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Lindsay Dofelmier & Gerrad Saibara
Midway, Utah
August 2, 2003
180 Guests

My husband and I met four years ago at a Japanese party in Salt Lake City. I was studying Japanese Language and Studies at the University of Utah, and some of my Japanese friends invited me to a party where I could practice speaking. I remember being exhausted and only went out after a lot of pestering, but it turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made. After spending almost the entire evening in a corner talking with my friends, my husband-to-be and his friends walked in. After talking to them for a while, they invited us to another party where Gerrad and I spent the whole evening engrossed in conversation. We soon began dating and have been together ever since.

Although neither one of us were vegan at the time, I had been for two years in high school and had only recently begun eating animal products again. It wasn’t until we moved to Washington State together and came across a Why Vegan pamphlet at school one day that I remembered why I had made the decision in the first place. I immediately decided that I would give it another try, and my husband, while reluctant at first, soon joined me on the vegan path. Almost immediately after making the switch, I became heavily involved in activism in the area. As my conviction deepened with growing knowledge and a supportive vegan community, I knew that our wedding had to be vegan. I discussed it with Gerrad, and he agreed. My father, who was paying for the wedding, was angry at first but soon realized that it was our choice. He did say that I had to shoulder the burden of finding vegan alternatives that fit into my budget.

It took a lot of effort to plan our perfect vegan wedding from Washington, but it slowly came together. Before we knew it the day was upon us. I hadn’t felt nervous the whole time, but on the day of the rehearsal dinner I was doubled over with abdominal pain. I was miserable and couldn’t even eat the delicious vegan feast I had planned, or excitedly visit with my wedding party. The next day my maid of honor gave me a massage to help me relax. I couldn’t eat at all and felt like I was in my own world the whole day. I was so spaced out that on the drive to the venue that afternoon I couldn’t even speak. As I looked outside, I saw clouds approaching that threatened rain. It had been so hot and sunny for weeks before that we had even moved the wedding time back so it would be cooler during our outdoor ceremony. We had planned for the heat, but hadn’t even the slightest expectation for rain. As I was getting ready the storm broke, and we reluctantly had to move the ceremony inside. At first I was disappointed, but it soon faded as I walked down the aisle toward my husband. The lodge looked beautiful. It was the first time I had seen it decorated for the wedding and full of our family and friends. The vibrant flowers, the gray sky, and the smiling faces—everything was so beautiful that it seemed almost surreal. I had seven bridesmaids and my husband had seven groomsmen. We had two flower girls—one was Gerrad’s niece, and the other was our canine “daughter” Clara. She had a bouquet almost as big as mine tied on her hemp leash, and my cousin escorted her down the aisle right before me. As I watched her gleefully sniffing the flower petals on the ground while half-running towards her dad and enjoying the attention and good-natured laughter she was receiving, I too became at ease.

The ceremony flew by, and when we emerged from taking pictures everyone rushed to show us that the rain had finally subsided leaving a double rainbow in its wake. It was the most beautiful sky I’ve ever seen. I guess if the old wives’ tales are true then we have triple good luck in our marriage. Not only did it rain (which is supposedly good luck), but we also got two rainbows! The food was a hit and everyone had a great time. Later that night, when we were lying in bed, we reflected back and realized that we had shared the most important day of our lives with the most important people in our lives. We also shared a piece of ourselves—something we believe in with them. It was a day of joy and love. It was the most wonderful day of our lives and although the day is past, the memories and the magic will last a lifetime.

Lindsay & Gerrad’s Menu

Buffet Dinner
Vegetable platter with Onion Dip
Pita Bread and Hummus
Tossed Green Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Layered Vegetable Salad with Italian Dressing
Angel Hair Pasta with Marinara Sauce
Lemon Herb Pasta with Garlic, Artichokes, Mushrooms and Capers
Breadsticks with Vegan Parmesan and Garlic
Fresh Fruit Platter

Wedding Cake
Three-tiered Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Frosting and Raspberries, Carrot Cake with Vanilla Frosting, and Lemon-Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Frosting

Beverages
Assorted Beers & Wines
Soft Drinks