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jennifer & jon

why we perform marriages

We met in the Spring of 1997. It was a good spring! We have been together ever since. Like most couples our lives have been filled with challenges and disappointments: some trivial, some quite serious.

Soon after we had decided to live together that fall, Jennifer became quite ill. She lacked any energy, was lethargic and in constant pain. We bounced from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what the problem was. We had diagnosises ranging from lupus to arthritis to fibromyalgia to “it’s all in her head.” They were all frightening. All of them meant that Jennifer could be, would be an invalid for the rest of her life, becoming steadily more dependant upon me. I suppose if were going to break up, that was the time it might have happened.

The medical search was quickly sapping our resources. I had a job with good medical benefits, so I said to her, "Why don’t we get married?" It seemed just a logical thing, a little cold-blooded perhaps, but still logical.

At that point neither of us had much use for ceremonies. They were just a means to an end. but, we were about to learn something quite different. We worked with a Unitarian Minister to craft our own ceremony. She guided us, gave us suggestions and helped us with issues of etiquette and belief. The ceremony was ours, but it would not have been half so graceful had she not lent her help to it.

On the morning of August 28^th, Jennifer and I awoke to a day we thought would simply be a day she could to start to claim medical benefits. It turned out quite differently.

We were married in the Rose Garden of Brandywine River Park, in Wilmington, Delaware. It was a small gathering of close friends and family. When the ceremony was complete we all were in tears.

Hearing the words we had created, and saying aloud them to one another before those closest to us, transformed what we thought would be routine into a moment that we refer to time and time again. That ceremony - the words, emotions and vows we shared - has helped us through very difficult times. More than just the ceremony, we remember Lily Nye, the celebrant at our marriage. Though she does not know it, her grace and skill in guiding us during that time has made her a very important part of our lives as well.

That is really why we do what we do. At each ceremony we perform, we recapture the joy and seriousness of our own marriage.

As a postscript, our initial motivation to get married, for the health insurance, was not in vain. Since that time, Jennifer's health has improved dramatically. The path that we've followed to get her there is many more pages in itself, and we won't bore you with the gory details. Suffice to say that she is able to stand upright at your wedding ceremony, speak eloquently and dance a bit afterward in celebration (as seen below where we are dancing at Jon's daughters wedding).

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home services faq about us gallery fees contact	gallery jennifer & jon why we perform marriages We met in the Spring of 1997. It was a good spring! We have been together ever since. Like most couples our lives have been filled with challenges and disappointments: some trivial, some quite serious. Soon after we had decided to live together that fall, Jennifer became quite ill. She lacked any energy, was lethargic and in constant pain. We bounced from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what the problem was. We had diagnosises ranging from lupus to arthritis to fibromyalgia to “it’s all in her head.” They were all frightening. All of them meant that Jennifer could be, would be an invalid for the rest of her life, becoming steadily more dependant upon me. I suppose if were going to break up, that was the time it might have happened. The medical search was quickly sapping our resources. I had a job with good medical benefits, so I said to her, "Why don’t we get married?" It seemed just a logical thing, a little cold-blooded perhaps, but still logical. At that point neither of us had much use for ceremonies. They were just a means to an end. but, we were about to learn something quite different. We worked with a Unitarian Minister to craft our own ceremony. She guided us, gave us suggestions and helped us with issues of etiquette and belief. The ceremony was ours, but it would not have been half so graceful had she not lent her help to it. On the morning of August 28^th, Jennifer and I awoke to a day we thought would simply be a day she could to start to claim medical benefits. It turned out quite differently. We were married in the Rose Garden of Brandywine River Park, in Wilmington, Delaware. It was a small gathering of close friends and family. When the ceremony was complete we all were in tears. Hearing the words we had created, and saying aloud them to one another before those closest to us, transformed what we thought would be routine into a moment that we refer to time and time again. That ceremony - the words, emotions and vows we shared - has helped us through very difficult times. More than just the ceremony, we remember Lily Nye, the celebrant at our marriage. Though she does not know it, her grace and skill in guiding us during that time has made her a very important part of our lives as well. That is really why we do what we do. At each ceremony we perform, we recapture the joy and seriousness of our own marriage. As a postscript, our initial motivation to get married, for the health insurance, was not in vain. Since that time, Jennifer's health has improved dramatically. The path that we've followed to get her there is many more pages in itself, and we won't bore you with the gory details. Suffice to say that she is able to stand upright at your wedding ceremony, speak eloquently and dance a bit afterward in celebration (as seen below where we are dancing at Jon's daughters wedding).