friendly society
Quaker weddings. Highly recommended.
The couple marry each other. No third party symbolic proxy as a represenative of a god. No-one gives the bride away. The couple make a public commitment to each other in a way that suits their own personal relationship with their god. Everyone shares meditative silence, interspersed with thoughts, poems and music as the spirit provides, followed by tea and cake. Then all the guests sign a wedding certificate for the couple to keep.
There is a fabulous peacefulness, equality and equanimity about the occassion.
The couple used a classic VW camper van to take them from the ceremony to the field that hosted the reception. The same camper van provided the bride and groom with a place to spend their wedding night.
In the reception field, a marquee tent hosted a blue grass band, bands with brass sections, inflatable chairs, and oodles of wedding guests. The field also hosted the guests tents, fireworks, fire and pathways of candles carved through the grass. During the fireworks I snuck off to keep warm by a fire where I was leant a much needed pair of long, black, thermal leg warmers. All around excellentness.
May 6th, 2009
this all sounds extremely civilised. and you seem to have better weather than us
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May 6th, 2009
All sounds very decent and rather more personal than the usual fuss-laded nuptials.
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