The Play's The Thing

I wrote a pre-ceremony play. It was a fairy tale version of how Mike and I got together in the style of Midsummer Night's Dream. I thought it semed like a fun idea, but I was afriad that Mike would try to overcomplicate the production or our non-actor wedding party wouldn't want to do it. It was also a surprise to eveyone except the cast. It was super hard not to get excited and spill the beans.

In the end everyone did a wonderful job. I was beyond thrilled. I knew my lines, but it hardly mattered. I was getting married and my brain was buzzing so I could bearly remember my own name. The end got muddled because a cue was missed and my stool was in the wrong spot, but on the whole I give it two thumbs up.

So here for your reading pleasure is our play:

Prologue:

Narrator Enters Clears Throat Loudly

Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is my charge to narrate the tale which led to this exchange of vow. A quick bit of business first, belief in magic and fairies is not required but would greatly enhance your evening. Also, photography is encouraged and sincere applause is more than welcome. Now, we begin as is customary, at the beginning...(short pause Oberon and Titania enter) There once was a king and a queen. Their passionate love for one another caused storms aplenty as well as sweet breezes and flowers, they were fairies. Fairies' love runs deeper and lives longer than that of any mortal, frustrating as that may be.

Their love blossomed into a beautiful girl child. She had golden hair and emerald eyes. Her parents loved her intensely even when they railed at one another. During one severe disagreement, Oberon secretly gave her to a mortal family on Earth to spite his queen. You see, fairies are not born with wings.

Oberon mixed up a forgetting potion and gently administered it while Titania was asleep. Years passed as they are inclined to do.

Enter Puck, Oberon joins.

Oberon: Greetings mysterious servant mine. Whither dost thou wander?
Puck: (giving a short bow) Her majesty is plagued, your grace, with fitful dreams and bade me gather forget-me-nots. She will mix a memory potion and free the lost thought that haunts her sleep so.
Oberon: (fearful) Aye me... Imp. If such thought be found, I will be lost.
Puck: (delighting in the King's sudden panic as it's an opportunity for mischief) Sire?
Oberon: Do as the queen bids you, else she will sense something amiss. Report her reclaimed memories to me with haste.
Puck nods his understanding and exits with purpose.
Oberon exits.

Titania enters, applies a potion to her eyes and lays down to sleep.
Puck creeps in quietly.
Puck: Dream you, my lovely mistress?
Titania: (talking in her sleep) Aye, wanderer. Echoes of memories rain down upon me.
Puck: Be they pleasant or most foul, lady?
Titania: A chaos most daunting. Voices and songs.
Puck: Songs, highness?
Titania: I sung lullabies most sweet.
Puck: Sung to what manner of creature? Use fingers to make donkey ears
Titania: An enchanting babe with golden hair. A fairy?
Puck understands at once and crosses to Oberon who paces on the other side of the stage

Puck bows very low. He is abuzz to see what the king will do with his news
Oberon: Oberon reads Puck's expression She has remembered much...
Puck smiles
Oberon: Smile you on my misfortune, knave? What must we do to soothe her wrath when so much can not be undone.
Puck: Perhaps, sire, if the girl returned?
Oberon: She can not. I was foolish to make the deal I did, but once the bargain was made it could not be undone. Even upon the death of the human child I traded her for. Foolish was that contract. What woe will my queen wake to now?
Puck: Shall I spy upon your daughter now grown so you may comfort your queen with tales of her?
Oberon: Your scheme intrigues, but be she dead or downtrodden we are undone. Go you hence. Make your discoveries and report with haste. All must be discovered before my queen awakes.
Puck exits
Oberon paces
Puck returns
Oberon: Why so long gone my minion? Found you her in good health and high spirits, speak some comfort fool!
Puck: She is lovely, wise and kind.
Oberon: That is no news, sprite. How doth she?
Puck: Aye, lord there's the rub.
Oberon grabs Puck by the shirt and shakes him
Oberon: (threatening) If you have been up to your foolish tricks-
Puck: Not I sire! I merely did your bidding! All that is unwell is the doing of mortal folly, none of my own, great king.
Oberon releases Puck
Oberon: She knows not who she is?
Puck: No sire.
Oberon: Have neither she nor he followed the dreams?
Puck nods
Oberon: We will simply, unite them so she may return to us. Mortals are easily led.
Puck laughs mischievously
Oberon: (shoots Puck a warning glance) Do as I behest. If you botch or confuse your charge I shall smite you with twice the fury that my spiteful queen will do so unto me when she wakes.
All exit

Puck and Oberon Enter. (Titania no longer sleeps on stage)
Oberon: How now? Doth all go to plan?
Puck: They were many, many miles apart and preoccupied each with their own folly when I came upon them in their sleep. Each I commanded to listen to their dreams. Each woke and embarked on a journey to find the other. They are drawn one to another without my tricks.
Oberon: Where doth the young man?
Puck: Here comes he, great Oberon
Enter Mike and groomsman engaged in quiet conversation
Oberon: Is he...worthy?
Puck: An artist of fame in this land.
Oberon: And she?
Puck: Comes a great distance, sire.
Oberon: Fie! The queen will surely wake. Can mortals do nothing quickly?
Puck: No.

