A bride was left in tears after her doting groom surprised her with a 70-year-old recording of her late gran singing ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow during’ their first dance.
Chelsey Mahlke, 33, from Las Vegas, had no idea that her now-husband, Darin, 43, planned to interrupt the ceremony with a long lost recording of her gran, Janiece Bellanger – who she says was her ‘best friend’ – singing the Judy Garland hit back in 1947.
Janiece, who had five children and four grandchildren, made the recording from her bedroom when she was 14-years-old and sadly passed away back in 2005, aged 71.
‘It was a complete shock,’ said cattle rancher, Chelsey. ‘We had our first dance planned for later on but when we walked in, the wedding planner handed Darin the microphone.
Chelsey Mahlke, 33, from Las Vegas, was left in tears after her doting groom surprised her with a 70-year-old recording of her late gran singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow during their first dance. Pictured, Chelsey reacts when she hears the recording
The bride had no idea that her husband Darin, 43, planned to interrupt the ceremony with a long lost recording of her gran, Janiece Bellanger, – who she says was her best friend. Pictured, together
In the touching recording, Janiece Bellanger (pictured) can be heard singing the Judy Garland hit back in 1947
‘I had no idea what was going on. The only people who knew were the wedding planner and the DJ.
‘None of my family knew so it was a big surprise for them and everyone was crying.
‘My grandma was my best friend. I was her first grandchild, her name is my middle name.
‘I would have loved for her to see me get married. There was a void throughout the entire day.’
The bride (pictured with no-husband Darin), says hearing her gran’s voice was so special and it made her feel like she was there with her
Speaking of Janiece, Chelsey said: ‘My grandma was my best friend. I was her first grandchild, her name is my middle name.’ Pictured, Chelsey with Darin during their first dance
Janiece (pictured) made the recording from her bedroom when she was 14-years-old and sadly passed away back in 2005, aged 71
Chelsey says she would have loved for Janiece to see her get married and added there was a void throughout the entire day. Pictured, during the first dance with Darin
None of Chelsey’s family knew so she says it was a big surprise for them too – and everyone was crying. Pictured, with Darin during the first dance
The pair married in 2018 in a lavish outdoor ceremony with 150 of their friends and family in their hometown of Las Vegas.
‘We had a memory table for people who couldn’t be there and I had a locket with a picture of my gran tied around my bouquet but hearing her voice was so special, it made me feel like she was there with me,’ said Chelsey.
‘She loved music, music was her life and she was a great singer but she was really humble about it.
‘She never played music for anyone and was very specific about who she played to, but she lived to play the piano and sing.’
On her big day, Chelsey had a locket with a picture of her gran tied around her bouquet. Pictured, during the first dance with Darin
Chelsey says she wishes her gran got to meet Darin because she ‘would have loved him.’ Pictured, together
Speaking of the moment she was surprised with the recording, Chelsey (pictured with Darin on their wedding day) said: ‘It was so emotional, every single person in the room was crying and no one expected it’
The pair married in 2018 in a lavish outdoor ceremony with 150 of their friends and family in their hometown of Las Vegas. Pictured, during the ceremony
Medical device manager Darin (pictured with Chelsey) never got to meet Janiece, but when he found the old record in Chelsey’s belongings, he had it transferred to MP3 form and sent it to the DJ.
Unfortunately, medical device manager Darin never got to meet Janiece, but when he found the old record in Chelsey’s belongings, he had it transferred to MP3 form and sent it to the DJ.
‘I didn’t know that he even knew where the record was,’ said Chelsey. ‘It was so emotional, every single person in the room was crying and no one expected it.’
The newlyweds met in 2014 and Darin proposed on Chelsey’s cattle ranch on July 4 three years ago.
‘There’s a tree on my cattle ranch that’s special to us because we carved our initials into it so its our special spot,’ explained Chelsey.
‘It was July 4 and he said we should film a video for family saying happy 4th of July so we set up the tripod and when I turned around he was on one knee.
‘I wish they’d got to meet, she would have loved him.’
The newlyweds (pictured together) met in 2014 and Darin proposed on Chelsey’s cattle ranch on July 4 three years ago
Chelsey (pictured with now-husband Darin) described the touching moment as a ‘complete shock’
The bride says she would have loved for her gran to see her get married – adding there was a void throughout the entire day. Pictured, with husband Darin