We're Married!!!

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Originally uploaded by Sarah in Nepal

Our wedding... the Garland Ceremony on the 23rd and the Marriage on the morning of the 24th both exceeded our expectations. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers this week. We have truly felt the Lord's blessings and grace this week. We'll spend a couple days in Delhi, then go to Thailand for 2 weeks. I've begun to upload photos to my flickr site ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/94443103@N00/)... so you can see a few there. Mostly they are from the 23rd. More photos and hopefully video, will be available later.

Friday evening was the Garland Ceremony, or Jai Mala. Lijo arrived on a white horse in a procession with his family and friends. Meanwhile, Sarah was dressed up and waiting. As he arrived there were drums and fireworks. He was walked onto the decorated stage where he sat to wait. Sarah was then came out with female relatives and friends as attendants, bringing a 'mala' or garland and an oil lamp. We exchanged the garlands and sat down... then friends and relatives came and threw flower petals on us and gave blessings.

The next morning we all travelled to Matridam Ashram (a Catholic retreat center) for the actual ceremony. We sat under a flower canopy as the priests performed the ceremony. There were bhajans (worship songs) then readings from the scripture. The priest, Father Anil Dev, shared a short and very meaning message. Then, we exchanged vows and rings. Lijo then put the mangal sutra (a special gold necklace worn by married women, the meen (a small cross shaped gold pendant which married women have in South Indian), and sindoor (the red powder at the top of the forehead which is a sign of marriage in India). After that his mother placed a red saree over Sarah's head like a veil and we walked around a small fire (a symbol of God's presence).

And, that was it!! We were married! Both the ceremonies were more meaning and beautiful than we expected. We really sensed the Lord's blessings upon us.