The Nerds Wedding Week: Day Two - The Ceremony (From Nicole's Perspective)

Hello again! Today we're going to talk about our nerdy and very awesome wedding ceremony from Nicole's point of view! The ceremony was held at the Beekay Theatre, which has a very special place in our hearts. We performed in three productions on the Beekay's stage, and it was also where TJ chose to propose.

Appearing one night only!

The bridesmaids wore black dresses and black Converse shoes, the groomsmen and ushers wore black cut-away coats and trousers with green vests and ties while rocking the black Converse as well. The adorable flower girl (my daughter) wore a cute green dress with black Converse low tops and the bridal escorts (my sons) wore kilts (Black Watch tartan for those interested) with black Converse high tops. Everyone looked awesome.

Not like I noticed though, because as soon as I walked down the right aisle making my entrance in front of the stage, all I saw was TJ. He looked absolutely handsome in his black cut-away coat, grey vest and grey ascot. He looked like he could have been getting married in the English countryside, if it were not for the black Converse high tops I could see peeking out at the bottom of his trouser legs. He already had tears in his eyes, and in those eyes I could see pure happiness and excitement.

As I got to the center stairs, I gave my two handsome escorts a quick kiss on the cheek before they took their seats with Nana. I then carefully navigated the steps as I took my place in front of my groom.

Our officiant was a friend of ours that we had met while auditioning for the play, "It's a Wonderful Life." He happened to be the director, and as time has gone by, we've become very close to his family. When we were trying to decide on who would officiate, we knew that we would need someone who is not afraid to speak, who understood our feelings about what we wanted for the ceremony, and someone that meant a lot to us. Doug is all of these things.

I honestly can't remember what was said at first, all I can remember is looking up at TJ's face, watching as his eyes would glisten until the tears would finally need to be wiped away. I began to feel my own eyes well up, the feeling of happiness was just overwhelming.

After Doug finished with his opening and his charge to TJ and I, we had the "Apache Wedding Blessing" read by our friend Valinda. The blessing goes like this:

Now you will feel no rain
For each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now each of you will feel no cold
For each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no loneliness for you
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two persons
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.

 After the blessing we had a handfasting performed by another friend of ours who we had also met through "It's A Wonderful Life." I had made the handfasting cord myself and on each end was a charm that signified TJ or me. TJ's charm was the fleur de lis, a symbol of his French heritage and love of medieval symbolism. My charm was a Celtic knot, a nod to my Celtic heritage and a symbol of the timeless nature of our spirit. The handfasting went like this:

Above you are the stars, below you are the stones, as time doth pass, remember...

Like a stone should your love be firm 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, for the God and Goddess is with you always.

 After the handfasting, TJ made a vow to love the children as his own, to love them and to care for them. It was a very tender moment, and we all sealed the vow with a family hug. The kids then took their seats once more and we began the vows we had written ourselves. Just a warning, we used our nerdy sense of humor in writing them, and these were mine:

In the words of Ben Folds: “I don't get many things right the first time, in fact, I am told that a lot. Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles, the falls, brought me here.” Nothing could be truer about this moment. As a believer in fate, I know with everything that I am, that we are meant to be together. In you I have not only found a best friend, companion, and partner for the zombie apocalypse, but my one and true soul mate. With you I have found something that is just as valuable as love, peace. We have encountered many obstacles in our relationship, but hand in hand we climbed each mountain, weathered every storm, slayed each dragon, strengthening our bond with each hurdle. In the campaign of life, you are the cleric to my ranger, and with our combined modifiers and skills we will crit whatever the DM of life throws at us.

As we are about to legally commit ourselves to one another, these are my promises: I promise to always be more understanding, than critical. I promise to encourage rather than dishearten. To trust you and respect you. To always be by your side no matter what obstacles may be in our path. And to love generously and selflessly every day even in that sleep of death what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil. I look forward to every moment as husband and wife, beginning with this.

 TJ, not one to be upstaged, countered with the sweetest, nerdiest, and funniest vows I had ever heard. Try and count the nerdy references he makes:

On this most excellent occasion, we declare to our friends and family our everlasting love for each other. Although before this day we have been practically married, this ceremony makes my declaration of love for you official. No one can tell us who we are to love but us, no authority can deny our affections, for there is no thing greater, imagined or real, than love shared.

These things I vow to you now:

I promise that I will take up the master sword to defeat our Gannons. I will be your paladin to protect and heal you. I will be your phoenix down when you have fainted.

 When you are cold and lonely, I'll cover you. When you got one nickel only, I'll cover you. When I touch you I feel happy inside, it's such a feeling I cant hide. Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down... sorry. (Yes, he rickrolled me!)

I will be your scruffy looking nerf herder. Hear this now: I will always come for you.

 

After this we exchanged rings, and were declared husband and wife and sealed our commitment with a kiss, after nearly thirteen years from when we had started this journey, we were finally there. We walked back down the aisle as husband and wife, to the sound of applause, cheers, and Taio Cruz's "Telling the World." 

 Ever part in my heart I'm giving out

Every song on my lips I'm singing out
Any fear in my soul I'm letting go
And anyone who asks I'll let them know

She's the one, she's the one
I say it loud
She's the one, she's the one
I say it proud

Ring a bell, Ring a bell
For the whole crowd
Ring a bell, Ring a bell

I'm telling the world
That I've found a girl
The one I can live for
The one who deserves 

To give all the light, a reason to fly 

The one I can live for, a reason for life