for that. But I'm excited for scary movies. You know, candy Halloween. What about you?
Speaker 2:Well, we have sun in the fall too, page, but not like hot sun where I can go swimming.
Speaker 1:It's like a cold sun, but you know what else comes to an end when summer comes to an end wedding season wedding season. I don't know if you had any weddings this summer, but I had three no, I've not had any.
Speaker 2:Any weddings this. But who doesn't like a good wedding?
Speaker 1:I do.
Speaker 2:Especially the wedding reception.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, dancing. Spending time with family and friends, nothing better.
Speaker 2:And libations.
Speaker 1:But anyway, today's topic for our Mess from heaven episode is you probably guessed it weddings. Weddings are always special occasions, but they can feel bittersweet when a loved one's unable to attend. So in this episode we're going to share stories of people who received heartfelt messages from their loved ones and added a little extra layer of meaning to their special occasions. So I will start with our first story that was submitted by Jessie C. My wedding was joyful from beginning to end, but there was a touch of sadness because one person couldn't attend. My grandmother practically raised me, and her absence would be felt by my entire family. To honor her memory, my husband and I reserved a seat for her in the front pew, placing a photo of her there and planning a special moment of silence during the mass. It still didn't feel like enough to express all she had done for me.
Speaker 1:The morning of my wedding I got ready in my childhood room, which we turned into a bridal suite for the occasion. My aunt knocked on the door and told me she had a surprise for me. She gave me a small photo of my grandma as a bride to attach to my bouquet. I added it to my flowers and I cried so hard I almost ruined my makeup. As my aunt helped me fix my makeup in the mirror, a picture unexpectedly fell from the shelf. Only that picture fell, nothing else. My aunt picked it up and handed it to me. It was a photo of my grandma and me from the day that I moved into her home. After this I felt certain that my grandmother was with me in that moment and would continue to watch over me.
Speaker 2:Well, we don't want a ruining makeup. You know wedding day makeup is quite expensive.
Speaker 1:Yes, it's expensive. It takes a long time. It's very sweet, though. My cousin did something similar with um a loved one from her family or her sad family with the bouquet.
Speaker 1:I think that's becoming a bigger trend, but it is very sweet. It's a nice way to remember your loved ones, and then I mean the picture falling of your grandma. I don't know what happened, that she had to move into her grandmother's house, but it's very sweet that her grandmother was able to take her in, take care of her and then is still taking care of her, even on the day of her wedding looking over her.
Speaker 2:Maybe that was the way of telling her to stop crying, be like.
Speaker 1:This is a happy day only happy tears for me not even happy tears.
Speaker 2:No, we don't want to ruin that makeup.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, back to the makeup. No ruining it.
Speaker 2:Story number two is submitted by Rachel. During our reception, something unexpected happened. Before our wedding, we had provided the DJ with a specific list of approved songs to ensure the music would reflect our tastes and keep the party going. We specifically wanted to avoid any surprise requests from guests. However, while we were dancing, a song began to play that we hadn't approved Wide Open Spaces by the Dixie Chicks.
Speaker 2:I was confused and looked over at my husband, noticing immediately that his expression had changed. When I asked if he had added the song to our playlist, he was just as surprised and said he hadn't heard it in years. It turned out to be his late sister's favorite song, which he hadn't listened to since her passing in high school. The DJ seemed equally confused, scrambling to check his equipment. At the end of the night, he confirmed that he hadn't cued the song. The only explanation that felt right and unlikely, as it seemed seemed was that his sister was somehow letting us know she was there. The connection to this song didn't end at our wedding. The year our first daughter was born, the same song unexpectedly played on the radio during our drive home from the hospital. Once again, this song played and brought an indescribable sense of comfort. This song played and brought an incredible, indescribable sense of comfort. We knew in that moment his sister would continue to celebrate milestones with us from heaven I actually have never heard this song before, have you?
Speaker 2:I no idea. I do not listen to the dixie chicks, I don't listen to anything now I don't listen to anything that would have Dixie Chicks in it or the chicks, but I think we had a similar story story that involved a song just for out of nowhere, just playing. Yes, they had, they had some meaning and we kind of joked about the loved one messing with the algorithms of whatever they were listening to. I remember it was back the knife.
