Accents
For the nth time: “I do.”
Savannah, Georgia, USA, Feb. 17, 2009—I never thought Rudy and I would have to renew marriage vows 49 years after the first “I do” was brought to fruition one significant day in 1960. The second “I do” was done three days ago, Feb. 14, in Savannah, Georgia. It was so “alanganin” (almost but not quite), only a year away from our golden anniversary, the 50th year of wedded bliss that cynics would irreverently express as “50 years of hard labor.” The children and grandchildren have envisioned for the family’s patriarch and matriarch a church wedding with all the trimmings in 2010. But never mind. Forgo the plans. Cut the fuss. The “deed” was accomplished a year earlier, on Valentine’s Day, too.
Two blocks of Savannah’s City Market accommodated the throng of couples who came to renew marriage vows, Feb. 14. “Romantic Savannah offers couples in love the opportunity to marry or renew their marriage vows on Valentine’s Day.” The come-on must have attracted couples far and wide to grace the occasion and re-affirm their commitment for the nth time. One couple has participated in the City Market event for thirteen years now. Lucky thirteen!
We arrived early for the 7:00 P.M. Renewal of Marriage Vows Ceremony: Rudy and yours truly, my son-in-law David and my daughter Randy, Crystal and John (David’s sister and her husband), and Bob and Brenda (David’s parents) — four couples and three grandchildren in tow, Danika, RJ, Sam. Time enough for shopping fun in various stalls, and checking out art galleries in this hub described as the “heart and soul” of Savannah.
At exactly 7:00 P.M., as if by cue, the musicians stopped playing. Folks who had been tapping, swaying, listening to the music that filled the air stood in attention. The wait was over. Couples who availed themselves of horse-drawn carriages (similar but bigger than the Philippine calesa that plies the environs of Manila’s Intramuros) for some sight-seeing tour had gone down and merged with the crowd. There was complete silence as Rev. William Hester and his wife Cheri got settled to start the ceremony. After the preliminary greetings, the United Methodist minister opened the Bible and read passages mostly from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians I’m partly quoting here: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres…” I couldn’t recall which part of the holy book were the rest of his quotes, but I did ask for a copy of what he and his wife told us couples to repeat one after the other.
Rev. Hester began with this intro: “Wedding vows are promises made in the spirit of love. As we offer them to our partners, let us face one another & hold hands. Ladies, let’s go first. Please repeat after me as you look at your husband.
“I thank God for you, (name) ./You are God’s wonderful gift to me./Your presence in my life has been a blessing,/And I am a more complete person because of you./I accept the challenges that our relationship involves,/And I appreciate the growth that comes with each difficulty./I will celebrate our times of joy,/And work through the times of struggle with love and patience./I will listen to you./I will empathize with you./I will appreciate and affirm you./I will laugh with you./I renew my promise to be your partner/In sickness and in health,/In prosperity and in need,/In joy and in sorrow/As long as we both shall live.”
The good minister continued: “Wedding rings were an important part of our original marriage ceremonies. The rings are an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual love – signifying the uniting of two people.
“In token and pledge/of our constant faith/and abiding love/with this ring/I reaffirm my commitment to our marriage./Amen.”
Applause, hugs, tete-a-tete, photo ops followed. Billy (the Reverend prefers to be called by his nickname) and Cheri, the charming significant other, circulated around greeting the couples. He looked more like the younger version of John Travolta, so cheerful he’d look more at home in a dance floor than in a pulpit. He started officiating the City Market event around 1992 and has done it every Valentine's. “The first year, I officiated it by myself. But after one or two years, my wife Cheri started joining me and it has made it an even better experience,” said Rev. Hester.
Prizes from City Market shops were awarded for various categories. The first category was to the couple married the longest, and Rudy and I bagged it. No couple in the audience was married longer than mine and Rudy’s 49 years. We could have won the next prize for the couple who came farthest, but gave it up to the couple from Japan. Another prize was for the oldest, and Rudy at 73 and I at 72, could have won this too, but we also gave this up. A couple who exchanged “I do’s” eight months ago bagged the prize for the most recently married. Those who have the most children? Forget it. I and the daughters are advocates of population control.
(Email: lagoc@hargray.com)