A Unique Wedding Present

Last weekend, I had the honor of celebrating my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary, and later this month my husband and I will celebrate our 10th anniversary. My youngest sister just got married a couple of months ago. Clearly, love is in the air!

As a surprise gift for my mother, my Grandma, sisters, aunts, and I displayed the beautiful wedding dress Mom and her sisters wore for their weddings, purchased by my Grandfather in Paris 50 years ago. It brought tears to Mom’s eyes when she got to see it (and even wear it) again.

I have always admired my mother, who is also a violinist and vocalist. Several years ago, I performed the Violin Sonata in A Major by French composer César Franck for a Franco-American recital in both the United States and later in Paris. Mom had also performed the same work for her senior recital in college. It has become one of my husband’s favorites, and I’ll often find him listening to it while working at his computer. I’m grateful for his recording of the performance!

While researching the background of the piece, I discovered that Franck originally wrote it as a wedding present for the renowned Belgian violinist and composer Eugène Ysaÿe. I love this idea of using music and the arts as wedding and anniversary gifts!

So if you’re looking for a way to celebrate a special person in your life, why not perform, write, or commission a song in their honor! It might be the most meaningful gift they ever receive.