The couple were in Rayville, La., for Tim's annual Swampstock fundraiser, which included a charity softball game. By the time they arrived for the afternoon event, they were already man and wife. Yet, despite several coy hints and thier obvious happiness, the newlyweds kept thier secret.
Tim's band-The Dancehall Doctors-showed up in softball outfits for what they thought was a pre-game brunch in the backyard of Tim's aunt, Barbra Harper. Instead, they and the other guests witnessed a wedding ceremony performed by the Rev. Adrian Pater. "The license was obtained over the weekend to keep it secret," Pater said. "I have to admit, I've never done a wedding like that. They obviously didn't want the publicity and I honestly understand. They didn't want a zoo over there. There were guests expecting to go for a picnic and then to the ballpark. They were dressed in shorts and T-shirts. They had no earthly idea they were going to a wedding."
"It was a big secret," said Ramona Haire, the court clerk of Richland Parish in Rayville. "Only the immediate families, his band and closest friends were there."
Tim and Faith even bent a few rules to ensure the wedding's privacy, said Haire. "I had to come up here on Saturday, type the license and help get the judge to waive the three-day waiting period. Tim and Faith signed the marriage certificats just after the ceremony."
"It's no big deal. In little towns like this, we do things lide that." Richland Parish sherrifs deputies kept guard during the traditonal double-ring ceremony." "It was very beautiful, very sweet," Haire said. "It was a beautiful day. The weather forcast had a 40% chance of rain because Hurricane Josephine was headed this way. But it passed to the east. It was sunny and in the 70's. It was a perfect day."
Stunning floral arrangements decorated the spacious yard. Strains of a string quintet played as the guests arrived. Tim and Faith were married-at noon-in front of an ivy covered trellis under a beautiful spreading oak tree.
"Faith wore a real pretty simple white dress and veil," said Haire, "and she was barefoot. Tim wore blue jeans, a long jacket and boots. It was very casual. It's what they wanted because they were all going to play softball as soon as it was over. Everyone stood when Faith came down the aisle. She was very pretty. Tim seemed nervous. Faith was more relaxed," Haire continued. "Tim's best man was Ricky Hooter, a fraternity friend from is college days at Northeast Louisiana University. Faith's bridesmaid was her friend Gaye Knight. Tim's nephew, Matthew,5, was the ring bearer. They were able to get all the family together for the big day: Tim's stepfather, Horace Smith; his real father, Tug McGraw; Tim's mother, Betty, and her husband, Joe Trimble; Betty's mother; and Faith's mother and father."
Pater, who drove 300 miles to the wedding from Moss Point, Miss, baptized Tim years ago when he was pastor at Woodlawn Baptist Church in Rayville. "The wedding came off very well," said Pater of the 15 min. ceremony. "It was fairly informal, but it had a certain spirtiual flavor to it." There was also some humor. "When the bridesmaid gave me the rings," Pater said, "I looked at them and said, 'It's obvious these were not bought at Wal*Mart."
Faith's ring: a stunning emerald cut diamond set in platinum. After the couple kissed, one band member yelled, "Play ball!" Following the ceremony, guests dined on sumptuos catered seafood delights including boiled crab,shrimp, and fish. While Tim,Faith, and other ballplayers were hurrying to get to the field for a game ste to start at 2 p.m., thier three-tiered cake still had to be cut.
"They each made sure it didn't all go in thier mouths," recalled Pater with a laugh. "I think Faith won that one."
Still, Tim's hometown and the world had to wait several hours before the couple broke their happy news. The first hint came when the truck carrying Tim and Faith crossed the outfield of the Tim McGraw Sports Complex. The couple stepped out and hugged their fellow country music preformers-including Tracy Lawerence, Jeff Carson, Kenny Chesney, Mark Collie-apparently secretly telling them about the wedding and giving a quick glance of thier rings.
During the game, various clues pointed to either an engagement or a marriage:
*Tim told COUNTRY WEEKLY-"The best thing that could happen to me would be that Faith Hill would marry me." When asked if that was going to happen, Tim grinned and said, "We'll see."
*A few minutes later, Faith told COUNTRY WEEKLY- "The best thing that could happen to me is the complete happiness I feel today." But she didn't elaborate.
*Throughout the game Tim and Faith hugged and kissed like teenagers in love.
Proceeds from the celebirty softball game and auction pay for improvements to the sports complex and a schoralship fund Tim started in memory of Steve Colvin, a school friend killed in an auto-accident. The two previous Swampstocks raised more than $90,000 to pay of the dept on the baseball park and purchase an additional 11 acres for more playing fields. "My next goal is to add a public swimming pool here," Tim said. Tim wants to improve Rayville's baseball-softball facilities because of what baseball meant to him as a youngster in the town of 5,000 people. Tim was raised in nearby Start, La., population 500. "On Saturday nights, Tuesday nights, and Wednesday nights, I was playing baseball and not out doing something that I shouldn't," recalled Tim. "Heck, on the nights I didn't play, I was watching the girl's softball games, so that kept me out of trouble, too."
When 17 year old Julious DeBoise came out in the field as the first $10,000 Steve Colvin Scholarship winner, a teary-eyed Tim hugged him. The country star was visibly moved by the moment.
The game started after Tim's mother-known by everyone in Rayville as McMom-threw out the first pitch. Tim's team, composed of the Curb recoding artist and his band, took an early lead. But Faith's crew roared back. "I think it's unfair that Faith's team has Tracy, Jeff, Kenny, Mark, and my family members," pouted Tim. "They've all ganged up on me."
Tug McGraw, a 21 year old veteran of pro baseball, was one of the "family members" on Faith's squad. Although Tim his a home run in the game, it was Faith tagging him out that provided one of the games dramatic moments. Tim's opponents good-naturedly spoke thier mind about thier host:
*Kenny Chesney: "Tim has one of the biggest hearts in country music, but today he didnt' have the biggest bat in country music."
*Jeff Carson: "My favorite sports are baseball and softball. Tim's preformance today didn't much resemble either one of those games."
*Mark Collie:"Tim is a great friend, but he and his team just didn't have it today."
*Tracy Lawerence, looking out at the crowd cheering Tim's team: "They're cheering now, but just wait. Tim and his boys will go down."
After the game and an auction, the marriage hints continued at the concert.
As the concert began, Kenny Chesney led into his hit "Fall in love" by telling the audience, "You can't fall in love with Tim McGraw, he's taken. You can't fall in love with Tracy Lawerance. So do you want to fall in love with me?"
When Mark Collie was preforming, he dedicated "Born to love you" to Tim and Faith. "Have you ever seen anyone so much in love?" Mark asked the crowd. "They are definitly in love."
During Faith's preformance, she stated, "Today has been a very, very special day in my life." Again she didn't elaborate.
Then, as Tim performed, he broke the happy news at last. "We're going to do this new song on my new album," he told the crowd, "and I hope you guys like it-it's for my new wife." As Tim started singing "It's your love," Faith joined him onstage. The roar of the hometown crowd was deafening. Tim delivered the song as he gazed into the eyes of his radiant new bride. During the heart felt ballad, Tim lovingly touched Faith's face several times and ended the song with a long hug and a passionate kiss.
As the sun set on Rayville, the softball game and the concert were over, the country music wedding of the year was history, $70,000 had been raised and Tim and Faith, arm in arm, walked toward his bus.
As Faith said, it was a day of "complete happiness."
