Over 2,000 Weddings and Counting: The Power of Family Love Drives Me | Opinion

One day, unexpectedly, my friend Terry Horgan called me and mentioned, "Don’t you realize you can officiate at civil ceremonies since you're a locally elected official—and even conduct them in Spanish?"

He was employed with Catholic Charities and requested if I could stop by to perform a wedding ceremony. Although I hadn't conducted one previously, I agreed — simply because I never refuse Terry.

I was nervous. I didn’t want to mess up someone’s big day. But it turned out to be a beautiful experience.

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When Terry reached out the following week and asked once more, I agreed. Before long, I was conducting wedding ceremonies regularly from their office. After Terry retired, I continued with this work. Once they ceased contacting me, I realized I had officiated over more than 500 marriages.

I kept doing weddings even during the pandemic

I thought I would stop after my term on the Metro Council ended, but I checked with the legal department and found out I could keep doing it. So I did.

Nowadays, you can find me at the Hispanic Family Foundation every Friday, and I still head where I'm needed – whether it’s houses, parks, backyards, or barns.

During COVID, I reduced my pace, conducting only masked, outdoor weddings. After the state allowed notaries to officiate ceremonies, the request volume decreased somewhat.

However, they still appear – often because they spotted me at a wedding or received my name from someone I wedded.

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Now, I have done over 2,000 weddings. I’ve married people all across Middle Tennessee. I’ve stood in trailer parks and in mansions, on farms and ranches where they raise cattle or grow crops.

Each wedding shows the strength and diversity of people

What brings together all of these weddings is the love within families.

I engage in this activity due to my passion for understanding individuals better. Weddings offer a brief yet profound look into somebody's existence—a point in time when all distractions fade away, leaving only the dedication they're expressing to one another.

In these weddings, I've encountered countless immigrants—modest, diligent individuals establishing households, putting down roots, and contributing to the tapestry of this area.

The principles they hold dear—love, family, and community—are the bedrock not only for their offspring and future generations but also for everyone around them.

Every wedding serves as a reminder that we become more prosperous, resilient, and enhanced due to the variety and resolve of those who consider this place their home.

Fabian Bede is an architect based in Nashville. He held a position on the Nashville-Davidson County Metro Council between 2011 and 2019, becoming the council's first Latino immigrant member. From 2019 to 2023, he was employed in the Mayor’s office under the John Cooper administration.

The article initially appeared in the Nashville Tennessean. I have conducted more than 2,000 wedding ceremonies and still counting. The love for families drives my motivation. | Opinion