Mike and groomsman unaware they are being watched begin to speak in a normal volume
Mike: (defending himself) And I say it was more than a mere dream.
Petevolio: I merely suggest that your immediacy is unfounded. How can you know she is near? Or whether she lives at all?
Randalt: A hallucination, surely. A dream phantom, no more.
Mike: Much more. I'll not be dissuaded by you or any man.

Oberon: He speaks well, perhaps I'll not hate him as a son in law
Petevolio: Least we make merry at this folly of a celebration!
Randalt: A celebration of love before even an introduction
Mike: You jest, but you will see that all is more than well my friends
Petevolio: Let us go and crush a glass to our friends happy delusions
Randalt: There are less pleasant ways to pass the hours
The mortals exit

Katie and her bridesmaids enter
Puck: She comes!!

Dianamona: excitedly Is this the estate you so dreamt? Is it as the dream foretold?
Sandelia: It matters little now. We have arrived.
Katie: Have we? I don't feel weary though the journey was long.
Sandelia: Are you sure you are not unwell my lady? We left in such haste. I feared...illness
Dianamona: Aye, me. I am winded, but it's so romantic a task I need not rest
Katie: Our destination is here and...a ball is beginning
Sandelia: Should we just enter so? Taking no precautions? What if the fairies are having sport with us?
Dianamona: Then they shall have it! Let's be merry awhile.
Dianamona starts to walk on, but Sandelia stops her
Sandelia give them masks
Sandelia: I pray you ladies wear these awhile. If all is well you can cast them aside.
Katie: Onward, onward I am not driven all this way to be so still

Mike enters with groomsman behind guests
They seem in better spirits now that the party's started
Mike scans the wedding guests and doesn't see who he's looking for
Katie's bridesmaids surround her onstage

Puck: Our work is all but done.
Oberon: Aye, let's away before the queen wakes!
Puck and Oberon exit

Narrator enters
Bride, Groom etc exit
Narrator: I shall tell you, gentle folk, first and show you anon. Patience, as I unfold the ending joy of our tale. The king and servant returned as the queen began to stir.
Oberon, Puck and sleeping Titania have taken their places while he spoke Titania stirs, but doesn't wake yet
Puck and Oberon exchange glances
Through all that has come to pass Oberon loves his queen deeply. Looking upon her beautiful face melted all his fear away and he was left with only the desire to bring her peace about their child.
Titania wakes
Oberon helps her to her feet
Embracing her he gestures for Puck to leave
Puck leaves bowing
Oberon whispers in her ear
Titania's face reflects sadness, but not anger
Cast minus Puck resets
He leads her to the other side of the stage where it is as it was before
As for the fairy child and her separated love, they must of course unite under the watchful eyes of the rulers of the fairies.
Boys come forward
The girls part to reveal Katie
Mike sees her, knowing her even with the mask
He takes her hand and leads her to her stool
All is as it must be. Love prevails for fairy and mortal alike. Surmounting all distance and obstacles within and without. As true love must. So, in as a brief a tale as I could manage all is well. Things are and will be as happy (or not so) as love allows.

Call forth someone to unite these two with vows!

Aunt Nancy takes her place, nods to narrator
(Even briefer still those promises shall be, then all present rejoice and feast with me)
Katie turns her back to Mike
He removes her mask
She turns back, they smile
Wedding party takes their place
Send the ring bearer & flower girls across

CEREMONY!!

Happy Final Headcount Day!!

This my lovely venue where I went today to drop off my lovely final headcount. It was a bit like studyong for weeks and the exam finally being over. For all my grumbling we are in our ideal range after all, even considering the few people who haven't responded yet. It is just such a relief to move on from stupid RSVPs. I ran over right after physical therapy today.

They have a team of three event staff and as of this morning I had solely dealt with one of them. Today I met her boss and had a little chat. She was very nice. Turns out we don't need a valet for parking, phew! We discussed arrival times of vendors and how many chairs I'd want in a row for the ceremony (the boring stuff) first. Then we moved on to the mapping things out. As you can see, it's a big place.

