It is a cool Thursday evening in Oregon. The almost freezing temperature coupled with the biting breeze sting my face, somehow heightening the anticipation of reaching the front steps of my grandparents ' house, as we are already late. The frosty blue hues of the outside sky contrast with the rich, red, brick walls and beckoning, warm yellow light shining through the windows. Still bright, though muted by curtains, the light evokes a fleeting sense of otherness. It is as if, even for a few brief moments, we are stuck in between the desire to be let in, exacerbated by our surroundings and the strange intimidation by the unknown that arises from remaining in this limbo for too long. I glance towards my mother and younger sister, holding practically …show more content…
Initially, this was what caused my doubt that it might not be a ritual. However, what this thought process revealed, was that my instincts were to weigh the meaning of a wedding more heavily in terms of the meaning it is bestowed upon by the authority of the state in comparison to the societal and cultural meaning it is bestowed. A ritual only requires one outside, authority force to provide meaning. So, despite the absence of an official officiant I would be inclined to believe that this quasi-wedding was, in fact, a ritual because of the societal meaning it held, which might be diminished slightly by the lack of legal justification, but still holds significance. That day, the emotions were palpable, as people were constantly switching back and forth between holding back the urge to sob with reckless abandon and bursting out into raucous laughter. Although devoid of the meaning bestowed by the state, the quasi-wedding is still called a wedding and would most likely be easily recognized by someone of the same culture as such. It certainly felt like a wedding to the people participating in it, and therefore it was a wedding. The power of the individuals’ experiences has a place in rituals, continuing the evolution or stagnation of tradition and convention. One day they are the performers and the next they are the ancestors who the next performers will look
For those of you that don’t know, I am Trey Rongisch and I am currently a student at Midland University. It is quite ironic how Nick and I first met, it was during my first college class. I would have never expected him to ask me to be his Best Man at his wedding in the short span of four months, but when he asked me, I just couldn’t turn down the offer. But I’m going to be honest, I’ve been feeling quite nervous about giving this speech for some time. But I’m pleased to say last night I slept like a baby – I woke up every two hours, crying my eyes out. With this in mind, I am ready to get this speech going and I must share how honored I am to be here today and speak on behalf of Nick and his beautiful wife, Katie.
cold, harsh, wintry days, when my brothers and sister and I trudged home from school burdened down by the silence and frigidity of our long trek from the main road, down the hill to our shabby-looking house. More rundown than any of our classmates’ houses. In winter my mother’s riotous flowers would be absent, and the shack stood revealed for what it was. A gray, decaying...
I stepped into the middle of the road and just stood there, the lights stretching in either direction, glowing in the deep chilly air. I could see my own breath, could feel my own warmth as it formed right there in front of me. Behind me, our house looked dark, faint lingering of I'd walk a million miles, and I wasn't even sure if it was really playing or if I was imagining the familiar, the same way a bright light remain when you close your eyelids, the way I imagine that the sight of an eclipse would burn its image into your eyes forever(pg.
She illustrates how they are cozy, warm and comfortable in the house but there is a sense of something missing. On the surface, the situation seems comfortable, happy and good but underlying is the feeling of loneliness, depression and coldness. The mother’s feeling contrasts very well with the outside environment being cold, dead and quiet. As the ex-husband comes back, the mood changes entirely. The mother describes the house as a “Warm kitchen on a cloudless night.” (Coleman 43). Coleman used the same environment to produce two entirely different views on the
It was finally fall break. I was visiting my grandma for a few days. Well past dinnertime, I pulled up to the white stately home in northern rural Iowa. I parked my car, unloaded my bag and pillow, and crunched through the leaves to the front porch. The porch was just how I had seen it last; to the right, a small iron table and chairs, along with an old antique brass pole lamp, and on the left, a flowered glider that I have spent many a summer afternoon on, swaying back and forth, just thinking.
The groom would wear a black and white tuxedo with either a bow or a tie.
