In July, I was go glad that Jordynn and Ryon decided to marry indoors. They were, too. They both looked cool and relaxed at this sweet intimate ceremony for only family and close friends. Since they were joining families from two cultures they had elements of both cultures in their ceremony.
They're a delightful couple. They seemed so calm and easy going that they were able to just concentrate on each other and drink in the power of this moment. I love it when a couple can be present at their ceremony because they let go of the nervousness and know that nothing can go wrong in such a moment of love.
While the ceremony was in the format and style of a western ceremony, they served tea to their parents in the ceremony. While they served the tea, their friend read the section 'On Children' from Kahlil Gibran's wonderful book 'The Prophet.'
Their friend offered this lovely poem from Marge Piercy's book, "The Art of Blessing the Day"
======================
The day I forget to write
the day I forget to feed the cat
the day I forget to love you
the day I forget your name
and then my own.
Until then I will not cease
this spinning pattern: part weave
of skeins of soft wool to keep
us warm, to clothe our too open
flesh, to decorate us –
and part dance, through woods
where roots trip me, a dance
through meadows of rabbit holes
and old ribs of plowing hidden
under thick grass.
Until then I will whirl
through my ragged days.
Like a spindle, like a dreydl
I will turn in the center
of my intricate weave
spelling your name in my dance
in my weaving, in my work,
your hidden name which
is simply, finally,
love.
Then they exchanged vows and rings, with the lovely classic sentence, ' I give you this ring ....as a pledge of my love ....and as a symbol of our unity.'
They created a unique ceremony blending a wine ceremony with a red string ceremony customary in China. According
to Chinese legend, our fates regarding marriage partners are determined by the
Old Man Under the Moon, who uses red string to link the feet of boys and girls
who are destined to become marriage partners. This ensures that they will
ultimately meet. This explains the popular saying, “Those whom fate binds
together will find each other though separated by a thousand miles.”
This was such a lovely ceremony that another couple where one member of the couple is Chinese requested this same ceremony in their wedding.
They had wonderful professionals helping to make their wedding special. Their photographer was friend, Christopher Chao. Their florist was Victoria Park Florist, in Chapel Hill. Their cake was from Miel Bon Bons in Carrboro, their catering was by Extravagant Fare, in Durham, and their musicians were from Big Woods Music and their DJ was Bill Smith from Bill Smith's Magic of Music.
I loved being a part of their wedding. It was a privilege to see our world growing smaller in distance and yet larger in love before my eyes.
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