Thursday, October 29, 2009

A Reading That Will Induce Giggling



My Celebrant colleagues are fantastic people! I love that they are open to sharing ideas and giving advice.

Well, recently one of my colleagues was looking for funny readings for a couple she was marrying. Several people gave her suggestions, but my favorite came from the wonderful and creative New Jersey Celebrant, Cristina Kollet.

She suggested using a selection from the book,
I Like You
by Sandol Stoddard Warburg. I love this! Thanks for the idea, Cristina!

Here are some excerpts, which I think would be wonderful for a wedding ceremony:


Sometimes we don't say a word

We snurkle under fences. We spy secret places.
If I am a goofus on the roofus hollering my head off, You are one too
If I pretend I am drowning, you pretend you are saving me
If I am getting ready to pop a paper bag,
then you are getting ready to jump HOORAY.....


And I like you because when I am feeling sad, You don't always cheer me up right away
Sometimes it is better to be sad
You can't stand the others being so googly and gaggly every single minute
You want to think about things. It takes time.

I like you because if I am mad at you, Then you are mad at me too
It's awful when the other person isn't
They are so nice and hoo-hoo you could just about punch them in the nose….


On the 4th of July I like you because it's the 4th of July
On the fifth of July, I like you too
If you and I had some drums and some horns and some horses
If we had some hats and some flags and some fire engines
We could be a HOLIDAY
We could be a CELEBRATION
We could be a WHOLE PARADE
See what I mean?

Even if it was the 999th of July
Even if it was August
Even if it was way down at the bottom of November
Even if it was no place particular in January
I would go on choosing you. And you would go on choosing me.
Over and over again.....

Monday, October 26, 2009

WWII Vet speaks out in favor of gay marriage in Maine

It's time for inspiration! A World War II veteran gave the following testimony in support of gay marriage in Maine. Thank you to Andrew Sullivan for posting this moving video.

People need to speak out - especially here in Illinois. Please stay in contact with your representative - and don't give up the fight!


Thursday, October 22, 2009

A Thank You Means so Much

Free Orkut and My Space Thank You Graphics Glitters
Today I received the most beautiful thank you card from a couple whose wedding I officiated a few months ago. Getting a card in the mail is a treat in itself, but a handwritten note that expresses heartfelt thanks is beyond compare. This one actually brought tears to my eyes and had me in a wonderful mood all day.

So, just a reminder - a thank you note goes a long way. Make someone's day and let them know they're appreciated.
You'll be glad you did it - and so will they!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Zombie Cake - when they're hungry for more than just brains



My dear husband has been dying to see the movie, Zombieland. As much as I agree that it looks great, I cannot handle blood and guts in movies. So, I have refused to go with him.

In honor of my sweetie's plans being thwarted by my squeamishness, I present you all with ...... the ZOMBIE CAKE!!!


This cool cake, posted on flickr by noblerobinette, was created by Mike's Amazing Cakes in Seattle. The chainsaw-wielding couple on top was made to look like the actual bride and groom. The zombies are "undead" representations of the bridal party.

This one's for you, honey! It may not be Zombieland, but it is pretty darn cool!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Breaking the Glass & Putting it Back Together Again!



I came across Mazel Tov Glass when researching Jewish wedding traditions online - and was completely awestruck!


I just love this concept. You order a
beautiful, delicate, hand-blown glass for the glass-breaking ritual at the end of your wedding ceremony. The glasses are available in a variety of colors and are sent to you in a velvet Mazel Tov bag imported from Israel.


After the ritual, the glass shards are collected. You send them back to Mazel Tov Glass and they use the broken pieces to handcraft a stunning glass keepsake. You can choose from a variety of vase or bowl designs, or you can choose to have a glass creation custom made, such as the glass flowers in the bottom photo.





What a lovely way to celebrate a wonderful wedding ritual - and to have a keepsake that will always be a reminder of your wedding day.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Friday Q & A: What is the typical processional?

Question: What is the normal way of doing a processional? Are the couples supposed to walk in together, or do the bridesmaids walk in separately?

Answer: As anyone who reads my blog knows, I'm not a fan of couples being told how to do things. There is no right way, as far as I'm concerned. But, there are several options.

