The internet is full of surprise performances. Yet not often do they bring you to tears like the “Stand by Me” flashmob that sprung up at an Irish wedding.
As couple Rachel and Shane McNally sat together, they were clueless their guests had a huge secret they were keeping up their sleeves. Not only did it leave them needing tissues, but the rest of the world too.
Usually, the bride and groom receive gifts from their registry or stuffed envelopes of much-needed cash (weddings are expensive after all). Sometimes though, guests put in a little extra thought to create a memorable experience.
Shane and Rachel’s big day took place at the St. Joseph’s Church in County Monaghan, Ireland. While they likely had done a lot of planning for the special event, attendees had concocted a plan of their own.
The couple was sitting near the front of the church when it all began. Out of nowhere, one of their female guests stood up from her pew and sang “When the night has come – and the land is dark…”
It was Ben E. King’s 1961 classic “Stand by Me,” an iconic song that hits listeners in the heart every time it’s played.
Then another woman rose from the sea of people. She took over the next line, “And the moon is the only light we’ll see.” Next, it was a man that stood up to sing, followed by the bride’s father.
Shane and Rachel were so overwhelmed by what was taking place that they couldn’t help but get teary and swipe at their eyes.
Finally, all the participants joined voices sounding like a choir of angels. They then formed a line and headed for the altar where they stood facing the wedding couple to perform “Stand by Me.”
It’s a spine-tingling scene that’s so moving it’s gone viral.
Hannah O’ Brien was the one who organized the couple’s surprise. In an interview with the Irish Mirror she said:
“I realized that there where going to be plenty of singers and musicians attending the wedding and saw the opportunity to do something special for the happy couple who love music.”
There were a lot of practices involved to create the flashmob. Hannah explained:
“I asked family and friends from both sides and we held secret rehearsals for 5 weeks running up to the big day with Starling Blue teaching the harmonies and melody.”
The Irish Mirror points out that Ray Yore was the videographer and vocal harmonic group Starling Blue also helped participate in the singing performance.
It was a lot of effort from a lot of people, but the results were absolutely breathtaking.
Viewers have also been deeply touched by the wedding performance.
One woman shared her thoughts on Facebook, saying:
“Omg my eyes started leaking when the second lady stood up. But when the groom started crying, I lost it! This is absolutely beautiful and graceful.”
Another person wrote:
“It’s so wonderful to see that someone cared enough to organize and then perform such a meaningful, heartfelt, emotional, song. This young couple is truly blessed to have such caring friends and family.”
Many viewers agree that “Stand by Me” was the perfect choice of song, especially for a milestone where two people join as one.
Get ready for goosebumps and press play on the video below!
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A nervous couple are waiting to get married when suddenly a guest
rises from her seat… 😢❤️Posted by Do it with your heart on Tuesday, August 20, 2019
