Today's diary is by me, Kentucky Kat, and Love (if she gets out of bed)-- tnichlsn has asked us to share our ceremony and some pictures from our wedding and reception. We do not have the professional pictures yet...but we will share some of the photos taken by family and friends.
There will be no political content today though we obviously hope that you will consider our love for eachother as a reason to support and advocate for marriage equality.
We should also make it clear up front that this was not a christian ceremony. I am an atheist and Love is Druidic. So, join us across the fold for the ceremony.
Officiant: Blessed be all those who attend this glorious celebration, not only those of you who are here today but also those from far away places who join us in spirit. We are gathered here to love and support these women who join themselves in a ritual of love, not to make a solemn promise, or to exchange a sacred vow, as they have done those long ago in their hearts. The reason we are all here today is to make public their commitment, to witness them say again their vow, aloud and in our presence, out of their desire that we will all feel a very real and intimate part of their decision, and thus make it even more powerful.
Let all who are present, be here of their own free will and let all hearts join to charge this ceremony with pure and perfect love on this happy day. Let this be a day of gladness, thanksgiving, possibility, and good fortune for all of us, especially Kentucky Kat and KKats Love who are coming together to demonstrate the wonder of love through the celebration of their marriage.
Hear now the words of Plato as he speaks of the power of the Love that brings us together.
From Plato's "Symposium"
Humans have never understood the power of Love, for if they had they would surely have built noble temples and altars and offered solemn sacrifices; but this is not done, and most certainly ought to be done, since Love is our best friend, our helper, and the healer of the ills which prevent us from being happy.
To understand the power of Love, we must understand that our original human nature was not like it is now, but different. Human beings each had two sets of arms, two sets of legs, and two faces looking in opposite directions. There were three sexes then: one comprised of two men called the children of the Sun, one made of two women called the children of the Earth, and a third made of a man and a woman, called the children of the Moon. Due to the power and might of these original humans, the Gods began to fear that their reign might be threatened. They sought for a way to end the humans’ insolence without destroying them.
It was at this point that Zeus divided the humans in half. After the division the two parts of each desiring their other half, came together, and throwing their arms about one another, entwined in mutual embraces, longing to grow into one. So ancient is the desire of one another which is implanted in us, reuniting our original nature, making one of two, and healing the state of humankind.
Each of us when separated, having one side only, is but the indenture of a person, and we are always looking for our other half. Those whose original nature lies with the children of the Sun are men who are drawn to other men, those from the children of the Earth are women who love other women, and those from the children of the Moon are men and women drawn to one another. And when one of us meets our other half, we are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy, and would not be out of the other’s sight even for a moment. We pass our whole lives together, desiring that we should be melted into one, to spend our lives as one person instead of two, and so that after our death there will be one departed soul instead of two; this is the very expression of our ancient need. And the reason is that human nature was originally one and we were a whole, and the desire and pursuit of the whole is called Love.
Before Kentucky Kat and KKats Love exchange their vows, I wish to speak you, the guests.
In Address to the Guests
Officiant: There are families of blood and families of heart. The families we are born into and the families we find throughout our lives. As you are the families of these two who are now to be joined, I now ask you. Will you encourage and bless Kentucky Kat and KKats Love in their Union? Will you celebrate their joining, standing beside them in rough times, yet not standing between them. If so answer now "I will"
Answer: I will.
Kentucky Kat and KKats Love, you are aware of the reality of the vows you are about to speak to one another; of the responsibility that comes when a partnership is created. If there is any reason within your hearts that this ceremony should not continue at this time, I charge you to voice it now, for marriage is based in honesty and trust, and only with those things can you successfully create a partnership.
In Address to the Partners
OFFICIANT: What is your name?
Kentucky Kat
OFFICIANT: And what is your desire?
To join with she whom I love.
OFFICIANT: What is your name?
KKats Love
OFFICIANT: And what is your desire?
To join with she whom I love.
[OFFICIANT] Please join hands with your betrothed and listen to that which I am about to say.
