Sam and Alla's Wedding

By the sun, moon, by land and sea, may your love last an eternity and all you touch in life be filled with the love and joy held captivated in your hearts.

Now you will feel no rain
For each of you will be shelter for each other

Now you will feel no cold
For each of you will be warmth to the other

Now there is no more loneliness for you
For each of you will be companion to the other

Now you are two bodies
But there is only one life before you

The hand which you each offer the other
Is an extension of yourselves.

Just as in the warmth and love you express to each other
Cherish the touch

For you are touching another life
Be sensitive to its pulse

And try to understand its rhythm
Just as you would your own

Go now to your dwelling place
To enter into the days of your togetherness
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.
The beginning of our traditional Maldivian Wedding adventure -- Native flowers around our necks -- Meeting our Island escourts....traditional drummers -- Our local escorts -- Being led by the Island drummers --
The beach wedding Isle -- Shoes off and onto the sand -- Alla enjoying the Maldivian tradition of having her feet washed before the ceremony. -- Sam's feet being washed. -- We enjoyed a constant shower of flower petals. --
Traditional conche shells and drums being played led us along the beach -- Centre of attention -- Its a long walk -- with the Indian Ocean's crystal clear water in the background -- White flags leading to the "Alter" --
stealing a look at my beautiful bride -- The flower petals just kept on coming -- almost there -- At the end of the white flags our cermony takes place -- Walking through the arch of vines. --
The Island chief welcomes us before he conducts the ceremony -- Ready for action -- Our traditional Maldivian ceremony begins -- our ceremony was conducted by the Island chief and witnessed by 2 local men as per the traditional laws -- Our wedding rings await. --
The ceremony was conducted in the native language, with a translator standing bye. -- the ceremony is under way -- now its our turn to say something to each other -- we wrote our own vow's for the ring exchange. I went first. -- Putting the ring on Alla's finger --
Alla's turn to say her vow's to me. -- Alla putting the ring on my finger -- The Wedding kiss. -- Married at last. -- signing our wedding certificate --
Alla signs the certificate too -- Island witness's sign our wedding certificate -- A wonderful feeling -- signed, sealed and delivered...our wedding certificate -- it is traditional to eat local food right after the ceremony with the Island Chief --
nerves and dry mouths made eating the beautiful food a little difficult -- enjoying a snack together -- our boat awaits for a sunset sail. -- lucky they gave us tea to wet our dry mouths, which we both gulped down! -- I think we are done --
looking back down the beach where we had just walked -- Island "chewing gum". Intersting taste. -- local's congratulating us -- Just married -- Mr and Mrs Barden --
loving it. -- sharing a laugh -- The Island Chief and our translator -- our entourage -- off for a sun set sail --
waving to the crowd who had gathered to watch -- off into the sunset we go on a traditional sailing boat -- back already -- the sailing was wonderful -- back on dry land --
On the edge of the Indian Ocean -- hand in hand -- back we go along the beach -- sun setting in the back ground -- drummers playing --
off for dinner -- the white flags show the way back -- those drummers just kept on drumming -- showing off our rings -- taking a moment in the "newly weds" chairs --
official photo's -- our transport was one of the Island golf carts. -- Married, and watching the sun go down -- wedding drinks -- yum! --
smile for the camera -- we enjoyed the Islands pineapples. -- time to go for our private beach dinner -- Alla and I at our private beach dinner -- ready to eat --
we enjoyed vegetable soup, salad, some beef, red snapper and fruit for dessert -- my beautiful bride -- a sneaky bottle of Dom to celebrate -- Champagne for two -- posing for Alla --
still posing -- looking good. -- taking a break between the many courses -- Beautiful Alla -- our private beach setting --
the new Mrs Barden -- blowing me a kiss -- another course -- the day after we were married -- a self portrait --
what a setting -- Alla giving me directions on how to take a photo. -- I think I got it right -- me with my 23 year old Akubra -- Poser! --
dressed for dinner -- so beautiful -- more self portraits -- Alla loves taking photo's -- one --
two -- Isn't Alla clever! -- the view from our bungalow on Sun Island -- the thing on my head is part of a "dish dash", given to me by a friend in Dubai. He showed me how to put it on, but I guess I was not concertrating enough. -- our last night on Sun Island before heading back to the reality of Moscow --
bronzed and beautiful -- I was just getting used to the life style and it was time to go -- more self portraits -- not sure about this one! -- my beautiful wife Alla. --