South Padre Island was a place of beauty this weekend. There was not a cloud anywhere in the sky on Saturday, nor could there be. Not on the day it became official. Vipers assistant coach Jai Steadman got married to the now former Sally Delgado of Pharr at Beach Access 7 on Gulf Blvd.

Outdoor weddings can be scary. What if it rains? What if it’s windy? What if it’s cloudy? But, like the relationship Jai and Sally have had for a good year now, it was a perfect day. You could not find a better day to have a beach wedding.

It was a true Vipers event. When we walked in, we walked past the Vipers bus, with Homer in the driver’s seat, which contained the bride. As we walked we got our photos taken by Dana and Dutch Cowgill, the best team photographers in the NBA Development League. Our staff was there, there was even an Austin Toros coach (Taylor Jenkins) in the groom’s party. Vice President Shu Muthyala was the best man. Not that our titles or rolls mattered for this day. It was not ours, but Jai and Sally’s.

Sally was escorted down the aisle by her two sons. The wedding contained many traditions from their cultures and, like the day and the occasion, it was perfect.

I was happy to see it happen for a number of reasons. Jai has been a close friend of mine for at least a year and a half, if not longer. I like to see him happy. What’s more is that Sally embraced all of Jai’s friends right away, including many feasts (can you say lasagna?) at their house in which Sally cooked for staff and players.

Pretty  much from the first time I saw Jai and Sally together, I knew it would be forever. When Jai told me he was going to propose, to me he wasn’t really asking a question that he needed to be nervous about. We all knew what the answer would be.

Working for the Vipers has given me an extended family. From the front office to the coaching staff, we’re a tight-knit group. It certainly helps to ease being 2,000 miles away from home. So this was an extra special event. To add to it, Jai and Sally allowed me to bring my girlfriend, who they had never met, and yet were extremely nice to. I would imagine that, if I was getting married, I’d find it strange to be meeting people for the first time at the wedding. Not Jai or Sally. They brought us up to take pictures with them after the ceremony and we had a great time at the reception.

Jai and Sally Steadman

Still, this was their night. From the first dance as a married couple to the kiss with the grapefruit sun setting in the background to the groom’s cake shaped as the state of Nebraska (there really is nothing better for a man with as much pride in his home as Jai), everything was simply perfect.

Couldn’t have happened to a nicer family.