What Does Your Photo Mean To You Challenge (@livinguktaiwan's contest)

For this contest, I want to talk about an image I used in the Black & White Photo Challenge that represents something that is very dear to me and has great sentimental value. While many of the photos I took had either work value or funny or relaxing significance, this photo represents a large part of my happiness. Of course, happiness comes from many sources, but this source of happiness is also a source of passion and love.

When @arbitrarykitten originally nominated me for the challenge, she knew I would get a kick out of it. I at first selected more simple photos that represented aspects of my internal self. The photo I want to talk about today has a story behind it. Here's the original post btw: https://steemit.com/sevendaybnwchallenge/@binkyprod/black-and-white-7-day-photo-challenge-day-4

So back in May 2013, Frank and I got engaged, and we spoke about themes for the wedding. I of course wanted some Star Wars stuff, but I also wanted a medieval wedding, which is something that appealed to us both. While some of the decorations were found and fixed up by my mom and sister, the rest were bought from a store called Dracolite, here in Montreal. We got dragon eggs, lots of different colours, and scrolls on which to write our vows, we got my dress made there.

And then we saw these cups and a matching pitcher. It was beautiful to me, and there are two lovers on one of the sides and they are looking at each other and kissing much like Frank and I do. The set was perfect. So we bought them.

At the wedding, on June 7th 2014, my mother married us and she called upon the four elements, plus the spirit of dragon. It was funny because when she called upon Air, there was a nice gust of wind. Magic truly does exit, my friends :p

There is a Polish tradition (I am third generation Polish on my mother's side) where the two lovers who are getting married drink water, representing purity (purity of love, purity of truth, purity of an honest relationship). My mother blessed the water within the pitcher, and then poured some water into one of the cups. We each drank from that cup, drinking the purity that we promised to uphold in our marriage and stay true to.

That's actually one part of the Polish tradition, where we also break bread and eat the life of our love. We also sprinkle salt to spread eternal love beyond each other and unto the world of those whom we love and care for.

Today, the two cups and the pitcher have a nice place in our living room, up on top of the TV shelf thingy above the bar (we call it a meuble, which is French for furniture set). We see it when we walk in and it reminds us daily of that special day when we officially declared our love for each other in front of all our loved ones, and committed to the same values we had when we began our relationship: Honesty, Communication and Trust. I am blessed to have found such eternal love and that is why this photo had to be part of my B&W Photo Challenge series.