WEDDING VOWS UNEDITED

This evening of August 10, John and Gabrielle were to be married in front of the ocean; parallel to the extraordinary Maui home they now called “a hut.” It was a beautiful evening. Later, they’d watch the sky melt from deep blue to a flaming red. But, all day, the sun shined, not holding a cloud in the sky. The weather held onto a beautiful seventy-four degrees and the wind blew evenly.

          In the morning, Bobbie with Felecia picked out her wedding dress. She wore a modern stylish version of the Hawaiian holoku. Strapless, backless, lined with satin, with a stunning train supplying a handle as all holokus do, so she could walk freely.

          She walked to the wedding arch with her shoulder-length hair worn in an up-do, with professional makeup, and a fresh French manicure along with a pedicure for her fingers and toes.

          She held a cascade of flowers. The bouquet was made up of one gardenia meaning joy, sterling and blue curiosa roses, stephanotis, calla lilies; overwhelmed by baby’s breath meaning pure heart, and the main flower being lavender hydrangeas, surrounded the others.

          Around her neck, she wore a fragile jasmine or pikake lei with delicate white rosebuds symbolizing beauty and youth. A headpiece or haku lei crowned her blue-black hair with white flowers, as well.

          Looking at John, she noticed his maile lei, a green garland that draped over his neck but not sewn in a circle. With no shoes, John wore a white aloha shirt with khakis, instead of the suit and tie with black polished shoes he fibbed about wearing.

          Bobbie spun around in her bare feet while she kept walking.

          John had tears in his eyes and a smile so wide as he looked at his bride-to-be.

          When Bobbie reached the wedding arch, she handed her bouquet to Felicia.

          John took her hands in his. “My beautiful Gabrielle.” They kissed a deep passionate kiss, until Mick cleared his throat and they realized the recorded music had ended.

“Welcome to the marriage of Jonathan and Gabrielle. You have been asked to gather here to witness and contribute to the joy of this union . . .”

“There were shadows for a long time and then there was light. The light was you, Gabrielle. Your love has given me life, and a fresh journey begins for us today. At last, today, we make our two lives, one. I wanted you yesterday. I want and need you today, tomorrow, and for all eternity.”

Gabrielle: “I have dreamt my whole life of having someone as magnificent as you, to love, cherish, honor me as you do. And, I vow here and now, to treasure for all of my days, the love we celebrate here today. Let us bring together our lives for ourselves, for our children, and we will find ourselves within one another and them each day.”

Minister: “Jonathan and Gabrielle, in presenting yourselves here today to be joined in marriage, you’re performing an act of faith. This faith can develop, grow, and last, but only if you both decide to make it so, since any ritual does not guarantee an everlasting or growing love. Establish now, that your love, will never blemish by the unordinary, nor will your love be concealed by the ordinary in life. Faults will surface where now you find comfort, and admiration may be shattered by the routine of daily life¾”

Gabrielle interrupted, “Can we get to the ring part?”

“In a moment.” He continued, “Dedication, love, and joy can grow simply when you nourish them together. Merely with this spirit can you forge a union¾”

John interrupted, “Can we get to the ring part?”

“¾that will strengthen and endure all the days of your lives,” he rushed his words. “Jonathan, you may start,” the minister said.

John: “I, Jonathan, take you, Gabrielle, as my friend and love, beside me and apart from me; in laughter and in tears; in conflict and tranquility; asking that you be no one other than yourself; loving what I know of you; trusting what I do not know, and in all the ways that life may find us.”

He receives a ring from Mick and places the ring onto her finger and says: “Throughout the world, rings are a sign of eternity, for as circles they have no beginning or ending. These rings I give to you today are the symbol of pure love and promises, which we will share together as husband and wife.”

He receives a second ring from Mick and places the ring onto her finger, and says: “With all of my love, and for all the world to see, I have chosen you, Gabrielle, as my wife. It is my heart’s desire to be with you throughout my life, and I shall love you always.”

He receives the third ring from Mick and while placing the ring onto her finger, he says: “Gabrielle, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the name of God.”

“I, Gabrielle, take you, Jonathan, as my friend and love, beside me and apart from me; in laughter and in tears; in conflict and tranquility; asking that you be no one other than yourself; loving what I know of you; trusting what I do not know, and in all the ways that life may find us.”

