Our 5th Wedding Anniversary...
[Officiant]
Marriage. Marriage is what brings us together today. Marriage, that blessed arrangement, that dream within a dream...
Good evening! We are gathered here today, not to witness the beginning of something new, but rather to celebrate what already exists! This service is not magic; It will not create a relationship that does not already exist. Its purpose is to tie a knot in the rope of days and say, "We will not slip backwards from here, but will go forward together." It is a time to celebrate what is already certain, Beth and Mark's love for one another and their desire for that love to last forever and beyond.
Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection. As with any aspect of life, it has its cycles. Understanding this, Mark and Beth have come here today to be joined in marriage.
Please join hands with your betrothed and listen to what I am about to say.
In humanity's long history we have never discovered a better way of life than sharing it with someone we love.
Although you are already husband and wife, you still must decide each day that you want to be married. Make such a decision, and keep on making it every day, for the most important thing in life is to love and be loved.
There's a poem called "Married Love," which was written by a medieval Chinese poet nearly a thousand years ago. In the English translation, it reads:
You and I
Have so much love,
That it burns like a fire,
In which we bake a lump of clay
Molded into a figure of you
And a figure of me.
Then we take both of them.
And break them into pieces,
And mix the pieces with water,
And mold again a figure of you
And a figure of me.
I am in your clay.
You are in my clay.
In life we share a single quilt,
In death we will share one coffin.
Mark and Beth, this celebration is the outward token of your sacred and inward union of hearts. It is a union created by your loving purpose and kept by your abiding will. It is in this spirit and for this purpose that you have come here to be joined together.
[Officiant]
Mark, will you take this woman as your wife, to live together in marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor her, cherish and protect her, in sorrow and in joy, so long as you both shall live and beyond?
[Mark]
I will!
[Officiant]
Beth, will you take this man as your husband, to live together in marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor him, cherish and protect him, in sorrow and in joy, so long as you both shall live and beyond?
[Beth]
I will!
The Ceremony of the Roses
The formal lifestyle is filled with traditions and ceremonies that are seldom witnessed by the outside world and perhaps one of the most moving and meaningful is the "bonding ritual" or Ceremony of the Roses. This ceremony is steeped in symbolism and mystique that dates back for centuries. Here is a brief description of what it involves and means.
The Symbolism Revealed
The significance of the roses:
The white rose, still not in full bloom, symbolizes his submission. The white color represents the purity of his gift, while the still slightly closed petals show that his submission has not come into full bloom. It never will. Submission is ever deepening, ever growing and the submissive will never reach a place where he cannot open a bit more for his Dominant.
The red rose, almost fully open, signifies her dominance. The red represents her passion and desire to posses and protect him at all costs, though it may require her to spill her blood to do so. The rose is almost in full bloom to symbolize that she is ready and mature enough to accept the responsibilities required of her.
The significance of the blood:
Pricking the finger of the submissive is symbolic of taking his virginity. He has shed blood to give himself completely to her. The drops on the white rose also speak of the same thing.
In pricking her own finger, the dominant shows her willingness to shed her blood to protect and defend him by virtue of her ownership. The drops on his rose show that vividly; the drop that falls on his blood covers it and blends with it, thus indicating their union.
Pressing the wounds from the thorns together allows their blood to mix, joining them as strongly as their own family blood-lines. They are now of the same flesh and blood.
Exchanging the roses is symbolic of their gift of themselves to each other.
The significance of the petals:
The mixture of the petals signifies the mixing and blending of their lives. Couples often keep them in a decorative jar, once the petals have dried completely. Upon death, a portion of those petals are placed with the body to show a bond that will extend beyond the grave. Many legends are told of roses that have sprung up on the graves of couples who have loved so strongly during their physical lifetime that even in death they sent back evidence of their everlasting love in the form of roses that bloom again on the graves.
An Eternal Bond
A couple who has decided to remain together for the duration of their lives and beyond will often opt for this ritual as a symbolic statement of their eternal commitment. It is sometimes used to renew a relationship that has gone through a difficult time and survived the test. There are many variations and couples often choose to add special touches to make it uniquely theirs.
The submissive carries a single white rose, not quite in full bloom. The Dominant holds a single red rose that is opened almost fully. Both roses must have thorns on their stems and be freshly cut.
With a thorn on the stem of her red rose, she pricks his middle finger and lets two drops of blood fall on the white petals of his rose. He then offers the thorns of his rose to her and she pricks her own finger. She lets two drops fall to his rose, one alone and one on top of a drop of his. The two then press their fingers together and make their vows to be joined by blood.
The roses are touched together, letting the blood from hers kiss his, and are then exchanged. The roses are put into a single vase and will later be taken to their private chamber to remain as a reminder to them as they contemplate their new bond that night while joining their bodies.
In the morning, they share their hopes and dreams of being together for eternity and pluck the petals from the roses to place them in a container together. These petals are kept for the lifetime of the couple and a portion of them are buried with each in death.
[Officiant]
We will close with an Irish Blessing:
A toast to your coffin.
May it be made of 100 year old oak.
And may you plant the tree together, tomorrow.
Mark and Beth, you have shown your affection and devotion by giving these vows and binding each other by the letting of blood. It gives me great pleasure to pronounce that you are Husband and Wife, Mistress & Submissive.
Congratulations, you may kiss!
|