A nice day for a Bike Wedding

[You may kiss the ride.]

On Saturday I was lucky enough to join local cyclist Elicia Cardenas in a beautiful ceremony to wed her beloved bicycle, Vanilla. It was touching to see the young couple so happy and it’s obvious they were meant to be together.

The formal affair took place in the front yard of a home in Southeast Portland. Their union was made official by an ordained minister who read the touching vows in front of a teary-eyed crowd of well-wishers.

Elicia was given away by her best man, Timo Forsberg (who married his bike last summer) and Vanilla was joined in the aisle by Kiran Limaye. Music was provided by Jasun and his wonderful musi-cycle.

[Riding off into the sunset.]

The vows spoke to Elicia and Vanilla’s deep commitment to each other. I obtained a copy of them from the minister:

Do you, Vanilla promise:
…to dissassemble easily for travel…
…to stop and to go…
…to bomb and to climb…
…to shift smoothly and roll swiftly…
…to bear Elicia wherever she may take you…
…to have and to carry till death do you part?

And do you, Elicia promise:
…to ride Vanilla like a stallion…
…to oil him down…
…to lock him up…
…to bring him in out of the rain…
…to use him in that special way…
…to take him with you everywhere?
…to have and to ride till death to you part?

After professing their eternal love, the couple rode off into the sunset (around the block) and returned to celebrate the occasion with friends.

To see more photos from the wedding, check out my gallery and don’t miss Dat’s beautiful photos.