Above you are the stars, below you are the stones, as time doth pass, remember...
Like a stone should your love be firm and like a star should your love be constant. Let the powers of the mind and of the intellect guide you in your marriage, let the strength of your wills bind you together, let the power of love and desire make you happy, and the strength of your dedication make you inseparable. Be close, but not too close. Possess one another, yet be understanding. Have patience with one another, for storms will come, but they will pass quickly.
Be free in giving affection and warmth. Have no fear and let not the ways of the unenlightened give you unease.
The couple will now exchange their vows.
(Officiant asks brides to face each other and take hands right to right, left to left)
(Officiant takes cord from its box)
[OFFICIANT] The lover's knot, or knot of destiny, will now be tied in the name of Love. (Officiant ties hands in infinity symbol). With this cord, I bind you to the vows that you are about to make. As your hands are bound together now, so your lives and spirits are joined in a union of joy, love, trust, and mutual support. This bond I draw between you: That though you are parted in mind or in body, there will be a call in the core of you, one to the other, to which no one else will answer. By the secrets of earth and water this bond woven--unbreakable, irrevocable; by the law that created fire and wind this call is set in you, in life and beyond life.
Now please speak the vows you have chosen:
Kentucky Kat
I, Kentucky Kat, in the name of the spirit that resides within us all, by the life that courses within my blood, and the love that resides within my heart, take thee, KKats Love to my hand, my heart, and my spirit to be my chosen one. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people, and thy ways as I respect myself.
-*-*-*-*-*-
KKats Love
I, KKats Love, in the name of the spirit that resides within us all, by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, take thee Kentucky Kat to my hand, my heart, and my spirit, to be my chosen one. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people, and thy ways as I respect myself.
-*-*-*-*-*-
OFFICIANT: With this binding I tie you, heart to heart, together as one. KKats Love and Kentucky Kat, together repeat after me...Heart to thee...soul to thee...body to thee...forever and always...and so it is! With this knot you are joined in sacred union. May you be blessed with love, happiness, peace, health, and prosperity.
Second Reading
From The Art of Power
-- Thicht Nacht Hahn
The Buddha spoke about four elements that constitute true love: the capacity to be kind and offer happiness, maitri in Sanskrit, compassion, the capacity to relieve suffering, karuna; the capacity to bring joy every day, mudita; and finally, the capacity of nondiscrimination, upeksha (oo pek' shuh). When there is true love, there is nondiscrimination. The pain of the other is our own pain; the happiness of the other is our own happiness...To make our love meaningful, we need to nourish our bodhicitta, our mind of boundless love and compassion...First, we learn to love one person with all our understanding and insight; then we expand that love to embrace another person, and another, until our love is truly boundless.
Lighting of the Unity Candle
I will now untie the knot so that Kentucky Kat and KKats Love may light their unity candle, as a symbol of their pasts joining to their future. The candles from which they light it represent each of them in the fullness of their personhood, as well as those helped them become who they are. They come into their marriage relationship as individuals and they do not lose their identity, rather they create through their commitment the relationship of marriage. Therefore, three candles remain lit, one for each of them and one for their marriage as symbols of their commitment to each other and to a lasting and loving marriage.
Final Blessing
We recognize with full awareness that only a couple can administer the sacrament of marriage to each other, and only a couple can sanctify it. Neither a church, nor any power of the state, can grant me the authority to declare what only two hearts can declare, and what only two souls can make real. And so now, inasmuch as you, Kentucky Kat, and you, KKats Love, have announced the truths that are already written in your hearts, and have witnessed the same in the presence of these, your family and friends we observe joyfully that you have declared yourself to be... wives. (Kiss)
Kentucky Kat and KKats Love, in honor of the vows that you have spoken today, I give you this final blessing:
Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness,
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies,
But there is one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place,
To enter into the days of your togetherness.
And may your days be good and long upon the earth
To the Guests: You have witnessed the promises made by Kentucky Kat and KKats Love one to another, and the binding of their lives. They are now connected to experience together whatever life may bring them.