Posts Tagged ‘Ceremony’
We helped to plan just an exquisite ceremony on a family farm in September. It was really relaxed and beautiful. The Father of the Bride made the arch from scratch (out of wood). We used an ipod for music.
It was very important for the Bride and Groom to keep things simple, and as eco-friendly as possible.
Take a look at these fabulous pictures by Brendan Bush at Brendan Bush Photography. I think these wonderful images will speak for themselves.
It was a very beautiful and meaningful day. The couple incorporated beautifully their family into the entire event. The sister of the Groom drew willow trees which was incorporated into their recycled invitations. The couple got married beneath two willow trees. In lieu of a unity candle, during the ceremony, the bride took a cutting from the Willow tree and they planted the cutting in a large urn. They later planted the cutting in their yard.
The flowers that they had were absolutely gorgeous and designed by Randy Woods at Wicked Willow LLC. You can see their work in a number of my blog postings and they are so fabulous.
For favors, we placed bamboo fans on each chair – so the guests could use them during the ceremony. The simple programs were printed on recycled paper and placed beneath the fans.
“Easy – easy – easy” is what the couple wanted – and “easy – easy – easy” is what they got!
Easy, beautiful, magnificent and memorable
Happy planning!
Gypsies do it, Pagans do it, Africans’ do it, African Americans’ do it, everybody does it!
A very important tradition in African and African American weddings – it usually occurs at the end of the ceremony, right before the couple recesses down the aisle. Typically, we place the broom under the seats in front or give it to the officiant. An “honored person”, chosen by the couple, will then place the broom on the floor at the correct time.
Surprisingly, jumping of the broom has Welsh and Celtic origins. In the Celtic culture, the straw of the broom represents fertility.
Pagan couples are now incorporating the tradition.
Cool, eh?
The broom represents cleanliness, family and fertility. Jumping of the broom is taking the proverbial “leap of faith” or “jumping into marriage”, so to speak. It symbolizes leaving the old single life, for a new married life.
In some parts of Africa, the ceremonial broom is used to sweep away evil.
There are many different variations of the broom jumping ceremony – and I encourage you to find a way that’s meaningful and unique to you!
You can get really cool brooms in your colors of choice on Esty and Ebay.
Happy planning!
While an assistant many years ago, I witnessed a handfasting ceremony and it was a beautiful sight to see. The tradition is simply lovely – so I wanted to share it with you.
A handfasting is an old Pagan custom dating back to the ancient Celts. The original handfasting was a trial marriage – where the couple would declare their love for a year and a day. After the year passes, the couple could decide to go their separate ways or enter into marriage.
Today’s Wiccan and Pagan communities have embraced the handfasting ritual.
Handfasting is no different than other wedding ceremonies, in that there are variations. However, what’s common is that after intent has been declared, the hands or writs of the couple are bound together with a cord(s) during or surrounding the vows. The handfasting knot that is tied symbolizes the oneness between the couple.
The length of the cord is determined by the path that is followed by the individal Pagan or Wiccan sect, the Bride and/or Groom, or the High Priest/ess that presides over the ceremony. The numbers 9 and 3 are magical, so traditionally, the cords are 9 feet in length (or 3 meters) and are knotted at both ends.
Generally three cords are used, and each cord is a different color which corresponds to the Wiccan color magic chart. The Bride and Groom choose the colors based on what the colors mean.
White
Always burn at least one white candle to symbolize and reinforce the contact with pure spirit. Elemental spirits, Angels, Gods of wisdom, divination and prophecy. Purification and cleaning on all levels, contact with higher self and spiritual helpers, aura-healing, truth seeking, consecration, spiritual enlightenment, protection against negativity, breaking curses, exorcism, meditation, divination, inpiration, and clairvoyance. White can be a replacement for any other color.
Yellow
Elemental air. Deities for trade, travel, knowledge and magick. Vitality, change, progress, contact, communication, and trade. Confidence, joy, cheerfulness, learning, knowledge, mental clarity, concentration, speaking and writing and visualization.
Gold
Sun-deities, solar energies, and masculine energy. Abundant self confidence, creativity, perfection, financial richess, success in investments, luxury, worldly power, magickal power, overcoming bad habits and addictions.
Orange
Deities of good luck and good fortune. Charm, kindness, encouragement, stimulation, optimism, success, abundance, prosperity, feast and celebration, achieving business goals, investments, success in legal matters.
Copper or Bronze
Love-goddesses, love and passion, positive relationships in love, friendship in business, career promotions, successful negotiations.
Red
Elemental fire, deities of love, passion, sexuality and war. Courage, will-power, determination, speed, assertivity, aggression, masculinity, independence, physical strength, sports, competition, conflicts, health, sexual attraction and potency, love and passion, fertility.
Magenta
Magnetism, the ability to attract or speed up results. Life purpose, life path.
Pink
Love-goddesses, softness and tenderness, romance, caring, nurturing, youth, peace, friendship, femininity, emotional love, emotional healing.
Green
Elemental earth and elemental water. Nature and fertility deities, Mother goddesses. Nature, fertility, growth, rejuvenation, recovery, healing, harvest and abundance, prosperity, harmony, balance, peace, hope, home, plants and animals.
Turquoise
Changes, intellectual and intuitive insights, inventions and originality, renewal, brotherhood, humananity.
Blue
Elemental water and elemental air. Deities of the sea and sky, truth and wisdom. Peace and tranquility, calmness, truth, wisdom, justice, counsel, guidance, understanding and patience, loyalty and honor, sincerity, devotion, healing, femininity, prophetic dreams, protection during sleep, astral projection.
Violet
Elemental spirits, angels, and Gods of divination and prophecy. Psychic abilities, divination, counter-acting negativity and black magick, reversing curses, psychic healing, psychic power, inspiration, meditation, spirituality, spiritual power, astral projection, third eye.
Brown
Elemental earth, stability, grounding, conservation, protection of household, family and pets, healing animals, finding lost objects, buildings, material increase, to make relationships solid, to increase decisiveness and concentration, to attract help in financial crisis.
Gray
Neutralizing negative influences, putting a halt to action.
Silver
Moon-goddesses, female energy, cycles, rebirth, reincarnation, healing of hormonal imbalances, emotional stability, remove or neutralize negativity, intuition, dreams, psychic abilities and psychic workings.
Black
Elemental earth, deities of the Underworld. Repel and banish evil and negativity, protection, breaking free from bad habits and addictions, deep meditation, opens up deep unconscious levels.
This is a beautiful tradition that can be adapted to any ceremony. Lovely!
Thank you to Handfasting.org as well as the Wiccan Color Magick Chart.
Happy planning.