She added, “With all of my love, and for the entire world to see, I have chosen you, Jonathan, as my husband. It is my heart’s desire to be with you throughout my life, and I shall love you always.”

Gabrielle showed him the ring he had worn these past few years. She had taken the ring in this morning to have it engraved it read; ‘My 1^st, My Last, My Only Love. G&J 8-10’

She then placed the wedding band onto his finger and says: “Jonathan, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the name of God.”

John: “Gabrielle, take this white rose as a symbol of my love. It began a tiny bud and blossomed, just as my love for you has grown and blossomed these past three years.”

Gabrielle: “I take this white rose, a symbol of your love, and I place it into water, an indication of life. Just as this rose cannot survive without water, I know I will never be able to survive without you.”

John: “In remembrance of this day, I’ll give to you a white rose each year on our anniversary, on your birthday, on our daughter’s birthday, as well, as a reminder of my love and the vows spoken here today.”

Gabrielle: “And I’ll refill this vase with water each year on August 10. I will be ready to receive your gift, in remembrance of our love and the vows spoken here today.”

Minister: “With these statements made of love and trust, it is my honor that I pronounce you, partners in life, Husband and Wife.” He turned to look at Mick and Felecia Harrison and added, “I present to you the newly wedded couple Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan and Gabrielle Ravolie.”

Gabrielle reached to kiss John and the minister continues. They turn their heads to hear his words.

“ . . . Now, it is our prayer for you that your pure love will never diminish by the demands of the world. May you always believe in the vows you’ve made here today. May you be deeply blessed, so that you may be a blessing to others. Now in the witness of the state of Hawaii, who performs all true marriages¾”

John interrupted, “Can I kiss my bride now?”

“¾you may kiss your bride now.”

          John swept her into his arms. They both cried and laughed together as they kissed passionately until John lowered her to the sand.

          “It took you long enough to turn eighteen,” Mick said as Bobbie felt the bouquet hit her face.

          “Let’s leave these two alone,” Felecia said before throwing her bouquet at Bobbie. Felecia and Mick Harrison walked away from the newlyweds, but not hand in hand.

          Bobbie had her arms wrapped around his waist as John kneeled with one leg over her. She then reached down and squeezed his derrière with both hands. She laughed when she opened her eyes to see the Hawaiian men¾the photographer, camera operator, and the big Kahuna who had just married them, staring, and smiling at her. Still filming and taking pictures, she was sure both cameras had filmed in-between her legs. With this thought, she laughed uncontrollably and told John, “We better get back into the hut.”

          Unplanned, John picked her up over his shoulder and ran through the sand. She couldn’t stop laughing as she watched the photographer and videographer running behind them. After entering the opened door, John loosened the ties with one hand while his other firmly still held onto her derriere.

          He told the two men politely, “Get outta here.” As he laughed, he shut and bolted the door from the inside. He plopped her gently on the pull-down bed as he kneeled over her. Out of breath he asked, “You didn’t want them to come in here with us, did you?” She shook her head laughing. “I’ll call them back in here, if you did?” She laughed hysterically with him. “This is the happiest day of my life,” John told her, fixing her headpiece.

          “My name is Gabrielle Ravolie. I have three rings on my finger that I have to wear for the rest of my life.”

          “You’re so lucky I didn’t get you a fourth one. One to symbolize your age of fifteen, sixteen, seventeen¾”

          “No more rings, please,” she pleaded. “My finger is permanently messed up already.”

          “You should thank Mick, he talked me out of it.”

          “I will, I will.” She laughed, continuing to cry joyfully.

          “Look at you, just look at you.”

          “And what do you see?”

          “I see a lady. I am so proud to be your husband.”

          “Proud?” she asked and smiled. When younger she rarely heard the word.

          “This has got to be the happiest day of my life, just being with the woman I love and knowing she loves me, for who I am.”

          Bobbie placed her right hand to his cheek. He placed his left hand on hers, kissed her palm. John tasted her lips. “Are you truly mine forever,” he whispered, and she gave a brief nod. “What did I do to deserve you?”

          “You saved my life,” she replied.

          “And you’ve saved mine,” he told her.

 

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