Wedding pic from RocksDesign Flickr
I was invited to attend a wedding with a friend a few months ago. She told me it was going to be very small and informal with only a few (~30) people invited. I was honored that they wanted to include me, so I went to Toronto last weekend to attend. The wedding was scheduled to be on the rooftop of The Drake hotel, but unfortunately it was raining so they had it in another room.
The ceremony was very nice and they did something different where they asked people to select rocks from a table. We were then supposed to transfer happy thoughts/energy to the rocks and put them all in a basket. I guess this was a creative anchor whereby the rocks will now be associated with energy/happiness from the wedding!
There were 2 things that stood out to me:
1) The couple didn’t have the whole “You may now kiss the bride” bit, but instead, they high-fived each other! 
I wonder if my future wife would be OK with us yelling: “Hhhhigh fiiiiive!” (Borat-style) at our wedding. Probably not…
2) During a speech, they mentioned how when heterosexual couples have trouble everyone is rooting for them to stay together whereas this isn’t the case with gay couples. It was something I had never really considered before…
The reception and after-party continued at The Drake. The venue was very trendy and I met several
great people. I introduced some of them to Liquid Cocaine (not really cocaine!!) once they started doing shots. Liquid Cocaine was T and I’s drink of choice back in the day (like 7 years ago!). Turns out it was one of the girls’ favourite drinks! Her partner also asked me if I would consider being a sperm donor, but I’m pretty sure they were kidding (or drunk)! Ha ha!
Overall it was a great time and everyone had a lot of fun, apparently some older people still know how to party! 
whoaa…that sounded like a great experience alright!!!:D
interesting I must say…
I was imagining, our traditions, at a Buddhist wedding..when the couple is on the poruwa…. and suddenly the guy goes..”high five”… I can just imagine the expression on the elders’ faces!! hahahaaa!!!!
Blistering Barnacles!
Would have been a great experience.
Uni is full of lesbian couples too…[mostly Chinese].
I’ve seen many,now what can I say…..having romance and it freaked me out!
I don’t think all the lesbian couples end up marrying as I’ve seen many turning to be straight after some time.
Who knows,may be they realize theres nothing special in it.lol
Ironically they seem to be enjoying being a lesbian throughly.I Wonder why…
hahaha, the thought of that borat style hi five made me laugh loud.
the expression on their faces would be a Kodak moment.
That was one interesting post. The high five made me laugh…
I went to a lesbian wedding last year and they did that rock thing too! Apparently it’s all about spreading good vibes! The wedding itself was in RSA and my parents wouldn’t let me go there by myself so they sent my lil’ cousin with me. I didn’t tell him we were going for a lesbian wedding but when we went to the “hen” party I think he may have figured it out – the lookon his face was priceless!
Thanks for all the comments everyone! As described, it was a nice experience. Let me clarify something: They high-fived each other, but didn’t yell “Hhhhhhhhiigh fiiive!” (I’m hoping to do that…).
LD – Yes, a high-five at a wedding would certainly get the elders’ attention!!
ELhamza – LOL @ “Blistering Barnacles”! I haven’t heard a TanTan expression in a LONG time!
Well, I know that same-sex marriages are still illegal in many places, so many don’t. Is it legal in Sri Lanka? I would doubt it…
amongmyswan – Definitely a Kodak moment!!
Santoshi – Glad you liked it!
Scrump – Hmmm…so I guess the rock thing might be common among gay couples and/or new age type weddings.
What/where is “RSA”?
Was your cousin pleasantly surprised or just surprised? lol
I loved the image you had posted…. so illustrative! Yep, same sex marriages are ilegal in SL. As is oral sex. (Go figure…)
RSA = Republic of South Africa?
…. ugh…. liquid cocaine….. bad bad bad bad memories…. ugh…. And I’ll have you know some old(er) (cause you’re getting up there too) still know how to have fun!
T
Angel – Yes, I thought the pic was quite nice as well!
Oral sex is illegal in Sri Lanka!?!? You’re kidding… I wonder what the charge and punishment is for that?
T – Ha ha, yup, those were the days! I still remember that night when we lined up like 5 shots each and still didn’t feel anything. That was when I slowed down on the drinking!
Oh yes, older people can still have fun, they just have to leave their house sometimes!!!
Hah sounds like a fun event, borat-hi-fives and all
But dude, rocks? WTF?!!!
Darwin – Well, it’s a belief system like anything else and I respect that!
RSA – what Angel said – Republic of South Africa. I think the rocks might be a new age type thing..
And I don’t like to think of my cousin thinking in that way – he’s lil’! But once over the initial surprise, I think he was pleasantly surprised. Even more so considering at the reception, most of their friends were lesbian couples as well!
If they actually kissed, what would the reaction be?
Didn’t they kiss because they were already doomed to fail due to society judging them?
Scrump – RSA…got it.
Yup, the rocks are definitely a modern new age tradition (if there is such a thing as “modern tradition”?)
£15 – A story – I don’t believe there would have been a negative reaction had they kissed. Actually, they’re not “doomed to fail” at all. They’ve been together for the last 30 years!!
Great blog, by the way! I’ve just started reading through it and I like what I see so far!
Great blog,Ian. Thanks for introducing me to LiQuid Cocaine!
Dr. Love (Jenn’s friend Terry)
Terry / Dr. Love – Is that your new job title?
You’re welcome about the liquid cocaine! ha ha Glad you enjoyed the blog!!
OK, folks, one of the original High5ers, here to set ya’ll (figuratively) straight.
It was my first lesbian wedding, too, and a mighty, mighty fine wedding it was (tho the photo is not us and to clarify, it was neither of us who asked Ian to donate sperm!).
The Stone Ceremony (a Native American tradition): I don’t know why others do it but for us, it honoured my Cherokee heritage as did the opening prayer and closing blessing.
The High Five: We wrote our ceremony (full transcript available upon request!) and elected to reserve the right to offer whatever expression of affection moved us at the moment. I looked up, my wife (that’s what I’m calling her now after calling her my partner as if we were in business together for the past 31 years) was High Fiving me. It seemed right. I High Fived back…and then we kissed…and kissed again (one for each)…and hugged…and were oblivious to much less concerned about being judged by the world. And now? We are forever transformed by the experience of (re)committing ourselves to each other and to our lives publicly in the presence of those we hold most dear and with the official sanction of our esteemed and treasured northern neighbor (and we were honoured and delighted to have you there, Ian, new shoes, shots and all!).
Doomed to fail? What kind of a shitty world do you live in?
Older people still able to have fun? Peeeeshhhaaaa. We heed the example and wisdom of our elders and add our special touch.
Shots: Liquid Cocaine, tasty good fun…so are Buttery Nipples, Lemon Drops, Irish car Bomb…and the Drake bar tenders were beside themselves with glee that a group of Americans could hold the whole end of the bar back from the Canadians all night long without starting any fights (Cleveland Rocks!).
Take a lesson, kids. LIVE FREE, PROUD AND OUT LOUD.
Dude, if your future wife would not high five you, then I dont think that you should marry her
Huggy //Selma