James and Jessica Randazzo

Our Story:

Ok, our wedding story…where to begin…James and I met on Match.com (it really does work!) in October of 2006. After 18 months of dating James proposed the day after Easter in March, 2008. Even though I knew it was coming (hey, I picked out the ring, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist) he still managed to surprise me!! Even before we were "officially" engaged James and I had signed the contract for The Fountains to have our wedding on April 11, 2009. Since James and I are both planners the wedding plans came together rather quickly. Tragically, a month after we got engaged James’ father, Paul, was diagnosed with cancer. It was a complete shock; inoperable stage 3b lung cancer in a non smoker, perfectly healthy 56 year old man?! That summer James and I spent a lot of time on the road back and forth to Kansas City, MO, to visit his father when he was both in and out of the hospital. In late September, after multiple rounds of chemo, we got the BEST news, CANCER FREE!! Unfortunately, within three weeks, multiple hospital trips and a short coma it was discovered that Paul’s cancer was back. Only now it was in his spinal fluid. Paul was given two months without treatment and three months with. On our trip back home to Omaha from KC James and I decided to have a quick, immediate family and closest friends-only wedding in Kansas City. To my absolute shock and happy awe, Marty and Erin volunteered to be there. They drove down so Erin could take our photos. I am still amazed that there are such kind and giving people out there who will go to such great lengths to help others. We got married on November 22, 2008. Paul was not able to attend, due to his grand mal seizures, but we saw him the next day and he knew we were married and happy. On December 1, 2008, Paul passed away. Not the best way to spend your first weeks as newlyweds, but sometimes life throws you curve balls.

As you all know, a few short weeks later The Fountains Ballroom was destroyed by a fire. After making sure that the most important parts of The Fountains survived intact: Marty, Erin and the kids; I was ready to throw in the towel. We were already married, it would be cheaper (not romantic, but that’s life) and a heck of a lot less stress. I quickly remembered that James and I are WAY more stubborn than that! So we met with Marty, Erin, and Dustin and decided to move the wedding to one of the next available weekends after The Fountains was rebuilt. Fortuitously, that turned out to be November 21, 2009. One day before our one year wedding anniversary! So, here we are, a few short weeks away…we can’t wait!

Our dream for our wedding is to have a joyful evening full of family and friends, good food and drink, laughter, and memories. Our hope is that all of this happiness will act as a perfect counterpoint to all the tragic memories of one short year ago. James and I have spent many hours talking about everything that has happened and realize how lucky we actually are. His father survived long enough to know we are married and unbelievably happy. We got to have one last weekend with him before he passed. Marty, Erin and the kids survived what could have been an even worse tragedy. The Fountains is rebuilt. We get to have another wedding. How many people get to marry the loves of their lives, twice?!