Hi Mark!
Hi Rich!
Can you tell me about your framed piece?
This is a Ketubah! The Ketubah represents so much of our life together. It also represents the fact that we could finally get married after 21 years together. Not realizing, not ever thinking that it would happen in our lifetime. Also the wedding itself, not to brag, but people said it was the most loving wedding they had ever been to! Even our photographer said, “if people who opposed to same-sex marriage would see this wedding they would get it“.
You tied two concepts together?
What was also important was for it to incorporate those ideas because [the Ketubah] is a Jewish symbol but if it was going to be something that represent it needed to include the Celtic background as well. So that’s why it was important to also have the Celtic influence in the piece.
It’s interesting we talked about separating them but for us it’s that melding together as one and what that represents to us.
How does the ketubah process work?
Oh it’s a ceremony, a Jewish ceremony. It’s before the wedding it’s literally the marriage contract. Yeah and we had to say vows that were specific to it besides the actual ceremony. Everyone threw me for that because I had to go first and I the Rabbi was like, “repeat after me” and I was like okay and I am all happy go lucky. As he kept saying the words I was like “Oh my god this is the wedding ceremony, we’re getting married right now” and so then I got all teary eyed.
How did you feel when you brought it home?
Mark picked it up and being a teacher Mark was awesome and picked it up, I just came home and saw it. The following weekend or whatever we actually had an out of town guest visiting and we were in downtown Maplewood and I said guys, “I just need two minutes”. I just ran to Dayana at the Mona Lisa Frames shop and said “Thank you so much, you did an amazing job!” It’s awesome it’s very special to us.