Celebration

Happy Thanksgiving

 in Celebration  tagged wedding planning by

Wishing all readers a Happy Thanksgiving this week. I invite you to pause your wedding planning as you prepare to celebrate with family and friends. Take time to enjoy preparing and sharing a special meal with important people in your world.

It’s very easy to have wedding planning take over your world for the 12 or more months of your engagement, but it’s not always healthy for you personally or for your relationship. You can use the holidays this month and next to take a break and focus on other things. You can appreciate the people who share your happiness and wish you well. You can thank the people who have offered to assist with wedding related tasks. You can give back to those who have given so much to you over the years – making a pie to contribute to your holiday meal, hosting the gathering at your place, serving meals to less advantaged people in your community, or simply taking time to share a walk outside and some (non-wedding) conversation with your fiance(e). All are ways to get out of your own head for a bit and appreciate a larger slice of your world.

This is also a good time of year to focus on what is right in your world, and to be grateful for it. If you’re planning a wedding, you’ve found a person to share love and life with – it doesn’t get much better than that. You’ve likely shared your happiness with family and friends who are genuinely happy for you and wish you well – that kind of support is to be treasured. You are looking forward to a life full of possibilities and opportunities.

For me, I am treasuring some time to relax as my busy season winds down and I have some unscheduled weekends. I am looking back on the wonderful couples I worked with this year and whose wedding days I had the honor to share. I am looking forward to next year’s couples as I begin to write ceremonies for 2018, working to capture their stories, their personalities and priorities for their special day. I am grateful for my own husband who supports my work in ways too numerous to list, and who I appreciate sharing our journey together each and every day.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you for being part of my world.

One Perspective: My Sister’s Wedding

 in Celebration / Ceremony / Weddings  tagged celebration / ceremony / wedding by

I’ve just returned from a road trip to New York state to be a guest at my sister’s wedding. It’s an unusual role for me as I usually serve as the officiant at ceremonies, but I’ll be getting lots of practice this year with a total of three family weddings to attend.

The family weddings are a perfect example of one of my favorite phrases: Every couple should have the wedding ceremony and wedding day that they want. This is not a “one size fits all” experience, and each wedding can be special in its own way. Last weekend’s ceremony was a great example of a minimal ceremony with a very limited guest list. Everyone in attendance was directly related to the bride or groom. The ceremony was held in their home, and we all fit comfortably.

The ceremony was officiated by their town clerk (remember, marriage laws differ by state), and lasted no more than four minutes. After brief introductory remarks the couple said their “I do’s” and exchanged rings. A pronouncement of marriage and invitation to kiss wrapped things up. But it was the happiness that shone from the bride and groom’s faces, especially the smile lighting my sister from head to toe, that made this the perfect ceremony for them. The day continued with pictures, food and wine, and lots of chatter as two families met each other for the first time.

The next family wedding is in only two weeks, and promises to be just about the complete opposite from my sister’s. I’ll report back on that after it occurs. In the meantime, remember that choosing the elements of your wedding ceremony and wedding day that are meaningful for you will ensure happy memories for years to come. Best wishes and Congratulations to Mary Chris and Paul!

Happy 4th of July

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Today is the 4th of July, a day filled with sparklers, fireworks, grilled food, sunshine (hopefully) and parades, and family and friends. Independence Day gatherings are one more opportunity to share celebrations as we mark the birthday of our country. Like personal milestones in our lives, community milestones like the 4th of July are a reason to celebrate.

The guests may be more informally dressed and the rituals less symbolic and more recurring traditions, but gathering to celebrate shared values and time with the special people in your life is always time well spent. A 4th of July picnic might not rival a wedding, a baby welcoming or a memorial for a loved one in terms of being memorable in the long term. But the annual celebration can create memories of its own, and just a good time each year.

So celebrate any way you like, but pause for a moment to recognize and appreciate the country we share, the loved ones gathered around you, and the memories being made. Happy 4th!