  • The attendants can walk in as pairs.
  • The groomsmen can walk in with the groom (often from a side entrance) and stand up front at the beginning of the ceremony. In this scenario, the bridesmaids walk individually.
  • The bride may be escorted by a parent, both parents, siblings - or no one at all.
  • I've also had some couples opt for walking in together.
  • In very small weddings, some couples opt to have everyone gather together in circle, and do away with the processional altogether!
Bottom line - it's up to you. Do what works for you - and what makes you comfortable. Just don't worry about being different - it's YOUR wedding. You can even dance down the aisle if you want! But, that wouldn't be all that different, would it?

Monday, October 12, 2009

When the Two of You are a Perfect Fit: Lego Weddings!



My son is a huge Lego fan, and my daughter has begun to follow suit. Having been surrounded by tons of Legos lately (my daughter just had a birthday), and since I'm a bit of a nerd, I decided to google "Lego wedding." Call it boredom - mixed with curiosity - but, surprise! I found some pretty cool stuff!


My biggest thrill was that I found the post, One Bride's One-of-a-Kind LEGO Theme Wedding,
which has a interview with the Lego-loving bride. The couple sent out Lego invitations, and even had fishbowls filled with Legos as table decorations - which guests proceeded to pour out and build! The bride's mom even got into the spirit and ordered the customized Lego wedding topper for the cake.

The bride mentioned that she was inspired by the LEGO wedding cake created by Eric Harshbarger, which I was compelled to check out. As you can see by the photo, the cake is brilliant! It was even built so that slices could be removed from the bottom tier. Incredible!!

Finally, the bride mentioned that her ceremony was inspired by A Lego Wedding, a post from Livingroom, a blog by Aussie Darren Rowe. My favorite points:

"Lego us
es the ordinary to make the extraordinary. Whilst individual Lego pieces seem quite ordinary, small and insignificant by themselves they actually have incredible potential to create amazing things which are only limited by ones imagination. The same is true for our friends who are in the process of building an amazing relationship which is exciting for us as friends and family to watch grow."

"Lego's strength is its diversity. Its pieces are all different shapes, colors and sizes. When these diverse pieces come together they actually create some dynamic things. The same is true for our friends who are two unique people. They have different personalities, have had different upbringings, experiences, struggles, achievements etc. Today as they continue the process of 'becoming one' they do not cease to be two - they don't ignore their individuality, but rather their differences are to be celebrated and looked at as strengths. The challenge is to give space for their individuality to blossom and to encourage each other to reach their potential."

Beautifully said, Mr. Rowe!

Finally, my search led me to Lego wedding rings, posted by Elzabeth Oakes. Created by German company Edition Mathea, the rings are available in silver or platinum - and best of all, you can actually pop a Lego brick on top!

I knew I loved Legos for a reason!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Etsy find - adorable accessories by PunchDrunkPrincess

I happily discovered these fantastic accessories over at Etsy, created by Punch Drunk Princess. Not only are they pretty darn adorable (and eco-friendly!), I think they'd be a perfect addition to a wedding.

Planning a fall wedding? Just imagine wearing a charming maple leaf hairpin for your ceremony.

Need something nice for your wedding rings? The personalized Love Letter coin purse would be perfect.

For the bridesmaids, th
e cherry blossom hairclips would be really sweet. But, I think my favorite is the Pink Rose brooch - it's perfect for a simple bridesmaid dress. And, I think it would be perfect for my favorite black pantsuit!















Friday, October 2, 2009

Friday Q & A - Do I Need a Bridal Party?

Question: Do I need to have a bridal party for my wedding? I have several good friends and if I have everyone, the bridal party would be huge. We want a more intimate ceremony, so would it be weird to have no attendants?

Answer: It wouldn't be weird at all to skip a bridal party. I have married several couples who decided to have a ceremony involving just them - no attendants, no flower girl, no ringbearer. A few opted for just a Best Man and Maid of Honor, but several decided to forgo attendants altogether. It's really up to you! Do what makes you most comfortable, and what feels right.

Two things to consider if you decide to skip the bridal party:

The bridal bouquet - Is there somewhere to put your flowers when you exchange rings? You may want to consider a small table placed nearby, so you can set the flowers down. This past weekend I had a wedding in a mansion. The bride passed her flowers to me and I placed them on the fireplace mantle behind us. It worked perfectly.

The rings - Will someone present the rings if there is no Best Man? I've had couples have their parents hold onto the rings and bring them up for the ring exchange. A recent couple had each of their nephews bring up a ring. Another possibility is to use a table (also used for the flowers) and have the rings there at the beginning of the ceremony.

So, yes, you absolutely can have a ceremony without the bridal party. And if you plan ahead, no one will notice the difference!