We talked about where we could enter from and not be seen before hand, dramatic grand entrance! We discussed the best spots for our first look photos. So, romantic. I asked her to show me were all the photo spots I'd admired in other people's pictures were. She showed me the waterfall, the stage, the old gate, the stone wall and the meditation garden. Squeal. My idea is that we have the reveal shot and then Mike and I talk a little stroll in a certain corner of the garden while he snaps pictures. Yay!

We also compared ceremony spaces. I picked the Wedding Lawn (in the center) originally because I liked the openness of it, but the North Lawn could easily accommodate us and has a more intimate feel. Mike and I are considering switching. What's nice is the whole place is ours starting at 5pm so we can go/do whatever we want.

It seemed my enthusiasm and "interesting ideas" delighted her. I guess it would be boring to set up and break down the same old wedding over and over. What a nice wedding errand. I can't believe how much I worried about getting that paperwork done, it was really silly.

I even goofed on the floor plan a little. I forgot to draw a cake table. Maybe we'll cut it on the floor. My life has been all about guests and I forgot the cake. Check the venue errand off the to do list. See you at the rehearsal, Sunken Gardens!

The Readings

I realized I causally mentioned our readings in my last post and I never did do a post about what we chose. So, the first reading delivered by my dad will be an Irish Wedding Blessing. I love my Irish heritage, thoroughly enjoyed my time on the emerald isle and always dreamt of a St. Patrick's Day wedding. I'd heard the beginning many times, but never the complete prayer. Warning: you may cry (I do every time I read it).

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon the fields.
May the light of friendship guide your paths together.
May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.
May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips,
A twinkle from your eye.
And when eternity beckons, at the end of a life heaped high with love,
May the good Lord embrace you with the arms that have nurtured you the whole length of your joy-filled days.
May the gracious God hold you both in the palm of His hands.
And, today, may the Spirit of Love find a dwelling place in your hearts.
Amen.

Our second reading is from The Prophet by: Kahlil Gibran. This are his beautiful words on love abridged by Mike and I.

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
You shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Don't think we're all about making the guests cry I also enlisted my entire wedding party to each read a bit of an abridged version of Oh, The Places You'll Go at the reception to lead into toasts. I know everyone knows that one so I won't post it here. Oh, Dr. Seuss such wisdom.

Ceremony Structure

We had a meeting over the weekend with our officiant and decided on the details. I submitted a very basic outline of:

Ceremony Welcome
Irish Blessing-Read by my dad.
A word about the unity ceremony's significance.
Unity ceremony while Mike's dad reads Love passage.
Vows and Rings
Pronounce us Married.

There are so many moving parts within that simple structure so many words and details. I can see why most people go with the old standard. That being said she found some lovely wording and symbolic gestures in her research. Weddings are a very old concept and people have been writing lovely things about them for ages. So many options.

We chose not to do a hand fasting in our ceremony. It's a Celtic wedding tradition where the bride and groom's clasped hands are bound together and a prayer is said. It's thought to be the basis for "tying the knot". It's kind of a nice idea (and growing in popularity), but way too literal for Mike and I. I loved hearing all the options for those kind of symbolic moments though. We also opted out of breaking a glass, jumping a broom, sipping wine together and few others.

I think we're keeping it simple and deeply personal. We will invite God to bless our union (and family), our family and friends to show their support and hear the vows we wrote each other. Remember, it doesn't take much to be married. If you don't have the final word over any other part of your wedding day I think it's important to consider that your ceremony is the foundation on which you make promises to each other that should guide you through your lives together. Make it really count for you (the bride and groom).

I would also add if your religious beliefs allow don't make people wait too long to eat. Seriously, I think you can have an incredibly meaningful day and still be considerate of guests without going to far out of your way. That is hopefully what we have done.

Officianting Odds and Ends

Today I went to a cookie party at my cousin's house (Hi, Nedi!) and since I'm related to my officiant (Hi, Aunt Nancy!) we had a brief unofficial officiant meeting. I told her I hadn't made as much headway with the ceremony as I'd hoped (ie finished a rough draft). She's going to email me some options which is exciting. I also, discussed a unity ceremony. We're limited by our venue so we can not use open flame, but that's no biggie since I want the kids to take part and I don't trust either of them with fire.

I don't like the idea of using sand, dirt or food (coffee, wine, etc). So, something we can all four do together, safe for kids and not messy...Ideas?

Mike wants to combine chemicals that glow:

Lotus Bloosom Photography
But I haven't the foggiest how that would work..

