Whenever a couple has a piece of literature, movie or music that they share passionately in common, it presents such a fun opportunity to try to work in some quotes or passages into the wedding ceremony. This week, by happenstance, I finally found a perfect excerpt from Star Trek, which could be used for a Trekkie-loving couple!
Here, in Season 6, Episode 7 of Deep Space Nine, “You Are Cordially Invited,” we watch the wedding ceremony between Worf and Jadzia Dax. Watching the choreography in the episode is much better than just reading the script, but I’ve typed up the exchange below, for anyone who might wish to adapt it in their own ceremony.
Acting out the batlyths and the drumming would probably be a bit over-the-top for most folks, but even just using some of the quotes, or passages, as spoken by the officiant, could sound completely beautiful in a ceremony. Obviously, the references to “Klingons” would be replaced with “human” – as in No one can oppose the beating of two human hearts. And you could skip the fable about destroying the gods. In other words, this scene could be adapted into a funny, yet touching, text for the vow exchange.
For all of you random Google-readers out there, who have happened upon this blog entry, I’m an officiant in metro Philly who writes about Judaism and weddings (and sometimes both!). If you want a creative Star-Trek inspired wedding ceremony, I AM willing to travel! 🙂
Prior to the ceremony, the Klingon Martok says this:
And yet I love her deeply.
We Klingons, often tout our prowess in battle, our desire for glory and honor above all else. But how hollow is the sound of victory without someone to share it with? Honor gives little comfort to a man alone in his home, and in his heart.
At the ceremony, his wife Sirilla speaks as the Officiant:
{Officiant} (drumming) With fire and steel did the gods forge the Klingon heart. So fiercely did it beat, so loud was the sound that the gods cried out ‘on this day we have brought forth the strongest heart in all the heavens’. None can stand before it without trembling in its strength. But then the Klingon heart weakened, its steady rhythm faltered, and the gods said ‘Why have you weakened so? We have made you the strongest in all creation!”
And the heart said {groom} “I am alone”.
{Officiant} And the gods knew that they had erred. So they went back to their forge and they brought forth another heart.
{bride enters} {batlyths presented} {Officiant} But the second heart beat stronger than the first. The first was jealous of its power.
{ceremonial clash} Fortunately, the second heart was tempered by wisdom.
{bride} If we join together, no force can stop us.
{Weapons set aside. Couple embraces}
{Officiant} And when the two hearts began to beat together, they filled the heavens with a terrible sound. For the first time, the gods knew fear. They tried to flee but it was too late. The Klingon hearts destroyed the gods who created them, and turned the heavens to ashes. To this very day, no one can oppose the beating of two Klingon hearts.
{Officiant turns to the Groom} Does your heart beat only for this woman?
{Groom} Yes.
{Officiant} And will you swear to join with her and stand with her against all who would oppose you?
{Groom} I swear.
{Officiant} (Bride), daughter of ____ , does your heart beat only for this man?
{Bride} Yes.
{Officiant} And will you swear to join with him and stand with him against all who would oppose you?
{Bride} I swear.
{Officiant} Then let all here present today know that this man and this woman are married.
{Then guests rush them with padded sticks and konk them!}
WanderingHebrew.com 