Saturday, January 24, 2009

Married Life

Well, Jonah and I had our commitment ceremony on New Year's Eve day, and it was a beautiful ceremony. Jonah and his friend flew in the day before with his friend, and we spent that day preparing decorations, getting the church ready, picking up food, tuxedos, and other supplies, and just getting ready for the big day.

Thanks to Jonah and his friend, the church looked so beautiful. Jonah made the most gorgeous flower arrangements, and the church and reception area looked so nice.

On our wedding day, we finished putting final touches on the church. We had found this really nice gay-friendly church, and the pastor was so accomodating. Jonah and I looked very smart in our tuxedos. Our prelude music consisted of songs that were special to us, and Jonah picked the song that we walked down the aisle to, "I'm Accepted." It's funny, in normal every day life, Jonah is far more emotional than I am, but on our wedding day, I was the one who was really weepy, and Jonah was pretty steady throughout.

A good friend of mine performed the ceremony, and it went so well. Many people afterwards commented on what a beautiful ceremony it was (and fortunately, we have a video recording of it for posterity). I don't think either Jonah or I were very nervous (I wasn't, at least).

Most of the guests were from my side, although Jonah had some good friends there. It was a pretty small group altogether, less than 40 people, so it was nice and intimate.

My cousin made us an absolutely beautiful wedding cake, and my brother-in-law, who's a photographer, took photos, so it was really nice.

My mom gave an opening prayer, and Jonah's good friend gave a closing prayer. Jonah also sang a song for me, "Someone Like You" from Jekyll and Hyde, which was so gorgeous. It's sometimes mind-boggling to me that this huge, powerful voice comes out of my guy, who's pretty soft spoken in normal life.

My friend also read a poem by Roy Croft that went like this:

I love you, not only for what you are,
But for what I am when I am with you.

I love you, not only for what
You have made of yourself,
But for what you are making of me.

I love you for the part of me
That you bring out;

I love you for putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over all the foolish, weak things
That you can't help dimly seeing there,

And for drawing out into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find.

I love you because you have done
More than any creed
could have done to make me good,

And more than any fate
Could have done to make me happy.
You have done it without a touch,
Without a word, without a sign.
You have done it by being yourself.

Perhaps that is what
Being a friend means after all.


Jonah also had his best man play a joke on me where he gave me this oversized diamond ring when we did the ring exchange. It was pretty humorous.

Jonah and I had a lovely honeymoon. We spent our first night at the Anniversary Inn in Salt Lake City. It was extremely romantic. Our second night was at another very nice hotel, the Hampton Inn. I won't go into details, but we had an awesome time.

Jonah and I were able to spend two weeks together in our home in Las Vegas, which is the longest stretch of time we've been able to spend together in quite some time. It was lovely. We did some shopping, house improvements, and just spent time together. I remember grocery shopping and think how nice it was to just be doing the normal things that married couples do.

Anyway, after our two week honeymoon, I had to come back to Utah to do a show. Jonah and I talk nearly every day. I miss him, of course. I'm glad we had our ceremony. I just feel more married now. It feels more committed to me. I don't know that Jonah feels the same way or not, but for me, I'm glad we did it.

After my show here ends, I have nothing else on my plate. I've had some auditions, but nothing has come through yet. Perhaps this is God's way of saying I need to focus more time with my husband. I don't know. If nothing comes through, I will head back to Vegas and perhaps get a regular job until an acting job happens.

Anyway, married life is nice. Hopefully, gay marriage will be legal some day in all states. Jonah and I want to have a bigger ceremony a few years in the future. Perhaps we will be able to do it next time with all legal rights attached.