I kind or like using water. Maybe water into a watering can and the watering a plant? It'd certainly be kid friendly and do-able in a botanical garden setting. I like the flowing of one family into another like rivers coming together and forming a larger body of water. I'm just not sure how that would work.

Vow Inspiration: Literary

General Sources

• Shakespeare (in general & Midsummer Night's Dream specifically)
• Dear Writer, Dear Actress: The Letters of Anton Chekhov & Olga Knipper
• Jewels of the Sun
Ok, it's a Nora Roberts novel, but it has a fairy prince with a love curse so I'm hoping it'll yield some theme related inspiration. I read the trilogy the spring I went to Ireland and really enjoyed them, but this is the only one I own. This one is the first book then there's Tears of the Moon and Heart of the Sea
• Dr. Seuss, don't laugh he made a lot of really good points. I may just use him for a reading though.
• The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I read it before I met Mike and then on a road trip we took turns reading it to each other it's so good. I highly recommend it.

One of my favorite Shakespeare quotes (that I used on my Save the Dates and wedding website) is from Comedy of Errors:
“It is thyself, mine own self's better part,
Mine eye's clear eye, my dear heart's dearer heart,
My food, my fortune and my sweet hope's aim,
My sole earth's heaven and my heaven's claim."
I also love this quote about rings from Richard III
Look, how this ring encompasseth finger;
Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart.
Wear both of them, for both of them are thine.
And if thy poor devoted servant may
But beg one favor at thy gracious hand,
Thou dost confirm his happiness forever.
You get the idea. No one does mushy stuff better than The Bard. There's a lot to choose from.

I don't want to give too much away, but here's a nice one Time Traveler's Wife:
There is only one page left to write on. I will fill it with words of only one syllable. I love. I have loved. I will love.
And
But you make me happy. It's living up to being happy that's the difficult part.

If you wrote your own vows/ceremony what books did you use for inspiration? What were your readings?

As You Wish...

Movie/Televison Quote Inspiration

Since the invention of the kiss there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind Sigh. The Princess Bride

Post it note vows:
I promise to love you even when I hate you.
I will never run, ever.
Take care of each other when we're old and smelly.
This is forever.
They sign their vows and kiss.

So this I am sure - you are my partner, my lover, my very best friend. My heart beats for you. On this day, the day of our wedding I promise you this: - I promise you me. Grey's Anatomy

It seems right now that all I've ever done in my life is making my way here to you. The Bridges of Madison County

I take the good with the bad. I can't love people in pieces. I only know one way to love my lord, and that is body and heart and soul First Knight

I love you with every cell, with every atom. I love you on a subatomic level. Flubber

Love is stronger than life. It reaches beyond the dark shadow of death. Laura

So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day The Notebook

We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly. To Love and Be Loved

I will love you fiercely and sweetly. And I look forward to sharing this great life with you. Thank you for marrying me. Rachel Getting Married

May you never steal, lie or cheat.
But if you must steal, then steal away my sorrows.
And if you must lie, lie with me all the nights of my life.
And if you must cheat, then please cheat death, because I couldn’t live a day without you. Leap Year

I promise never to take you for granted
Or utter a word unkind
Never allow my affections to be recanted
Or stop marveling at your behind Did You Hear About the Morgans?

Look, in my opinion, the best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person is still going to think the sun shines out your ass. That's the kind of person that's worth sticking with. Juno

Where Do You Feel God?

One thing that came out when Mike and I did the questionnaire for the wedding planning ecourse I'm taking was how we feel about nature. It's a spiritual thing to commune with nature. It's beautiful and allows for a lot of peaceful contemplation. We're not just getting married outside our entire wedding is themed around enchanted woods.

Whether, that magic is God smiling down on a new union of souls or Shakespearian fairies playing tricks on us ("Oh what fools these mortals be") we feel more connected to the universe out there. It gives us the calm one should posess when making eternal promises. Churches can be beautiful, but they are man made and confining. Nature is God's canvas and we'll standing out in the openness of the universe when we say our vows.

Whatever truth Puck utters about us foolish mortals, I do value the comfort of my guests as well as my romantic and spiritual feelings about being outdoors. We'll be dining inside, in the air-conditioning with a view of the lovely gardens and any fairies that happen by.

It's an everlasting promise. To make ready your heart and soul for such vows is a big task. In every area of the wedding I strive for the comfort of the bride and groom first and the meaning behind things as a close second. I am thrilled beyond words for our beautiful ceremony spot in our perfect venue. It's going to be worthy of a sonnet or two.