Groom Scraps First Dance Song Making Future Wife Cry As He Swaps It For 1947 Recording Of Her Grandma Performing

Oct 21, 2020

Weddings are becoming increasingly complex events. With the advent of Instagram and Pinterest, it seems that many weddings are becoming competitions for who can be the most unique or creative. Everyone strives to have some form of special entertainment or event that makes their wedding unique. While these creative impulses are entertaining, the complexity of a modern wedding can also make the event extremely stressful.

Trying to coordinate a flock of doves while making sure the chocolate fountain is at the right temperature is no small feat. It can make it difficult for a bride and groom to focus on each other. Thus, for many couples, the first dance is a very powerful moment. At this point, the vows have been said. The dinner was served. The music fades, and the crowd disperses. The dance floor empties, and for that moment all that matters is an adoring groom looking deeply into the loving eyes of his bride.

One groom, Darin Mahlke from Las Vegas, had a surprise planned. He decided to swap out the planned first dance song and to surprise his bride, Chelsey, with a recording of her grandmother.

Darin Mahlke knew how important this moment was, and he wanted to make sure that an opportunity was not missed. He wanted to make it special and to let his wife Chelsey know just how loved she is. Ever since he first met Chelsey, Darin had always been in awe of her devotion to her family. She cherishes the ones she loves, and he wanted to make sure he used this wonderful aspect of her personality. Thus, he knew he would need to make his surprise be based on her family.

Chelsey serves as somewhat of an archivist of her family. For years she has collected videos, photos, and other artifacts of her family history. She wants to preserve the past and keep it safe. Darin commented to TODAY, saying "Of the many things I fell in love with about her, her sentimental and family-oriented spirit was a big one. She's the one who keeps the records and knows the stories."

Darin used this as an opportunity to dig into the family archive. He found just what he was looking for. Among the audio and video clips saved to an old flash drive, Darin found a moment that transcends time. He found a 1947 recording of Chelsey's grandmother singing the Judy Garland hit "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." The recording had been made when the woman was just 13. Sadly, time had already taken the woman from the family before the couple's big day.

Chelsey's grandmother had passed away from complications due to ALS in 2005. Growing up, Chelsey had always been extremely close to her grandmother, and Darin knew that going through this day without her would be hard. Darin concocted the perfect tribute to the woman for Chelsey.

Rather than the planned clip of Elvis's "I Can't Help Falling in Love," Darin slipped the recording of Chelsey's grandmother to the DJ. Chelsey had no idea. Before the dance, he grabbed the mic and announced "Honey, I'm sorry, but there's a better song for this. It's sung by someone who would have loved to be here today. This way, she can be."

The newlyweds danced forehead to forehead, swaying back and forth. Tears slowly streamed down her eyes. The clip, posted by Chelsey, quickly went viral. We can see why. With such devotion to the details, there is no question that this is the beginning of a wonderful marriage between the pair.

This clip of a groom going the extra mile to make their first dance special is an incredibly moving moment. Anyone who sees it is not likely to soon forget how special it is. What's your favorite gesture of love to occur at a wedding? Share below. Send this article to your friends and family to brighten their day.