From here (click on the link to see the rest of the photos if you want):

We got married today.

This was a very small wedding because of the pandemic. Besides me and Amanda, there was just our officiant and our two witnesses (and their toddler). In a fortuitous coincidence, five people appears to be not only the minimum required for a legally valid wedding in New Mexico, but also happens to be the maximum allowed under a proclamation of the tribal governor for a private gathering on the reservation where we live.

I’m going to describe the wedding and post a bunch of pictures for the the many people whom we would’ve invited if we would’ve had a regular wedding with a bunch of people there. Here’s how we planned where to get married.

Plan A: We’ll drive to El Malpais National Monument, hike up to the top of El Calderon, and get married on top of an extinct volcano with views for miles in every direction, on February 28th.

Plan B: The weather was bad that weekend, so we postponed two weeks, with the same planned location (and I was excited to get married on Pi Day/Pie Day).

Plan C: After having multiple days in the past couple weeks that were completely sunny with highs in the 60s, yesterday it snowed, we expected the volcano to be slushy and difficult to hike, but we didn’t want to postpone again. So yesterday we decided to drive just a few miles and get married in front of a beautiful local mesa [sacred to the Zuni], and then come back to our house to eat.

Plan D: Around noon today, wet snow was blowing down diagonally, and we still didn’t want to postpone again. So we got married in our living room (the CDC recently said it’s safe for fully vaccinated people to gather indoors), in front of a grandfather clock adorned by a small picture of Saint Oscar Romero.

These were my vows:Amanda, when I first met you, you seemed very interested in my dog, good old Moose here [point to picture on shirt]. At first I wasn’t completely sure you even noticed there was a person on the other end of the leash. I thought I should get to know my new neighbor, so I tried to make polite conversation, but I kept getting distracted by how pretty you were. I tried not to just stand there and stare, and I hope I succeeded, but to my disappointment you turned out to be married. I thought, sadly, that that was that.

Lucky for me, I was wrong, although not for a while. As I got to know you over the next couple years, I noticed that you were a deeply good and compassionate person, that I loved and looked forward to spending time with you, and that you were an amazing mother. I started to get ideas. Happily for me, you eventually became single, but I didn’t let you stay that way for long. And, now that a certain future veterinarian’s financial aid application is no longer an obstacle, after four and a half years together, I finally get to marry you.

Once we’re married, I promise to make you laugh and to keep you safe and warm. I promise to take you places you’ve never been, and to rub your feet after we hike. I promise to make you unusual drinks and to chop vegetables so that you can invent delicious things. I promise that, if you were ever to go back to adopting a new pet every 6 months, I’ll gently remind you how many we already have. Most of all, I promise to love you the way you’ve always deserved.

Happy Pi Day everybody.

During the two readings, the officiant’s remarks, and the tying of the knot we had this music playing:

• LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends (in honor of the many people who weren’t there)
• Aaron Copland – Appalachian Spring (the “Gift to be Simple” section)

As we exchanged rings and said our vows:

• David Bowie – ‘Heroes’
• While we all tried to figure out the correct way to fill out the marriage certificate:
• Igor Stravinsky – Disappearance of Katshcei’s Palace and Magical Creations (finale of The Firebird)
• Elton John – Tiny Dancer

During lunch and a couple bottles of (not exactly) champagne:

• Modern English – I Melt With You
• New Order – Temptation
• The Magnetic Fields – Papa Was a Rodeo
• The Beatles – Tomorrow Never Knows
• Jane’s Addiction – Three Days
• The Clash – Death or Glory
• The Beatles – Here Comes the Sun
• The Beach Boys – God Only Knows
• Talking Heads – Girlfriend Is Better
• Sigur Ros – Samskeyti
• Martin Jones – L’Oiseau de Feu: Finale (solo piano arrangement of the Stravinsky piece above)
• The White Stripes – Fell In Love With a Girl
• Peter Gabriel – It Is Accomplished
• Sigur Ros – Olsen Olsen
• Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – Somewhere Over the Rainbow

I am soooo happy for them!

* Check out the link to see a gathering of lopapeysas in their natural habitat.