A wedding in the park

Geese at the wedding

The nameless pair

The bride and groom don't want their wedding widely publicized, so I'll keep them anonymous.

Yesterday afternoon we were guests at an unusual wedding, along with a large gaggle of Canada geese. Everyone enjoyed the occasion, especially pleased that the weather was co-operative after a cold week last week. Every time I go to a wedding it strikes me how like a play it is. The groom in this case had chosen to take responsibility for the script, which was very personal to him and his bride; apparently he was allowed to be as creative as he wished as long as he included the three essential questions and answers or vows:

Will you love her for as long as you both shall live and [be] a faithful and caring husband?––I WILL.

Will you love him for as long as you both shall live and [be] a faithful and caring wife?––I WILL.

Do you chose to follow this path together wherever it leads, hand-in-hand? [paraphrased]––WE DO.

And at the end of this the civil servant officiating had to say:

By the powers vested in me by the Province of Ontario, it is my honour to pronounce you husband and wife.

Beyond these basics, the theme of the drama was very outdoors-y, with many references to paths and views and adventurous journeys (the couple are great travellers) and weather imagery: shade, wind, rain, hail, snow, sunshine. Afterwards we all walked over to the playground in the park, carefully avoiding the goose droppings, and she sat on a swing to have more photos taken.

Eventually we repaired to a posh restaurant up the road where the party continued and where Chris read out Shakespeare's 116th sonnet by request, that starts:

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments...

This too has an adventurous traveller subject, come to think of it, since it has a metaphor for love as:

... an ever-fixed mark, 
That looks on tempests, and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken ...

Chris had read this poem at our daughter's wedding too, once upon a time.

Besides which we had champagne laced with raspberries and Grand Marnier, wine from Italy, and a four-course Cordon Bleu supper.