Hey everyone!  Thanks for stopping by to comment on the story of Jess and Lucius's wedding, which will serve to "set the stage" for the full sequel that's due out next year.  I really do read all of your comments, and they definitely inspired me as I was writing the next part of Jess, Lucius, Mindy and Raniero's story. 

Due to reader demand, I've also published the wedding in a tiny, but pretty, little volume.  If you'd like a copy for your book shelf, you can order one here. 

Thanks for making this wedding so fun and for all your nice comments in the past!  Happy reading!

You voted, and the results were overwhelming, to say the least!   A VAST majority of you think Jess and Lucius's first bite as husband and wife should be saved for the honeymoon.  The ceremony will be sealed with a kiss.  Your wish is my command - but a few commenters gave me an idea for how blood might be shared romantically at the ceremony, too.  We'll see...

The wedding starts tomorrow... Check in at my website any time after noon for the first chapter!

And a HUGE thanks to everybody who served as bridesmaids!  This was amazingly fun for me... I hope you all enjoyed it, too!

This week's vote on the song for Jess and Lucius's first dance was the most fun for me so far.  Not only was it fascinating to read what you chose and why, but I also discovered a lot of new music for my own iPod! 

Your tastes ran from Bach to Etta James to Sinatra to Death Cab for Cutie... WOW! 

When it was time to make my choice, I took into consideration both the individual songs you suggested, and the "theme" of the comments overall.  And one of the things I took away was that a lot of you believe Jess and especially Lucius would prefer something timeless and classic that would reflect Lucius's background and the idea of an eternal love.  And when I read this comment by Lisa (Sept. 7), I knew exactly what I was looking for:  "something that... captures their essence as a couple... soft and tender at times, but also clashing and crescendoing at others."  That summed it up perfectly!

First, here are the songs that are runners-up, and which I think make a great playlist for the wedding - or the book, overall.

* Breathe Me - Sia

* Gravity of Love - Enigma (although the video was too creepy!)

* Your Guardian Angel - Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (lots of votes)

* She Is Love - Parachute (very sweet, also lots of votes - a song that made me think of Jess)

* Marry Me - Evanescence (it gives me chills!)

* Nothing Else Matters - Metallica (don't you love when he growls, "Trust I seek, and I find in you..."?)

* Iris - Goo Goo Dolls

* Dark Waltz - Hayley Westenra (more chills)

* Faraway - Apocalyptica

* Dance D'Amour - The 69 Eyes (a true "vampire love song" as Sophia (Sept. 7) noted - and it has almost a German metal edge, which reminded me of Lucius)

* String Quartet #4 - Bartok (Lucius would appreciate the Hungarian/Romanian roots!)

Ultimately, I chose Beethoven's Piano Sonata #14, also known as the "Moonlight Sonata."  As Michaela (Sept. 6) pointed out, "It's really breathtaking, has a gothic feel, you get lost in the way it flows."  And when I listened to it - hearing it again for the first time in years - I knew that it was absolutely perfect.  It's dark, it's light, it's haunting, romantic - and timeless. 

Three people suggested this piece, so I had to draw names. My daughter Julia picked Michaela's name from the bowl, so congrats!  Contact me so I can send you your book!

Thanks, as always, to everybody who suggested a song... I wish I could have picked even more!

And don't forget that starting tonight, you can vote on how Jess and Lucius should seal their union.  Then it will be time for the wedding to begin!

Wow!  With over 430 votes cast, the white dress won by an overwhelming margin!  

Here's how the voting came out:

* Dress 1 - Black - 77

* Dress 2 - Red - 68

* Dress 3 - White with a Black Twist - 290

I LOVED all of your comments, and I jotted down a lot of your thoughts to draw on when I write the chapters.  It was fun to see how you connected the different dresses to specific scenes in the book, or took into consideration how Lucius might feel to see Jess in each gown, as well as the symbolism of the colors.  Thanks so much for all your thoughtful insights, which will  really help me as I start to write!

I can't wait to see which songs you choose this week!