Married at last!

Well with the downward mood my mom popped out and helped get things together two weeks before my wedding for a week. It completely helped me get motivated so that I wasn’t so stressed.

It turned out to be a gorgeous day, and a wonderful event. I was slightly worried that many people who are Christian in faith might be a bit bothered by the handfasting ceremony but all I did was get compliments on it! I don’t have pictures back yet but will some time this week!

Here is the actual ceremony:

Jennifer and Justin, May 22, 2009

Good friends, we come here today to witness the joyous celebration of the love between Jennifer and Justin, supporting them in their decision to be joined as one in the sight of this company and of the Gods.

Love is a friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad. It settles for less than perfection, and makes allowances for human weakness. Love is content with the present. It hopes for the future and it doesn’t brood over the past. It’s the day-in and day-out chronicle of irritations, problems, compromises, small disappointments, big victories, and working toward common goals. If you have love in your life, it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you don’t have it, no matter what else there is, it is not enough, so search for it, ask God for it, and share it!

Officiant: Who comes forward to give Jennifer to Justin in marriage?

Father: Her family and I.

Officiant: With the blessing of the father, Jennifer and Justin now come forward to be joined in marriage.

In times past it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West, and North. It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony.

East: Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East. Communication of the heart, mind, and body Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.

South: Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South. Warmth of hearth and home. The heat of the heart’s passion. The light created by both to lighten the darkest of times.

West: Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West. The deep commitments of the lake. The swift excitement of the river. The refreshing cleansing of the rain. The all encompassing passion of the sea, bring you the power of deep emotions and nurturing love.

North: Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North. Firm foundation on which to build fertility of the fields to enrich your lives. A stable home to which you may always return. The powers of solid support and enduring love.

THE VOWS:

"Do you vow to keep open your hearts and minds, that neither words nor the lack of them shall ever cause a silence to dwell between you that your love can not bridge?"
Bride and Groom: We do.

"Do you vow to ever remember to take joy in life and in each other, never forgetting it is the matters of the heart that are real?"
Bride and Groom: We do.

"Do you vow to share whatever burdens the mundane world may present, in that overcoming them together your spirits shall grow towards a common hope, dream and reality?"
Bride and Groom: We do.

Do you vow to ever love and cherish each other, keeping sacred above all else, the place your hearts hold for one another?"
Bride and Groom: We do.

Rings:

Let us all bless these rings! These rings are circles, symbols that remind us of the Sun, and the Earth, and the universe. Symbols of holiness, of perfection and peace … that which has no beginning and no end. And so, in this moment, let us all bring our blessing to these rings so that they may remain symbols of unity and commitment. Grant that the love which Jennifer and Justin have for each other now may always be as unending as these rings.

These are the rings that Jennifer and Justin will wear for the rest of their lives, that express the love that they have for one another. Let us take a moment and send our prayers, our thoughts and our love to these rings, so that as they wear them, they will carry our love with them as well.

(Jennifer takes Justin’s ring and places it on his finger)

Justin, repeat after me:

Groom: Each day, as I wear this ring, I will renew the vows I have made.

(Justin takes Jennifer’s ring and places it on her finger)

Jennifer, repeat after me:

Bride: Each day, as I wear this ring, I will renew the vows I have made.

Handfasting: (Here is the longer part)
High Priestess: I bid you look into each others eyes.

HP to Bride: Will you cause him pain?
B: I may
HP: Is that your intent?
B: No

To Groom: Will you cause her pain?
Groom: I may
HP: Is that your intent?
G: No

HP To Both: Will you share each other’s pain and seek to ease it?
B&G: Yes

HP: And so the binding is made, Join your hands
*First cord is draped across the b&g hands*

HP: Will you share his laughter?
B: Yes
HP: Will you share her laughter?
G: Yes

To Both
Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?
B&G: Yes
HP: So the binding is made.
*Second cord is draped across the couples hands*

Will you burden him?
B: I may
Is that your intent?
B: No

Will you burden her?
G: I may
Is that your intent?
G: No

To Both: Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?
B&G: yes

And so the binding is made.
*Drape the third cord across the couples hands*

Will you share his dreams?
B: Yes
Will you share her dreams?
G: Yes

To both:
Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?
B&G: Yes

And so the binding is made.
*Drape the fourth cord across the couples hands*

Will you cause him anger?
B: I may
Is that your intent?
B: No

Will you cause her anger?
G: I may
Is that your intent?
B: no

To Both: Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?
B&G: Yes

And so the binding is made.
*Drape the fifth cord across the couples hands*

Will you honor him?
B: I will
Will you honor her?
G: I will
To Both: Will you seek to never give cause to break that honor?
B&G We will

And so the binding is made.
*Drape the sixth cord across the couples hands*

*Tie the cords together while saying*
The knots of this binding are not formed by these cords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the cords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.

Above you are the stars
below you are the stones
as time does pass
Remember
Like a star should your love be constant
Like a stone should your love be firm
Be close, but not too close
Posses one another, but be understanding
Have patience each with the other
For storms will come, but they will go quickly
Be free in the giving of affection and warmth
Make love often, and be sensuous with one another
Have no fear and let not the ways or words
of the unenlightened give you unease
For the Goddess and the God are with you,
Now and Always.

Your vows are well spoken. Before your friends and family, before the elements, and before God and Goddess I declare you to be handfasted as husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.

Ladies and Gentlemen, by the powers vested in me by the State of Missouri and the Lord and Lady, I present to you Mr. And Mrs. Justin and Jennifer Cravens.

I was pretty sure I was going to pass out. I had been calm all day prior while getting my hair and nails done, while getting dressed, while driving to the park, everything.. but the moment I stepped out on to the grass I got a little nervous. Then when it was my turn to walk down the aisle, I was freaked out, had to force myself to do deep breathing or I was going to hyperventalate.

Oddly enough even though I am a LARP’er and have had to be the center of attention, this was sooooooooo different. I’ve had players stare at me and watch, but for some odd reason this was completely different.

What I remember most is that I needed to breathe… I don’t recall Justin putting my ring on my finger, I do recall putting his on his finger, I recall the 6 bindings, as I remember counting them as my officiant (a woman) went through them. I didn’t stop shaking until 3/4ths the way through the receiving line!

Receptions are pretty rushed as well it seems. From one traditional activity to the next. I barely had a chance to sit although while friends where dancing I took advantage of sitting and socializing with other friends!

I do recall all I wanted was sleep! I had had a total of three hours sleep from the night before and a nap in the afternoon.

It was amazing though, everything I could possibly have wanted as a little girl! A man who loves me enough to tolerate me, a beautiful dress, a beautiful ceremony, friends and family to share it with, and cake!

ps I still have lots of cake lol.