Love is The Law

As a "straight" person, I grew up with a prejudice toward and a lack of understanding of people who were "gay". Age and experience, if we pay attention, enlightens our minds. 

Back in the mid '70s, a woman asked me to make a ring for her "girl friend". They had been together for ten years. She wanted me to carve a symbol of corn growing in the snow. She explained that this was a native american symbol of something that was impossible. This was to signify how hard their relationship had been to maintain in the climate that existed at that time for same sex couples. It was a moving encounter.

Ten years later her partner contacted me to make a matching ring for the first woman. I have never forgotten that experience and have had a particular fondness for the many same sex couples I have made rings for over the years.

I may have a picture of that ring but I have not been able to find it yet. However, several winters ago I was driving to work and passed a field and saw two stalks of corn left standing in the snow. It was the symbol that I had carve so many years ago.

I have been making rings for same sex couples throughout my career. These came to be called "commitment rings".  I never liked that term since it was clear to me these couples were no different from the couples coming to me for "wedding rings" and who are just as much in love and just as committed to a life together.

I would like to express my joy for my gay and lesbian sisters and brothers and my pride in the people of Minnesota for abolishing that arbitrary distinction.

A Joyous Occasion

Several years ago you may have seen one of the early YouTube video’s that went viral. The dancing wedding! It is delightful.  If you have not seen it, there is a link below.  The couple asked me to make custom rings for them and I happily agreed.  The link is for their wedding site, which contains the YouTube video that you just have to watch!  

http://www.jkweddingdance.com/#donate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0&noredirect=1

About a year after they were married, I received an e-mail from them that I thought I would share with you:

“Hello,

My husband, Kevin, and I had our wedding rings made by you last year (we love them!).

You have also made wedding rings for some of our close friends who are also in that video (Ann and Jeff Mason, Lisa and Jimmy Krieger).

We are working on making a short online ad for Google about our wedding- showing websites that we used to plan our wedding. We would like to show your website briefly in the ad- because ours rings are really special to us.  

Sincerely, 

Jill Peterson and Kevin Heinz”

All weddings should be this joyful! Enjoy the video!

Ruby and Diamond ring

This ring is a twentieth wedding anniversary gift. They were both students when they were married and could not afford a diamond engagement ring. She is of Czechoslovakian descent and loves the look of jewelry from that part of the world. They commonly to use garnets and the gold is a different color from what we are used to seeing. The diamond is a little under one carat and of very high color and clarity. We used deep red rubies instead of garnets and the 14 K gold has a more reddish hue. The pattern of the stones is similar to the designs used by her ancestors. I am pleased with how it looks and she loves it.