Taiwezen Royal Wedding Ceremony

The wedding of royalty in Močavi is a large celebration that takes place on the night of a full moon in the Temple of the Moon on Mirror Lake. Many come to enjoy a large banquet and watch the beautiful dance that the wedded couple performs under the moonlight. The ceremony is meant to bind the heart, body and soul of the couple together and ask for the Goddess Medina's blessing to protect the marriage.

Execution

Purification of Body and Mind

Both parties are clothed in conservative dress, their face veiled and their skin covered. They do not meet anyone during this time and only the Servants of the Moon are allowed to come into contact with them. The purpose of this is to rid the body and mind of worldly matters and to give them time to be at peace with themselves. This lasts a week.

The Binding of Soul

The ceremony starts with the Vessel of Moonlight braiding the hair of both parties together in a net pattern. The two will stay together in this way with half of their hair braided until the exchanging of cups when the braid will be completed. This part of the ceremony is completed behind closed doors, allowing the couple to chat while the guests feast.

A Drink to Meld the Heart

As the moon rises, the couple's hair will be completely braided together, and they will share a bottle of Ceremonial Wine, drinking at the same time with arms interlocked. The wine is said to be brewed with the essence of the moon, bringing divine protection to the couple.

A Dance to Unite the Body

Once the moon reaches its peak, the couple will begin a dizzying spin under the moonlight, closely linked together by their interlocked hair. The dance is accompanied by traditional Tiawezan music and is a sight to behold with silver jewelry twinkling under the moonlight.

Components and tools

Wedding Robes

Both partners wear similarly styled robes regardless of gender. The robes are yellow and silver, denoting the wearer's status as royalty and are adorned with silver embroidery depicting mist and stars. Ornate silver crowns adorn their heads with hanging glass beads. Every part of the wedding robe is a work of art and the robes are generally passed down through generations to the first child.

Ceremonial Wine

During the ceremony, the couple will share a bottle of Ceremonial Wine. It is brewed by the Vessel of Moonlight and is said to be made with precious yidin berries and left to ferment within the depths of Mirror Lake, imbuing the protective essence of the moon within it.

Participants

The Couple

Taiwezen culture sets aside the position of spouse for one's true love. Not discriminating against same-sex relationships, this allows for the formal partner to of the same sex, with a partner on the side for reproductive purposes. It is the same even for royalty and thus it isn't surprising to see someone on the throne without a formal partner as the wedding ceremony is only held for the main partner and not those for the purpose of conceiving children.

The Vessel of Moonlight

As the head of the Servants of the Moon, the Vessel of Moonlight serves as the representative of the Goddess Medina in blessing the couple's relationship so that it shall prosper and never be broken.

Observance

The wedding ceremony is planned around the night of a full moon. It is said that on a full moon, the power of the Goddess Medina is at its strongest and thus to wish for her blessing to protect the marriage, the ceremony takes place on the night of a full moon.

Blue Moon

For the moon to show blue on the night of the ceremony is a sign of disaster and is seen as bad luck. Though it is now known that an earlier volcanic eruption or forest fire is the cause of the coloration, the blue moon still carries its stigma of bad luck.

Yellow Moon

The yellow moon is said to bring wealth and prosperity to the wedded couple, and in the case of a royal wedding, to the nation as well. For a wedding to fall on the night of a yellow moon is a cause of great celebration and an additional feast will usually be held the next day.

Red Moon

But perhaps the most desired moon is the red moon for it is said that for a couple whose wedding which falls on a red moon will remain happily in love even in old age. For partners of the opposite sex, the red moon also brings with it the blessing of many healthy children.