To Love and To Cherish

When I consider marriage, and love, two chief sources come to mind, the Bible, and The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. In the former it is expressed as leaving one's childhood home and cleaving to one another only. In the latter the prophet expresses it, “You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.” Both are spiritual texts, and romantic. And both nothing of laws.

When we began to conceive of this project, almost immediately the title came first. “To Love and To Cherish” purposely evokes marriage vows and we, the women of Sapphic Planet, hope it speaks to the equality of same gender committed relationships in practice to heterosexual ones. Even more than “we all put our pants on one leg at a time”, being married, whether one is queer or straight, is all about security, protection, forming a safe haven for both partners to grow and love and add to the family that surrounds them.

The fourteen stories in this collection endeavor to invite the reader in to share the joy, laughter, angst and passion of women in love and committed to a future together.

Who hasn't suffered the perils of planning the perfect proposal only to have it all fall apart? Such is the hilarity to follow in author Stephanie Rose's “The Anti Proposal.” What about executing the wedding of your dreams? If you thought you had interfering mothers-in-law, check out who gets involved in “My Big Fat Greek Lesbian Pagan Wedding” by Adrianne Brennan. Finally there are every day moments when we show our commitment to one another, like the tending of hearth and home in Adriana Kraft's “Embracing the Fire.” Within all the stories you will find all the things committed couples do... arguing, caring, loving, fighting, and mirror-fogging steamy sex.

For section one, On Bended Knee, our authors shared the many ways one woman asks another to share her life forever, whether it could be recognized by the government or not. Robyn in “The Anti Proposal” by Stephanie Rose stumbles through a comedy of errors trying to deliver the perfect night for the big question. Indulge in the sweet, touching memories of a widow seeing her bride on their wedding day in “My Doris My Love,” by Jolene Hui.

In section two, With This Ring, authors explored the hilarity and anxiety of planning and living through the ceremony itself. It's one of the times we all put our feelings out there for everyone to witness, and as a result, what results is what happens when you've made other plans. Raven and Gale have chosen to be joined before their community in “Jumping the Broom.”

Our third section, Lives and Wives, draws from life, plain and simple, powerfully humbling and wonderful, between two women. Remember falling in love all over again with Adriana Kraft's “Embracing the Fire.” Count your blessings in Beth Wylde's “Together Forever.”

All proceeds from this collection are being donated to Marriage Equality USA which continues the fight in courtrooms around the country to secure civil marriage rights for GLBT couples across the U.S. We encourage further donations at www.marriageequality.org