My Friends Get Hitched in a Viking Wedding

The newlyweds: Charisse and Jeff

My friends Jeffrey Rigdon and Charisse Asvor had a Viking wedding on Mill Mountain in Roanoke today. These are two of the very best people I know. They recently had a lovely girl baby and decided to tie the knot on this longest day of the year (longest ever, Jeff says).

Their little one.

It is the solstice and a good time for Vikings to get married. Wedding days for Vikings are normally on Friday, but the equinox is a pretty good incentive to change it to Sunday. Viking weddings most often last a week, but this one will likely be over late tonight, since work awaits. 

They were boiling mead on the mountain. Mead is a honey-based drink and with the wedding officially lasting a month, we get the term "honeymoon." This was a lovely wedding of two people of wildly different ages (Jeff's in his 60s, Charisse in her 20s); different ethnicities and different ... well, who cares? They are suited. You could tell from the smiles, the cracked jokes during the solemn moment, the quiet touches and glances.

I'm happy for both of them and for their little girl and all the grandkids and kids. It's a great blended and extended family.

Jeff with the mother of us all, Pearlie Mae Fu.

Jeff and his grandgirl.

Looking for diversity? Try this.

My friend Anne Sampson shoots the details.

Anne shoots me shooting her.

The ceremony.

More ceremony (that's Charisse's dad on the left).

Taking the pledge with a sword.

The new family.

A procession of Vikings.

Celebrating their friends.

The exotic bride.

The noble groom.

Charisse takes a moment for herself.

Anne looking all pretty.