The excerpt captures a segment of Natalie and Sam's wedding ceremony at Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como. It begins with an Italian poetic monologue by the officiant reflecting on love, time, and the world. Sam Piumik then delivers heartfelt vows, praising Natalie’s motherhood, partnership, and everyday love, promising support, growth, and family focus. Natalie Barnes follows with vows that blend humor about LEGO and Justin Bieber, deep appreciation for Sam’s love for their daughter Arabella, and a commitment grounded in Christian faith, citing Matthew 19:6. The officiant then pronounces them husband and wife, concluding with a playful reversal naming Sam as the bride. The tone is intimate, celebratory, and infused with personal, religious, and humorous elements.
Chapters
Con gli amori appena nati, con gli amori già finiti, con la gioia e col dolore della gente come me. Un mondo soltanto adesso io ti guardo, nel tuo silenzio io mi perdo e sono niente accanto a te. Il mondo non si è fermato mai un momento. La notte insegue sempre il giorno ed il giorno verrà. Oh, mondo, non si è fermato mai un momento.
Watching you become a mother has been one of the greatest privileges in my life. The way you love her, care care for her and show up every single day makes me love and respect you even more than I thought was possible. You're my best friend, my partner, and the person who keeps me grounded. You've seen me at my best and at my worst, and somehow you've loved me through all of it, and that means more to me than I can ever fully put into words. I love the way we can just be ourselves no matter what kind of day it is. I love that even in the chaos of life, being with you always feels like home. I promise to stand by you, to support you, and to keep choosing you every single day. I promise to be there in the good moments and the hard ones, to keep laughing with you, to keep growing with you, and to never stop putting our family first. And I promise to keep taking you on dates, even if it's some— even sometimes it's just another trip to Starbucks. Natalie, I choose you today and always. I love you.
I promise I won't get mad when you spend too much money on LEGO sets, if you don't get mad when I spend our life savings trying to see Justin Bieber front row live. But really, even— but really, through it all, you've given me a love that feels like home. One of the greatest blessings of my life is watching you love Arabella. The way you show up for her, guide her, and care for our family Family, makes me so proud to stand beside you. Today I promise to choose you every day. I promise to stand by you in the good seasons and the hard ones. I promise to support your dreams and pray for you and build a life with you rooted in love and faith. Matthew 19:6 says, "So they are no longer two, but one flesh." Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate. I love you so much, anything in the world other than Arabella. Natalie Barnes.
It's now with great pleasure and honor that I pronounce you husband and wife.
