Handfasting Ceremony

Jasmine wanted to get married on November 11^th. When she contacted me I told her the only time I had available would be 7:00 pm. Since she had family traveling, she decided to get married at noon the next day. It was a good decision because the weather was much nicer on Saturday.

Here's a photo with her father. It's finally time!

 

As part of the wedding ceremony, Jasmine and Brennan wanted to include a handfasting, which has Celtic origins. Handfasting is often associated with paganism but can easily be adapted for Christian and other religious traditions. I have many samples and am always open to other possibilities. For their ceremony, colored ribbons were tied as specific promises were made.

 We can only accommodate a few guests but that will soon change when our wedding bridge is complete. (more on this later)

After the ceremony everyone went inside to enjoy cake and sparkling cider.

Jasmine order the cake topper from Etsy.

 I wish you could see the detail. The doves are inserted in a small base and looked lovely on the cake. Jasmine plans to display the doves in a shadow box. What a nice wedding memento.

After the cake was cut it was time for the wedding toast. With smiles and a few tears, their families wished them much love and happiness!

11/11/11 Weddings

What a day! I have no idea how many couples chose today as their wedding day but I’m sure it was staggering. On Monday I had several phone calls from frantic people trying to find a wedding officiant. 

I had been booked for months and was surprised that so many couples waited until the last minute. Then I realized that the courthouse would be closed for Veteran’s Day. Many couples had been planning on a simple civil ceremony and were busy trying to find someone to marry them. 

My day started out with a wonderful ceremony. Two people who had been in love for 25 years chose today as their wedding day. They did not tell anyone of their plans but before arriving they had already mailed announcements. What a nice surprise for their family and friends.

 And then, another lovely couple came to our retreat center. I would not normally schedule several weddings on one day but this was a very special day and I tried to accommodate as many couples as possible.

Tricia and Rick traveled from across the state to get married at our retreat center. They arrived yesterday and had time to drive out to meet me and look around our center. It was a pleasure meeting them and made me even more excited to be part of their wedding day.

 Don't they look happy!

In the afternoon I headed to Lake Wylie for a beautiful (windy) ceremony. For Priscilla and Rody, 11/11/11 held very special meaning and it was very important that they begin their married life on this day. Although it was a little chilly, their ceremony was beautiful and very love-filled. (And the weather wasn’t too chilly since they drove away in a convertible with the top down!) Hopefully, I will have more photos to post soon.

And what a wonderful way to end a special day, with Rosemary and Sytse tying the knot. 

Yes, they really did tie the knot.

Tanya and George Marry at RiverMist

It was going to take more than a flat tire to keep Tanya and George from getting married on November 4^th. And although their wedding day started out with a minor difficulty, it ended up being the wedding of their dreams.

When we started planning their wedding ceremony Tanya told me that she did not want a traditional wedding ceremony; she wanted something very individual and unique. (the wheels started turning…)

I offered some suggestions and she and George decided on several different elements. It was time to put the ceremony together…

George had difficulty with the cuff links and his dad was happy to give him a little help.

 And here's the handsome groom, having his own 'photo shoot'.

We began with a Handwashing Ceremony to signify washing away the past and starting with a ‘clean slate’. After washing their hands, Tanya and George dried each other’s hands with tenderness.

When I mentioned ‘Tasting the Elements’ Tanya immediately said that she wanted to include this as part of the ceremony. Tanya and George dipped their fingers into the bowls containing salt water, lemon juice, tonic water and honey. They placed a small amount on the tip of the other's tongue as I explained the symbolism.

After personal vows to each other, Tanya and George made promises to their daughters. We concluded with a covenant of salt ceremony. Once blended, the covenant can only be broken when the individual grains of salt can be retrieved.

 We never know what the future holds but looks like these two will hold on tight!

Here's a portion of an email I received from Tanya.

You have changed our lives, my life and I will be forever grateful to you for all you've done to make my wedding the best moment of my life. Thank you Victoria. I love you!

 

Does life get any better?

Mountain Wedding in North Carolina

It's no wonder that Abby and Michael traveled from Ohio to get married in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina.

And what an unusual location, a dude ranch, Clear Creek Guest Ranch in Burnsville.

I was talking to Abby's father before the ceremony and he said that Abby had her heart set on this location. She had traveled here as a young teenager and had fallen in love with the place. He told here that places change and it might not be quite the way she remembered it. Just to be sure, he insisted that she and Michael visit before making a decision. Her memory was correct and she and Michael agreed this would be the perfect location.

 

 There was a wonderful area for the ceremony with plenty of seating for the honored guests. Some guests decided to watch from the porch overlooking the ceremony site.

