On Friday, 23 July 2010, FoxTROT members, Donna Porter and Ray Maurer, were joined in holy matrimony! The ceremony was held on the steps of an old Methodist church in Townsend, Tennessee, just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The wedding was planned by the couple to coincide with the FoxTROT/MFTHBA National Trail Ride in the Smokies. Those in attendance were members of FoxTROT who came to participate in the ride. FoxTROT President, Sam Gerhardt, who is an ordained minister, presided over the service. After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed a "wedding supper" at the Carriage House Restaurant where a surprise wedding cake was presented to the newly married couple. The next morning Ray and Donna returned to camp around 7:00 a.m. and saddled up to join the rest on the Saturday trail ride by 8:00 a.m.
The wedding vows recited by the couple were a bit unique to a horse oriented household. " I, (Ray/Donna), take you (Donna/Ray), as my lawful wedded (wife/husband) to have and to hold from this day forward. I promise to love and cherish you, to honor and sustain you, in the bad that may darken our days, in the good that may light our ways, in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, for better or for worse, through horse buying and selling, riding and training (at which point, Ray said, "That's a tough one."), and forsaking all others, to be true to you in all things until death alone shall part us." Later, the couple told us that the only real 'disagreement' they'd had in their four years together was over buying or not buying a horse. So, the unique vows proved to be perfectly appropriate!
Our prayers remain with Mr. and Mrs. Maurer. We wish them great success and happiness in their marriage.
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