The Deed Is Done, They Are One! The Marriage of Megan and Jess - Part Four

Well there were no cold feet to be found on Saturday morning. The brides were ecstatic, and the weather held (barely!) and so on went the wedding! The ceremony was conducted on a beach near Falmouth, Cape Cod. We made a smallish circle outlined by beach rocks, and energetically "smudged" the boundary to establish a space of welcoming. A half-dozen chairs were set up for the moms and those few who otherwise weren't comfortable on the ground. For all the rest we put down straw mats. Everything had to be weighted down with rocks because the wind was howling. On the upsind side of the circle, we created a smaller circle for the participants. Flanking them were two bamboo poles stuck into the sand.


Jess and Megan - Now married!

After a short opening welcome by Yours Truly, Reverend Nataraj, each of the bride's Best People made a statement about their friend, and about their marriage. It really was sweet, and demonstrated that Jess and Megan had chosen each other wisely and their closest friends knew it. Next the two exchanged their vows to each other. They were quite moving, and both managed to say them loud and clear so that all could hear. Next I led them through a series of vows taken, at their request, from Buddhist tradition.


The Brides and the Rev

Earlier, most of the guests had an opportunity to write wishes for the couple on a ribbon. After the vows, the guests were invited to tie their ribbon onto one of the bamboo poles. Anyone who had not created a ribbon in advance had a chance to do so on the spot. With the strong wind, the beribboned poles were really something to see. The ceremony ended with the brides exiting the space through a passage of friends and families blowing bubbles.


The Wedding Party - Stephanie, Megan, Jess, Jim, and Derek