Crane helped choose my dress, he was there when I tried it on, he helped me get ready before the wedding, and we arrived together. There was no “old, new, something blue”. We chose to not have any bridemaids, groomsmen, flowergirls, or ringbearers. We did away with the aisle, and nobody “gave me away”. I did not wear a veil. We did not exchange rings (as they were already tattooed on our fingers!). We did not throw my beautiful basket of lambs ear, and I did not wear a garter. We decided that all these traditions and superstitions were silly and unnecessary. We just went and did the ceremony, then partied afterward. Crane’s best friend, Thomas, is the officiant. We are indeed standing on top of a picnic table. And yes, we totally toppled over at the end. It was completely accidental. Nobody was hurt. I wouldn’t have it any other way. (Sorry about the sound; the roar in the background is the generator we were using to power the DJ’s equipment, since the venue did not have electricity. The generator really wasn’t that loud in person. The camera just happened to pick that particular noise up especially well.) Music: “Besaido Island” composed by Masashi Hamauzu
Friends, we are gathered together this morning here and in this park to bless and to witness the joining together of these two people, Bonny Ann Haupt and Oleg Vladimirivich Turayev in Christian marriage. … Bonny and Oleg come this morning to give themselves to one another in this holy covanent. … Bonny, will you have Oleg to be your husband, to live together in holy marriage, to love and comfort him, to honor and keep him in sickness and in health and forsaking all others to be faithful to him so long as you both shall live? If so please say “I will.” “I will.” (Same for Oleg) … Oleg and Bonny have chosen for their ceremony 2 very pertanent scripture passages. I’d like to share them with you, here, this morning. First from the 2nd chapter of The Song of Solomon. One of the most beautiful chapters in The Bible which talks about King Solomon as he speeks about how his wife has made an impact in his life and how he has decided to dedicate himself to her. Song of Solomon 2:16 My lover is mine, and I am his. And then from the 4th chapter of Eclesiasties: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn …
(Sorry about the sound; the roar in the background is the generator we were using to power the DJ’s equipment, since the venue did not have electricity. The generator really wasn’t that loud in person. The camera just happened to pick that particular noise up especially well.) Music: “Besaido Island” composed by Masashi Hamauzu