This is slightly off-topic for this journal, but, well, the handfasting preparations ate the farm for about three months, and our lives for at least a month prior, so it seems pretty reasonable to post the results here. :) and there are so many people whom i want to have see these photos, who are not themselves on LJ, and therefore cannot see the locked post in my own journal. so, here it is!
Our official photos are up on Jim Blanchard’s website, and you can view them all, and order prints, on the handfasting page, here. There are dozens of incredible photos in here that i did not post, so do drop on over and take a look!.
Here are a representative sampling of photos we like, not only from Jim, but also from those unofficial photographers who have sent us their images (and if you haven’t, this is a hint!).
In the Beginning
milling around at the start of the day, getting ready to get ready. Lance, FoxWoman, Rev,
photo by Dave Goff
Rev & Matt getting ready
photo by Jim Blanchard
folks arriving
photo by Dave Goff
Dee in a world in motion, (Kris, Ezra & Jaime in the background)
photo by Jim Blanchard
the cord altar, where family and friends could pour their blessings and best wishes into our handfasting cords before the ceremony:
photo by Craig Post
flowers under the tree. I almost cried when i saw all the beautiful flowers! dozens of people brought flowers, and they outdid themselves.
photo by Craig Post
Casting the Circle
entering the circle
photo by Jim Blanchard
photo by Jim Blanchard
photo by Craig Post
and hiding my script under the altar:
photo by Craig Post
Jenny & Brian, smudging & asperging the circle (and the photographer):
photo by Jim Blanchard
photo by Dave Goff
Rev and Matt playing while the circle is cleansed:
photo by Ezra Meier
photo by Craig Post
singing in the quarters:
photo by Jim Blanchard
west quarter callers, hanging out in the sun shade:
photo by Jim Blanchard
at the altar:
photo by Jim Blanchard
Vows and Rings: By root and by leaf
speaking our vows:
photo by Craig Post
photo by Dave Goff
for so long as the love shall last!
photo by Ezra Meier
Rhiannon, our darling ringbearer:
photo by Jim Blanchard
photo by Craig Post
photo by Ezra Meier
we get to kiss now?
photo by Craig Post
hey, i think we’re married now!
photo by Ezra Meier
Hand-Fasting
the hand-binding:
photo by Jim Blanchard
photo by Jim Blanchard
photo by Dave Goff
Jumping the Broom
blessings from friends and family as we circled the ritual ground on our way to jump the broom. Jesse reached out to us, and i’m terribly glad that he did. after that, a dozen dozen people did, and we were washed in so much love and joy from so many people! Here we are holding hands with Alan’s mom Cheryl (
photo by Craig Post
and my dad:
photo by Craig Post
Ready to jump? I’m ready, are you ready?
photo by Craig Post
and over we go!
photo by Jim Blanchard
photo by Craig Post
yay!
photo by Jim Blanchard
Exiting the Circle
we left the circle through the arms of all our loved ones:
photo by Craig Post
preceeded by young nephew Elias:
photo by Craig Post
photo by Craig Post
and out we go, into our new life! which greatly resembles our life before this, only more so. it’s completely awesome. i found it fitting that my father & sister should be the end of the tunnel of people into the field, the land.
photo by Craig Post
(Craig took a lot of these photos, and i admit to being fond of them!)
photo by Craig Post
Family Photos
Deb Stoesz (Kat’s mom), Kat & Alan
photo by Jim Blanchard
photo by Ezra Meier
photo by Jim Blanchard
Heatheringtons: Kat’s sister Megan, Kat, Alan, Frank (Kat’s dad, also
photo by Jim Blanchard
photo by Ezra Meier
Heatheringtons and Posts: Megan, Kat, Alan, Craig with Eva, Kris, and Elias in front.
photo by Jim Blanchard
and the candid:
photo by Ezra Meier
i don’t know what he said, but he looks to me like he’s getting away with something:
photo by Jim Blanchard
polyfamily! i’m so glad we took these photos. thank you,
photo by Jim Blanchard
the candid, with Jaime flying in:
photo by Ezra Meier
photo by Ezra Meier
we stack in order of size, like leggos.
photo by Ezra Meier
Cake!
or rather, cakes! the big one was made by Jenny’s friend Heather, and was completely awesome. the blue flowers were chosen to match the ones in my hair. We finished the last of it the other day. The chocolate one was wheat-free, and enormously popular. I didn’t get a piece, but i hear that it was amazing. it went *fast*. the square ones were vegan rum cakes, glazed with a maple syrup/rum/coffee glaze that is quite tasty. we took the remnants of one to a potluck the other night, where it went over quite well.
photo by Jim Blanchard
the cutting thereof:
photo by Jim Blanchard
and the feeding thereof:
photo by Jim Blanchard
photo by Craig Post
nomcake. it was really excellent stuff.
photo by Jim Blanchard
photo by Craig Post
the “reception” –ie, hanging out.
eating cake:
photo by Jim Blanchard
dragonfly on the lovely mexican newlywed flags that Kevin brought us:
photo by Dave Goff
all my college friends, whose presence was a wonderful treat! Kate, Dave, Josh, Kyle, Kevin.
photo by Jim Blanchard
talking to people while eating food. the potluck was absolutely splendid. Clockwise from Kat, Alan,
photo by Jim Blanchard
Drum Jam!
drum jam! Clyde, Jonny (wwoofing with us) and Kit
photo by Jim Blanchard
Matt, Rev, Dawn (with video camera), Joaquim, Kevin, Sam, Beth, Craig with Eva.
photo by Dave Goff
next door horses, cantering to the jam, which they appeared to enjoy:
photo by Jim Blanchard
less clothing for dancing. that orange dress is lovely, but it is also lined, and rather too heavy for the 95+ weather. Here i’m dancing with
photo by Jim Blanchard
drums on fire! and more dancing:
photo by Jim Blanchard
an organic circle dance that grew while we were singing “wrapped around you.” from the left, FoxWoman, Ellen, Molly, Rachelle, Brian, Kat & Dave, Erin, and some of Beth.
photo by Jim Blanchard
more dancin’: Rachelle, Ellen, Erin, Dave, Dawn, Brian, myself, Matt, Clyde, and the back of Jonny & Kit’s heads.
photo by Jim Blanchard
the circle grows and folds. Ellen, Rachelle, Foxwoman, Kat, Brian, Dave, Beth, Erin, Molly. Dave in the back on harp.
photo by Jim Blanchard
and the circle opens. by this point i was standing back, talking to Kyle, while others danced. Dawn, Foxwoman,
photo by Jim Blanchard
and more dancing. Judith, Beth, Dawn, Ellen, FoxWoman, Erin, Suzanne, Rev.
photo by Jim Blanchard
musicians in the trees: Dave, Bill, Dave, Matt, Kevin.
photo by Jim Blanchard
and the whole photo gallery, in case you also wanted that link.
they say her wedding day is the happiest day of a woman’s life. that’s an old and broken paradigm, and i am aiming for many many happy years here. but i have to say, it was an incredible day. i thought my face would break from smiling so much. it was incredibly meaningful to have so many people i love turn out to share our celebration with us. and for them to bring their love, joy, flowers, food made with their own hands, and even gifts, in many cases also made with their own hands. such an outpouring of joy and love and celebration! thank you all, so so very much, for making that day what it was. may the rest of our lives be as joyous as we have begun!