A Motorcycle Wedding : Part 2

Biking : A Motorcycle Wedding
Part Two - The Wedding

Bottom | Part 1 | Part 2 | Wedding Album

Wedding breakfast

On the morning of the 18th, it was pretty cold and the sky was somewhat misty. We went up the road to Stateline and called in at a wedding chapel to find out where to get a licence. The courthouse was literally just up the road and we went in, filled out a form, and got the licence. There were plenty of sheets with address and contact details of ministers, sort of handy. It amused me to think that getting married here was the equivalent of eloping to Gretna Green - just over the border. Except that in Gretna, of course, you need to book in advance!

I saw a brochure for a minister who could do civil ceremonies and suggested calling him but Don had noticed that the Justice of the Peace was available without appointment on Saturdays, so we went to find him. He wasn't around, so we went down to Taco Bell and ate our wedding breakfast(!)

The wedding

Upon our return, the J.P.'s door was open. He came out before too long and settled us into his office, then he went and found a witness, took the rings and the money, explained the set-up and off we went.

He was a nice guy, sort of jolly. The witness took a photograph of us - not exactly your typical bride and groom, given that I was wearing a green embroidered smock, black leather jeans and heavy leather motorcycle boots, and Don was in his usual jeans and t-shirt! The ceremony was very simple, yet somehow touching and very appropriate: no fuss, spontaneous. The J.P. explained what his authority to marry us was, then he read the "in sickness and in health" speech, asked Don if he wanted to commit; "I do". Then the same for me. "I do." And we exchanged rings; my hand was a little shaky. Here I was, five and a half thousand miles from where I'd grown up, getting hitched. It was real - a sense of commitment, of moving into a new chapter. And it was a touch scary and emotional and exciting.

Then, he had us face one another, holding both hands, while he explained the duties of a married couple, to love each other even more from this day, whether times were good or bad, to support one another and always keep the lines of communication open. They whole ceremony was very simple and touching, and the words reflected how we had already decided things were supposed to be.

And then he pronounced us man and wife and left us alone until we were ready! We played "Hello husband dear" and "Hello Mrs Gentile" awhile ;-)

Coming home

married - and a
certificate to prove it!

After a while prancing around with cameras outside the courthouse, we went home via North Lake Tahoe, seeing lots more beautiful but increasingly cold countryside. Ultimately, we pulled off the road and put on all the extra layers, significantly deflating the saddlebags. We finally broke off onto 89 which connects with 80 and went through Kings Beach, stopping at Lucky supermarket for Coke and nibbles; I also wrote the wedding announcements on Tahoe postcards and was later accused by friends of sounding smug.

A former biker came out from the supermarket and chatted: he said the snow usually settled around the 17th of November, and you could expect it to remain until June. Not a place to have a bike as your main mean machine!

It was a long journey home and pretty cold. We were glad of our various layers though it made both of us look like Michelin men and getting on and off the bike was a two-person job! I didn't like the Highway 80 route as much, but it was certainly quicker. Just as well: by the end my rear was so stiff that I had to keep requesting stops.

And, within a couple of days Don's best friend Jim had showed up with the most enormous chocolate wedding cake you ever saw. Mmmmmmm! :-)

Top | Part 1 | Part 2 | Wedding Album

Biking : A Motorcycle Wedding : Part Two - The Wedding

The Wild Wyrd World