July 19-20, 2003

It was an eventful weekend with a large turnout during the Founding Day Blót at Norris Dam State Park. Kindred members held a meeting, Ted took his companion oath, the elders reaffirmed their oaths to the gods and each other, and Make and Jada got married!

Saturday evening, there was the expected Sumbel, which this time boasted toasts to each and every member of the kindred. The Sumbel went well past the traditional three rounds, aided perhaps by the specially brewed wedding ale made for the occasion. The evening ending in guitar music and singing around the campfire. Even though the evening ended earlier than usual, the kippers and sardines paid a much heavier toll than usual. The final tally was 4 tins of kippers and 2 tins of sardines. After the Small-Fish-Feast everyone retired early in preparation for the next day’s events.

The first event of the day was the wedding, which involved an exchange of oaths and gifts between the couple. This was followed by lots of bubble blowing and lots of pictures! After the wedding, Cliff led a Blót to Tyr, which included a reaffirmation of kindred oaths and a new companion oath taken by Ted. The evening’s finale was a wedding reception at the couple’s house that included more food than this pillaging group could consume. There was sandwich meat, cheeses, a chicken and rice casserole, chicken potpies, vegetables and chips, several kinds of dips, homemade candy and two very unique cakes. The groom’s cake was a perfect miniature replica of Make’s Dodge Ram truck and the wedding cake was a three-tier cake topped with a Viking Longship made of sugar.

Finally after much feasting and merry making the group went their separate ways in order give the new bride and groom some time alone. Unsubstantiated reports say that the bride and groom went to bed.. ;-)

View some photos.