As the wedding draws near, bridesmaids aren’t the only ones with a long list of things to keep in mind for the big day—the groomsmen have their own checklist. If you’re unsure what exactly that includes, keep reading. This Personal Creations’ infographic will help all groomsmen make sure they’ve covered each point for the wedding. Months
It was a beautiful Saturday morning on January 6. The winter air was crisp and the view was amazing. The soft salty scent from the ocean filled the air. Off the balcony on the second story of the Long Beach Yacht Club I could see the light swells of the Pacific Ocean. The small crashing of waves added to the peaceful instrumental background sounds as the ceremony was about to begin. January 6, my wedding date, was a day that changed the rest of my life.
Jacob awoke in high spirits. He turned to give his bride a kiss and is horrified by what he sees. “Dear God, what have I done?” Grappling with his thoughts he tried to remember everything about last night. It was dark when he came to Rachel to consummate their marriage; his mind fogged from partying and drinking wine.
The room was buzzing with excited chatter. Children running in between tables because they can’t sit still any longer. Then the room gets silent and you hear “please stand as we welcome the new Mr. and Mrs.”. Everyone stands in applause cheering for the happy couple who is smiling and holding hands. The best man made a rattle with his spoon and his glass and gave a touching speech about the newlyweds.
No matter the pains you have taken to ensure that your wedding is perfect, no matter how organized you are, there are some things even you cannot control: your guests. Sure, you can control who you invite, but once your guests have set foot in the chapel or reception hall, the only thing you can do is hope that everyone behaves, and that it will be an evening to remember -- for the right reasons. Following are some suggestions on how to graciously handle the most common guest gaffes. Guest GaffesA guest is late: Although you're under no obligation to delay the proceedings for late wedding guests, fifteen minutes is a reasonable amount of time to wait. If you have a wedding coordinator, have him or her stand in the entry to the ceremony location to prevent a late guest from barging in during a sensitive part of the ceremony.
We slowly crept around the corner, finally sneaking a peek at our cabin. As I hopped out of the front seat of the truck, a sharp sense of loneliness came over me. I looked around and saw nothing but the leaves on the trees glittering from the constant blowing wind. Catching myself standing staring around me at all the beautiful trees, I noticed that the trees have not changed at all, but still stand tall and as close as usual. I realized that the trees surrounding the cabin are similar to the being of my family: the feelings of never being parted when were all together staying at our cabin.
Winter weddings! The term in itself speaks oodles about the fun and frolic associated with it minus the sweat of the summer months and even the simplicity of the spring seasons. From the wedding dates which comes to the fore from the month of December to the month of February, the season spells majic with all whites everywhere; the white snow, the white wedding ensemble coupled with the merriment of the holidays that it brings with it, courtesy the birth of Jesus Christ along with the bells of the New Year ringing all across the world.
He usually arrives dressed in his wedding attire on the back of a horse, or sometimes on the back of an elephant. “The wedding altar (mandapa) is built the day of and the groom is welcomed by his future mother in law where his feet are then washed and he is offered milk and honey. His sister in law will attempt to steal his shoes and if she succeeds, the groom must pay her to get them back” (beau-coup.com). At the wedding venue the bride waits for the groom in a room covered in garland, when the groom arrives they exchange garland. After this, the brides family will welcome the grooms family to the wedding. Like Christian weddings, the father of the bride gives the bride away at the wedding, this is called a Kanyadaan. A priest will facilitate the marriage by reciting mantras or holy hymns, but the bride and groom marry each other. The bride and groom are considered married when the groom ties a thread that symbolizes his vow to care for the bride. He ties it in three knots that symbolizes the gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Masheshwara. The ceremony takes place around a fire and the god, Agni is considered the witness to the union. “The bride and the groom then circle the fire seven times, in a clockwise direction, called Saat Phere which signifies seven goals of married life which include religious and moral duties, prosperity, spiritual salvation and liberation, and sensual gratification” (Gullapalli
Many little girls dream of their big fairytale wedding with a prince charming of their own. We all have watched and grown up with the classic Disney movies that not only entertain children, but are influenced by what we see. I am guilty of wanting the fairytale wedding, big puffy gown, sparkles, handsome husband and our happily ever after. But what you don’t see is how much time and energy is put into creating your own fairytale wedding. After many months of planning and preparation for this day I was excited, nervous and anxious to carry on with the day that symbolized a new beginning with the love of my life. I was about to make a lifelong commitment to my one true love. Nothing I’ve done has taken so much preparation