May 20, 2010

Handcrafted Ceremony

We've been handcrafting our ceremony and our vows. Whoa. It's been an incredibly emotional experience for me and not something I was expecting. Hearing and writing the words that we will speak to each other on the day that we are married is overpowering and overwhelming, all in a great way. We want the ceremony to be personal and intimate. Including only the words and actions that we personally feel connected with.

In the end, we have a nice mix of the traditional and the personal. There's something so moving about traditional wedding vows. And how certain words like, "I thee wed," can instantly send chills down my spine. To make it ours, we wrote our own vows together; made our own promises to each other.

We also put our own twist on a hand ceremony. This is a snippet:

These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong, and vibrant with love, 
That are holding yours on your wedding day,
As he promises to love you all the days of his life

Finally, something we are most excited to include is a tree planting ceremony. It's our version of lighting a unity candle or pouring sand. Both of which are just not our cuppa tea. But planting a tree. A living tree that will continue to grow and move with us wherever life takes us...I'd like that tree.

{photo credit: Kelly Lorenz via Snippet & Ink}

I don't have too much else to end with, except that I hope any brides or grooms out there reading this right now, remember this: The words you speak and the things you do during your ceremony must reflect your relationship. Do not feel pressured into including vows that do not truly speak of you. 

I'm terrified of being so nervousgiddyandinlove that I don't remember what I've said during the ceremony. But this way, it'll be a handcrafted affair, and there's no chance that I'll forget it. 

23 days until I thee wed...

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