Because we realize that this ceremony is very different from any that our guests are likely to have attended, we thought we would take a little space in this booklet to explain what the ceremony and its elements mean to us.

The overarching symbol of the ceremony is uniting our lives.  We process in, gathering our dearest friends in the order that our friendships developed with them.  As we get closer to the ceremony point, our mothers greet us. This symbolizes our birth, and they offer us a drink of milk as they did when we were babies.  After this, both of our parents escort us to meet each other at the point where the rest of the ceremony will take place.  Soon after the ceremony starts, you will be asked to bring the beads you brought for us.  These symbolize how you view us.  These beads will be strung into necklaces as the reverend reads a story, symbolizing our development through childhood.  After the story is finished, we will present the necklaces to one another, symbolically presenting our whole selves to the other and accepting the whole person as spouse.  Following this, the reverend will offer us a sip of water, to cleanse and refresh us before we take our official, formal vows.  The exchange of formal vows symbolizes our adult relationship, placing simple gold bands on our fingers as a traditionally recognized symbol of the endlessness of our commitment.  Our guests will then be asked to hold hands as our parents bind our wrists, symbolizing the commitment of our families to support our union.  After our hands are bound, the matron of honor will pour wine into our goblets, and we will drink first from our own, and then from the other’s cup.  The red wine symbolizes the intoxication of love, the responsibilities of adulthood, and the blood flowing through our veins.  The reverend will then remove the physical bind from our wrists, pronounce us husband and wife, and we’re sure you know what comes after that!