Erin and Heather have a dazzling story of love and adventure, of turning friendship into love, of testing one another to make sure it was real, and then of testing their relationship by “spending almost a year in a sweltering climate, sleeping in dorm rooms, and sometimes not knowing what kind of meat [they] were chewing.” That’s when I met them (without the meat part..:)
Over the months before their wedding, we wove stories, symbols, people and memories together, and added a big dollop of awe as we built their ceremony. Let’s zero in on one small part so you can see how intentional they were/are.
During the ceremony, they filled a marriage chest. Heather’s step-dad Neil built it and unveiled it before then/us…the coolest box ever, with surprises inside. We promptly filled it with all sorts of mementos from their past. We added the present too…a copy of their ceremony, vows, and invitation.
We packed for the future, too. Since Heather and Erin fully expect the folks who came from all corners to be there in that future, we included all of them, adding notes from all the guests into the box. They will read them and drink that bottle of wine when they next open the box on their first anniversary. Then Grandma Elaine helped them lock up the box and tied the keys into their wrists.
And one day, many years from now, perhaps you’ll be sitting here at Filberg Park in your wheelchairs….maybe they will have rolled you in for a celebratory lunch (or something like that.) May you be heard to say: “Man, I love that woman, we’ve done some crazy shit together.”
It’s gonna happen.
If you put the level of intention into your marriage as you put into marrying one another, gals, this final wish is a gimme..:)
Images taken by the uber-talented Neville Black Photography. Despite a constantly changing ceremony with lots of community involvement, Neville didn’t miss a beat. Gorgeous images, authentically captured.
Heather and Erin left me this review:
From the first Skype call we had with Barbara, sitting in a hostel room in Ecuador we knew that we had found the perfect celebrant for us. Our ceremony was one that naturally evoked a lot of emotion. Many of our guests had only recently learned about the news of our relationship and engagement. In a way, our ceremony was our grand “coming out” to our friends and family. We wanted to tell our guests the story of us falling in love, in a way that kept them engaged and involved throughout the whole ceremony. Barbara knew just how to do this, crafting a one-of-a-kind ceremony that left our guests gushing that it was hands down the best wedding ceremony they have ever attended. Her gorgeous story telling left words like ‘powerful’ and ‘moving’ being used to describe the day. Even guests with seasoned poker faces were brought to tears by the words Barbara had crafted to perfection. She is a captivating speaker that really engages with your guests. She is funny and creative, nurturing the roughest of ideas into something beautiful.
If you want a totally unique ceremony that leaves your guests amazed and enthralled then look no further. You’ve found the best in Barbara.
More quiet/introverted by nature, both Jamie and Margaret are drawn out with humour and a relaxed atmosphere. They wanted to get married right next to the ocean with only immediate family present, and when we met, had some specific requests. They wanted:
All quite do-able. And the joy of creating your ceremony along with me, if you are an introvert, is that you get to both dig deep into the process and spread it out, too, so when we get to the ceremony, you are less likely to feel overwhelmed and go into “tilt” mode. You can be more present. And you can feel more like the “do-er” than the “done to.”
When Paul passed, he was celebrated at a memorial service with speakers from one sliver of his life. In the neighbourhood, he was a totally different soul and part of the rich cultural tapestry…his brilliant smile lighting up his face as he drove by, never forgetting to wave. More than that, he had, over time, played a significant role in helping to move his neighbourhood forward (or perhaps back) into the vibrant community that disappeared with the rise of suburbia.
There HAD to be a way to remember Paul and the colour he brought to the neighbourhood in his lifetime.
And then, of course, shared stories over a meal. When we talked about what we will miss about Paul, a few people offered poignantly that they would most miss getting to know him better. More than one small sliver of his life.