The area is very secluded with no outside noise or interference. Also, there are several cabins so everyone was able to stay on site. This is a good way for families to get to know each other since often they are meeting for the first time.

Abby was a very happy bride and her wedding gown was absolutely gorgeous.

 And if you're getting married at a dude ranch, there has to be a photo with a horse.

Abby and Michael wrote a wonderful review on Wedding Wire, which I will share.

I had a destination wedding in Burnsville, NC. I live in Columbus, OH so the planning wasn't easy. I found Victoria online and read some great reviews. I e-mailed her and the very next day she called me. After speaking with her I knew she was the one! She had my day open and she even volunteered to drive 60 miles to my wedding site! She helped us plan our ceremony all by e-mail! It was customized perfectly just for us! She has all sorts of ceremony options or you can custom make your own! We had the whole ceremony finished and printed weeks before the wedding so I had one less thing to worry about! The day of the wedding she arrived on time and was everything I had hoped for! I would recommend her to any bride! I'm so lucky to have had her for my big day! Abby and Michael

Wedding at West Point Farms and Event Center

Don’t you just love this fall weather? October was a wonderful month and November is off to a good start. Thank goodness we didn’t have the “Halloween” snowfall like the northern states.

The past six weeks have been very busy. I was able to spend time at the coast for a little R & R and travel to the mountains to officiate several weddings. With all the traveling it’s been hard to find time to post some photos. Also, couples get busy and forget to send photos. I will at least post a couple of entries, just to give you some ideas.

If you’re planning a wedding in North Carolina you might want to consider West Point Farms and Event Center. I just can’t say enough about this place. 

There are two cabins so the wedding party has plenty of room to ‘chill’ before the wedding. Ceremonies take place in an outdoor chapel, only steps away from the reception site.

 There's a lovely path that leads to the Grotto.

I had the honor of officiating a very special wedding at West Point Farms a few weeks ago. Cassie and Robert have known each other since middle school. They parted ways, learned life lessons and grew as individuals. When the time was right, they 'found' each other and now they will walk the path of life together. We had several meetings at our retreat center and I enjoyed hearing their stories and helping them design a ceremony that was personal and unique.

It's always a nice touch when couples honor their families and publicly thank them for their love and support. Cassie and Robert wanted to recognize their mothers so they included a Rose Presentation at the beginning of the ceremony. The smiles on their faces said it all.

 I'm afraid my photo doesn't do this justice but I will post it anyway. Cassie and Robert also included a Bell of Truce at the end of their ceremony. A nice tradition with Celtic origins.

And so, do you want to see the happy couple!

And now they're busy making memories....

Holden Beach Wedding - Sarah and Allen

Life is so interesting. I knew when I was getting ready for my fall beach trip that I would be officiating a wedding. (Other than the one I had scheduled in Ocean Isle last week.) 

I was not disappointed.

Allen called our retreat center last week. He and Sarah had been planning a wedding and life just kept getting in the way. They already had one marriage license expire and there were not about to let that happen again. I asked where they wanted to get married and Allen said they really loved the beach and would like to have a simple ceremony on the coast. Well, surprise, surprise that’s exactly where I was.

Even though we only had a few days, I prepared a personal ceremony that not only married two people but joined a family together. It was a wonderful day!

We stood in the center of a large heart that had been drawn on the sand. After everyone was in place, Madeline, scattered flowers, following the outline of the heart. No doubt, we were surrounded by love.

Sarah said that she would like to include Madelyn and Phoenix in the ceremony. After rings were exchanged, she and Allen made promises to their children. Then the family participated in a sand ceremony. Since I was convinced there would be a short-notice wedding I was prepared and had my supplies ready. I brought a heart shaped vase from home and had purchased whelk shells earlier in the week. 

Sarah and Allen scooped up sand from the very spot they made their vows and then the children added their sand. Love declared, hearts united, lives joined.

The timing was perfect. My friends, Pat and Roger, were visiting for the weekend and they were more than happy to serve as witnesses and photographers. Each one had a camera so there are many photos of this special day.

After lots of photos, we headed to the house to sign the paperwork. On the way in, I asked Sarah and Allen to wash each others feet to symbolize they would always take care of each others needs. A nice finale for a wonderful wedding.

 The future is theirs…

 I always love hearing back from couples and was so pleased to receive this email:

Victoria,  I'm not sure a thank you, does justice to what you have done for me, Sarah, Madeline, and Phoenix.  Sunday was more than we could have ever hoped for, everything turned out perfect, almost like it was meant to be. The pictures turned out beautiful, both the ones we have and the ones we have seen on your blog. Weddings are meant to be a day you will never forget, and because of you, ours will be a day we look back on with the fondest of memories. Once again thank you very much for everything you did for us. Allen and Sarah