Act I - The Legal Ceremony
I woke up just like any other day but this time in a beach house in Mo'orea. I walked outside to check the weather. It had been raining and windy all week. It was just a little overcast over the mountains but clear over the ocean. I told myself not to get my hopes up - weather is too unpredictable. They say rain is good luck for a wedding though, right?Jake and I rushed out of the house and winded our way along the island road in our little car. I was feeling all kinds of emotions - anxious, excited, stressed (we were about to be late for our own wedding for heaven's sake). We pulled into the city hall parking lot and jumped out of the car, Jake still fixing his tie, as we rushed into the building. We stool in the hall for just a moment, squeezing each other's hand just a little more tightly than usual. A couple of young Polynesian girls whispering in French smiled at us from down the hall. The Mayor finally approached us wearing a sash across his chest and a medal pinned to his breast pocket. He said something in broken English and then directed us into a humble conference room with old parkay floors, folding tables with fresh flowers lining the front, and a photo of Emmanuel Macron centered on the wall above the head of the table.
The legal ceremony was simple and sweet. With every sentence the mayor spoke my breath got a little quicker and my eyes a little more wet. We promised to love each other, to care for each other emotionally and monetarily and to raise our future children together with love. They pronounced us as married and Jake and I shared our first quick kiss has husband and wife. "We didn't tell you to kiss yet!" the translator laughed. They then handed us a pamphlet that they said was to be filled out with the names of us and our future children. "There are 12 pages in this book and I encourage you to fill out all the pages" the Mayor joked in broken English. I laughed and turned a little red as I realized what he was saying.
"We're married!" Jake and I said to each other over and over again as we drove back to the beach house. Both excited and a little shocked. My mom cheered as we walked in.
Act II - Getting Ready
The morning of the wedding was one of the moments of that day that will always stand out to me. It was calm and quiet. Our beach house had no power outlets in the bathroom, so I was curling my hair in the living room, surrounded by my family.My mom and I have the same hair - thin, fine, and unable to hold curl worth anything. So naturally we both wanted to curl our hair for the wedding day. I had spent the weekends leading up to the wedding testing out new product until I felt confident it was going to work. Once I finished my own hair I sat my mom down and got to work on hers. You know, there are never enough ways to thank our parents for the role they play in our lives, to thank them for their time, their love, and their energy. As I get older my appreciation grows deeper and deeper yet it feels more and more impossible to adequately show love and appreciation. My sweet mom has given so much, especially leading up to the wedding, so the tender moment of helping her get ready for my wedding day will forever hold a special place in my heart.
It's a trend these days to do a "first look" photoshoot. Before the wedding the bride surprises the groom in her dress and they have a moment alone together before the ceremony. I didn't want to do that with Jake. I wanted the first time he saw me to be on the beach as I walked towards him with my dad so all the emotions of the day could be felt all at once. But my dad hadn't seen my dress yet, so after we got ready, I met him out on the beach and he saw me in my dress for the first time. The emotion in his eyes and the love in his hug are something I will never forget.
Act III - The Cultural Ceremony
Everybody headed to the dock. Everyone except my dad and I. We got in the car a few minutes later and went for a long drive along the beach. We talked about marriage and how it takes work. How patience is integral and trying to win fights is often losing. We sat in silence and soaked in the last few moments before heading to the dock ourselves. The canoe ride was unreal. The sky was barely overcast, the wind and the water were calm, and my heart beat stronger the closer we got to the island.Ukuleles and drums sounded in the distance as my dad and I walked quickly along the beach towards the canopy where Jake was waiting for me. I was greeted with a lei and the ceremony began with our vows. I stumbled through mine as my voice quivered with emotion as I watched Jake watching me. Jake's vows were beautiful and eloquent. His eyes never left mine. Every promise he made was a promise from deep within his heart - the heart that made me fall in love with him. I wish I could go back to that moment and pause time. To see him looking at me with that love and conviction that I saw for the very first time when he proposed to me. The love and commitment in his eyes is what will keep us going through the good time and the bad.
The Polynesian Priest, in his feather headdress with white robes blowing gently in the breeze, married us in Tahitian, but there are some things that don't need to be understood, to be understood. His eye contact was piercing, he pointed to each of us, pointed to the sky, and held our hands together with such love that both of us felt the excitement of joining our lives together. He blessed us by pouring coconut milk on our hands. He joined our lives by wrapping our hands together in taro leaves. And he brought us together by draping our shoulders in a handsewn Tifaifai quilt. He handed us a certificate made of tapa cloth, with our new Tahitian name and our wedding date inscribed on it. Each of these elements perfectly symbolizing the joining of our lives together.
Jake and I stood together under the canopy, holding each other's hand as we felt a few misty raindrops on our cheeks before the sun peaked out. The right amount of good luck for a beach wedding. The ceremony came to an end with a beautiful performance by the Polynesian dancers. They had such sincerity in their eyes as they danced and we felt so loved. Our mothers were pulled from their benches to dance, then our fathers, and finally the whole group. We laughed, we danced, and we loved.
Act IV - Dinner & Dancing
The family enjoyed tropical drinks on the beach while Jake and I went off to take photos. How grateful I am for a videographer who captured the sweet moments of Jake whispering in my ear, the love and laughter between us, and of course, the beauty of the island.The dinner table was spread with all the delicacies you would expect on an island - lobster, raw tuna, grilled veggies, and sweet rice. We ate, enjoying the intimate company with the breeze blowing through the trees and the soft waves lapping on the beach in the background.
Jake's and my first dance was a chance for us to catch up on how the day had gone, what we thought of the ceremony, and how we felt our family was doing. He surprised me with the song, "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz, one of my favorites. We danced with our parents, and then danced with the whole family.
Act V - The End
The night came to an end with a fire dance show on the beach. We all joined in and laughed our way through the last few moments of the night, me feeling the day sleeping away and wanting to hold onto it forever.I wanted a wedding that was uniquely ours - beautiful, intimate, and simple. That's exactly what our wedding was. What a wonderful way to begin.