Speaker 1:I think was it that one.
Speaker 2:I think it was that. That might have been it, but here it's like.
Speaker 1:It's almost like his sister was playing dj yeah like literally being dj I want to hear my favorite song at your wedding Right. That's really sweet, though it was a really nice way, I guess, that she was incorporated into the wedding.
Speaker 2:And they didn't even have anything to do with that, and not even just the wedding, but it seems and I don't know if it's still going on, but these important or these big milestones in life, she's letting Rachel and her husband know that she's still there. So you know, oh, I'm an auntie. Now we're going to play the Dixie Chicks.
Speaker 1:Well, I really hope that they continue to hear that song.
Speaker 2:Many times.
Speaker 1:Yes, this next story was submitted by Steven G. My mom passed away when I was young and I always knew her absence would be deeply felt in my wedding. To honor her memory, I decided against having a traditional mother-son dance, instead inviting all mothers and sons to dance together. I wanted to create a special moment for others, since I couldn't have that experience myself. Before the dance began, I slipped outside to reflect on my relationship with my mom. I was shocked to find a rainbow in the sky, since it hadn't rained all day. I took it as a sign from my mom telling me to enjoy my day. I went back inside and invited my mother-in-law to dance for the rest of the song. After it ended, I took my bride to see the rainbow. However, it was gone. I'll never forget that reminder of my mom's presence. That's really sweet, because I feel like it's even more special that he's the only one who saw the rainbow, because it really was only meant for him.
Speaker 2:Very true, very true. I always find rainbows fascinating and they really are unique and special because you just don't see them often. But I think you hit on a key. He was the only one that saw it. Yeah, so it was like this is directly to you, stephen.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:This message is for you, so that's definitely definitely a cool.
Speaker 1:It couldn't be any clearer, in my opinion.
Speaker 2:Cool part of the story Cool. Part of the story cool.
Speaker 2:Part of the of the wedding day his mom wanted him to know that she's there, that she's celebrating that milestone with them and that he should go enjoy our final story was submitted by Carly F, and yeah, I mean, my rehearsal dinner was also a cookout in the backyard, so I can kind of relate here, carly. She writes my rehearsal dinner was in my mother and stepfather's backyard, where they graciously hosted the event. Although my stepfather and I share a close bond, he understood the day was going to be challenging for me because my biological father wouldn't be there. It was a night to remember for many reasons. The dinner was beautifully arranged, with catering from my fiancé's and my favorite restaurant, live music and a well-set photo area.
Speaker 1:What a rehearsal dinner, honestly, yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, we just did brats and hamburgers.
Speaker 1:Oh, that sounds good.
Speaker 2:Right. It's getting close to lunchtime. In one corner of the backyard we set up a memory table to honor family members who had passed away, placing a photo of my father at the center. As the evening wound down, my stepfather and I stood by the table. He reassured me, saying he knew he couldn't replace my fatherfather, and I stood by the table. He reassured me, saying he knew he couldn't replace my father, but was happy to support me. Just then, we were both startled by the sudden appearance of a bird, a cardinal that flew down and landed right on my father's photo. It was a beautiful moment, as this messenger from heaven seemed to be a sign for my father. My wedding day was just as beautiful, surrounded by all the people I love, including, in a way, my late father. The cardinal's visit felt like a heartfelt confirmation that his spirit was still with us celebrating the joyful occasion.
Speaker 1:We have talked about cardinals so many times because, as Carly said in the story, they are referred to as messengers from heaven and they are just one of the biggest signs that someone from heaven is thinking about you.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and the fact that the cardinal landed right on the photo is definitely a message from Carly's father, biological father. I love the memory table.
Speaker 1:I think it's a great addition. It's a great way to keep the people that you love in your hearts and in your minds during your wedding, and also a great way to honor them.
Speaker 2:Or any other kind of special occasion that you may have, other kind of special occasion that you may have I've heard about this more and more here in the past several years where people are using these memory tables at these special events to keep loved ones in mind. That can't be there.
Speaker 1:Well, that is all that we have for you all today. I hope that you guys enjoyed these stories and please remember that if you have received a message from heaven and would like to share it, please email us at podcast at clecemorg, or send us a message on our social media thank you for listening today, everyone, everyone, and until the next time, take care.