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My yoga teacher got married recently to her long time partner. They did not want to miss the window of oppertunity between the California Supreme Court decision and a possible adverse vote on the November 2008 ballot. So of course I wanted to give the happy brides a small commemorative gift (a heart shaped mirror) and a pleasing card.
Below the graphics, the card says "to the unblushing beautiful brides."
The inside of the card readsand below is the byline Susan B Anthony, telegraph to her nephew & bride , 1897.
" May your independence be equal,
Your dependence mutual,
Your obligations reciprocal "
I consider this an appropriate wedding wish for any couple.
Of course I had to do a groom's card as well. (I know several couples who may well be thinking of marriage.)
The front of the card reads "to the gaily grinning grooms" and the inside is the same as the brides' card.
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I've also given a bit of thought to some other ceremonial aspects.
Giving the grooms away : perhaps each groom's mother (if still alive) should "give him away" to his partner. It would be a promise by both mothers to refrain from being interfering.
Giving the brides away would seem to me less appropriate, and indeed not very appropriate for straight marriages either. The father of the bride "giving" her to her husband symbolizes transfer of the paternal property rights in the woman to her husband, whose property she now becomes. This comes from the days when a woman, married or not, was regarded as property of father, brother, or husband. Possibly having both mothers of the brides give their daughters to each other would have an appropriate meaning as being a promise not to interfere.
The wedding tent strikes me as a practical item for any wedding. In hot sunny weather it provides shade for the couple and for whoever performs the ceremony. In rainy weather it keeps them dry.
Crushing of the wine glass underfoot symbolizes the breaking of the bride's virginity, and thus it is probably very rarely appropriate today even for straight couples. It seems irrelevant to gay couples, though I suppose each partner could crush a wine glass simultaneously with the other partner doing so. But filling the glasses with wine and inter-twining arms and drinking it might be a more enjoyable ritual. (Grape juice for me please.)
For a pair of brides, let me suggest that they waltz to "She's Always a Woman to Me". Re-writing the lyrics to fit the individuals would be an optional variation. So would simply using the music without lyrics.
For a pair of grooms, let me suggest they waltz to "The Man I Love".
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| created 8/31/08 | revised 9/08/08 |
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