Several years ago, I was playing in a lovely chapel for a Christmas wedding. The church windows contained a decorative display of poinsettieas and evergreens, all perfectly arranged with advent-color candles. All was perfect until the minister pronounced, “You may kiss the bride.”

Instead of the usual smooch, all eyes and ears were directed to the back of the chapel, where a huge fireball flew out of the windowsill—one of the candles had ignited the live evergreens! One quick-thinking guest ran to hold the curtains aside, while another tried to open a window, hoping to toss the fireball out into the snow. A third guest ran to their aid with a fire extinguisher, spraying not only the burning Christmas foliage, but the two helpers and draperies as well.

The fireball was out in a matter of seconds, and the ceremony went on. Unfazed, the bride and groom finished their kiss, even though the onlookers could barely see them in the now-smoke-filled church. Afterward, the newlyweds laughed about the “burning bush”—you can imagine what the minister said.

—by Cheryl Dungan Cunningham, Southampton, PA

This story first appeared in the November-December 1997 issue of Harp Column. Download a PDF of the entire issue here.