It Was Bound To Happen Sooner Or Later..., A Martinaville Wedding!!

[Darren (Webmaster)]

Every once in a while you feel like you’ve done something good. That somehow, in a world that is a little screwed up at times, the good guys win. The funny thing is that a lot of times, you don’t even know you helped to make something happen through the domino theory of events. It never occurred to me the first time I heard Martina McBride sing that I would one day create a web site for her, that the web site would become her official web site, that the web site would spawn a chat room and bulletin board, and that the chat room and bulletin board would one day unite two people who truly and deeply care for and love each other.

The point I’m getting to is this, there’s something happening this weekend that I think deserves a little recognition, a little face time for all of you Martinavillers out there in cyberspace. Two of your own, Val and Steve, are getting married!! I wanted to pass on an e-mail I received from Val a few weeks back, I hope she doesn’t mind!

When the old BB was alive and kicking back in the spring of 2001, I was living in Iowa. I logged onto martinamcbride.com searching for information on my favorite singer. And I was looking for a video tape of her 1996 award show performance when she sang "Safe In The Arms Of Love" barefoot. I needed to complete my collection (because I have them all back to 1992)! I found the BB and it looked like a cool place, so I posted to see if anyone had that tape. Speed Racer responded and hooked me up with a guy who had it, we traded stuff, and I was a happy girl! But in the process, I made a great friend (who is still to this day)! He encouraged me to go to the chat room on Wednesdays so I did. I soon met a slug of really funny people. Wow did we ever laugh our butts off in there! I became a regular on the BB, posting under the name "Val-entine" and I still keep in touch with that group via email.

My daughter and I had turned our living room into a recording studio, and we were making an album for family and friends for Christmas. I was also submitting work into song writing contests. I needed a way to convert audio tape onto CD. I contacted Rudy to help, but he suggested I contact his friend Steve Gordon in California since he had better equipment and a program on the computer that could be used to edit the recordings. I contacted Steve who graciously offered to help with the project. (Yes, just like Martina, I’m marrying my "sound guy"!)

We met face to face 2 months later at Martinafest in Tunica Mississippi, June of 2001. It was a blast meeting all the friends I’d met on-line. The whole group had dinner together and partied after the concert.

Over the next few months, Steve and I became really great friends, and practically inseparable on-line and on the phone. We had common interests (especially Martina’s music) and our music projects. Our friendship grew even deeper over the following months as I was going through a tough time in my life. Then one day we were on-line and something happened. It was like lightening hit us both at the same time. We knew we were falling in love and it we were amazed. How could this happen? We live 2,000 miles apart! We kept thinking "this is CRAZY!" But at the same time we knew something special was happening so we decided to meet again in person. And we decided to keep it a secret until we knew for sure. So Steve flew to Iowa, and it was incredible. Sparks flew, and we were both head over heals in love. We didn’t even question it anymore. Fate had taken control of our hearts, and now we were just along for the ride. So, after 6 months of long distance dating, huge telephone bills, and endless hours in the Martina chat room, I made the move to be with him in California on May 1, 2002. Just this past December, he proposed to me at a romantic restaurant the day after my birthday, and we’ve been planning our August 7th wedding. My daughter is going to be my maid of honor and she’s also singing "Valentine" (of course what else?) My son is a groomsman, and will be walking me down the isle.

Martina says that one of the great rewards of doing what she does is seeing how it can make a difference in people’s lives. It’s obvious that this wedding would not be happening if it weren’t for Martinaville. I had no idea when I first logged on that I would meet lifetime friends, and the love of my life. It’s so incredible!

And isn’t it SO SWEET that Martina scheduled her LA concert on August 11th, the night before we leave for Maui on our honeymoon? Needless to say, there will be two blissfully happy newly weds in the audience. We are so happy to get to see her that night! And my parents are going with us! Aaaaaahh, life is good!

We'll be in touch, Darren. Thanks for reading! =)

Val

It's beyond cool for me to read that story Val, and I think I can speak for Martina and John as well as everyone in Martinaville when I wish you the most happy of days on your wedding, and newlywed bliss for the rest of your life. Never stop writing and recording those love songs, and maybe a parody or two!!

The fact that I had a small (ok, very small, miniscule even) part of helping you two find each other makes this gig I have even more special. I think sometimes we forget just how cool "Martinaville" is for all sorts of reasons. Maybe I should start a matchmaking service!!

Enjoy the Martina show as well, I know there'll be a few thousand people there, but you know she'll be singing just for you two!! Here's to you two crazy kids, may all of your days be this happy!!

-Darren

[Allyopps]

Congrats Val! Hope every thing goes as planned and your day is the best!!!

[jlaube]

That is awesome! Congratulations you two.

Jason

[wearingwhite24]

All I can say is..... AWWWWWWWWW! How sweet! Congratulations to y'all and your families!

[cftennisnative36]

Congrats to you two!

[DSgamby]

congrats

[Kristi]

Congratulations!!

[Blessed14]

aww that's aussome! congrats!

[mypepsi]

congrats!!

[blessedangelfan04]

thats awesome! congratulations!

[number_1_fan]

CONGRATULATIONS you two!!!!

[GottaLoveM]

Congratulations!

[BrittanieLynn]

Congratulations! That's great!

[imawildangel517]

Awww how cool!!!! Congrats!!!

[Arlene]

A Big Congratulations to Steve and Val! I am so happy for both of you. And very happy that the kids can be there. Have a wonderful wedding and honeymoon.

I remember when I checked to see if Steve was related to a certain racer named Jeff with the same last name. You never know Jeff lived in CA! And Val and I found out we lived in the same area. I still have that tape you and Cassie put together, nice.

Did you have Speedy or any other residents cowrite any of the vows or new music? You know something special besides that special Valentine song of yours?