Just wonderful. Read the article that appeared on NorthJersey.com here.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
October 29: Samantha & Michael @ the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton
A snowstorm in October = an interesting start to your wedding day. Despite the unusual wedding, Samantha and Michael had a wonderful wedding ceremony at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton that balanced traditional Christian readings and personal touches and included two beautiful musical performances. They also included a ring warming before exchanging their ring vows; their maid of honor and best man held out the rings so their guests could bestow good wishes upon them and the couple. Congratulations and best wishes, and thanks again for choosing me to be your Celebrant!
October 28: Keely & Kevin @ The Grain House in Basking Ridge
On Friday evening I had the pleasure of being Keely and Kevin's ceremony Celebrant at The Grain House Restaurant in Basking Ridge, NJ. Despite the chilly temperatures it was a beautiful outdoor ceremony overlooking the brook that flows behind the property. Their ceremony included a special shout-out to Keely's dad for setting them up on their first "date," a Wine and Chocolate Unity Ritual (they exchanged pieces of dark chocolate and washed down their treat with wine from a single goblet), and - my favorite ceremony element! - the exchanging of the sacred and timeless Pinky Swear before stating their vows to each other. It was a lighthearted, humorous, and touching ceremony. Congratulations and best wishes to you both!
A few photos, courtesy of Eric Milstein:
Summer & Early Autumn 2011
I am waaaaaay behind on posts about summer and early autumn ceremonies. So without further adieu, belated congratulations and best wishes to the following couples:
* Lauren & Manny, married on June 25th at the Reception Center in Matawan! Highlight: Their wonderfully self-penned vows...humorous and poignant.
* Farah & John, married on July 1st at The Empire Club in Little Ferry! Highlight: Special messages of thanks shared with their parents during the ceremony.
* Larissa & Brian, married on July 8th at Avenue in Long Branch! Highlight: A specially-written sand ceremony that incorporated their soon-to-arrive daughter.
* Michelle & Jason, married on July 15th at the Valley Regency in Clifton! Highlight: A handfasting at the conclusion of their vows.
* Dana & Christian, married on July 31st at The Primavera Regency in Stirling! Highlight: A sand ceremony that described the blending of their unique personalities.
* Amy & Josh, married on August 26th at The Tides in North Haledon! Highlight: A uniquely personalized unity candle lighting that touched upon the blending of their lives and their families as well as acknowledged their past and present experiences and their hopes for the future.
* Corryn & Eric, married on August 28th at The Oyster Point Hotel in Red Bank! Highlight: A flower ceremony honoring their families, friends, and especially their grandparents. Another highlight: watching Hurricane Irene roll in over the Navesink River.
* Stephanie & Dan, married on September 10th at Seasons in Washington Township! Highlight: Two thoughtfully selected readings that spotlighted significant events in their respective lives. Dan chose a Khalil Gibran passage while Stephanie selected an excerpt from Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. Another highlight: sharing the photo of Dan's marriage proposal while they were in Paris.
* Kelly & William, married on September 24th on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Spring Lake! Highlight: The lighthearted humor that was sprinkled throughout the ceremony. Oh, and Bill's mistakenly putting Kelly's wedding band on the wrong hand. :o)
* Jackie & Damian, married on September 24th at the Lakeside Manor in Hazlet! Highlights: A flower ceremony that honored their family and friends and the reading of a meaningful poem to each other before taking their vows.
* Jessica & Casey, married October 1st at the Inn at Millrace Pond in Hope! Highlight: An original poem penned and read to Jessica and Casey.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Super Ceremony Send-Offs
Recently, I was asked by one of my couples to suggest alternative ideas for their ceremony send-off. They weren't keen on the idea of their guests throwing rice or rose petals at the closing of their wedding ceremony. They suggested releasing butterflies, but we discussed the possible negatives with that and came up with some other ideas. I figured I'd share some of the ideas we brainstormed and open the floor to other suggestions...please feel free to add to this list:
- bubbles
- confetti
- kazoos
- bells
- party horns (or blowouts or other types of noisemakers)
- dancing down the aisle after the wedding party has exited
Monday, June 6, 2011
June 4th: Jaimie & John at Ravello in East Hanover
One of the perks of being a Celebrant is that you occasionally receive the honor of performing ceremonies for family and friends. My sister Jaimie and John's ceremony at Ravello included two poems that were read by family friends, a unity candle lighting, and a sand ceremony that symbolized the blending of their lives and the life of their soon-to-arrive son through the intermingling of three differently-colored vials of sand. Congratulations again, little sister and new brother-in-law. Best wishes always. I can't wait to meet my nephew!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
May Ceremonies
Here are highlights from my May ceremonies!
May 14th: Sally & Ryan at The Inn at Fernbrook Farms in Chesterfield
Sally and Ryan's intimate ceremony included a modified version of the traditional Jewish Blessing of the Wine and the exchanging of intention coins, onto which they bestowed wishes for their marriage before tossing the coins into the lovely reflection pond on the grounds of the ceremony site. Their ceremony ended with the Jewish tradition of Breaking the Glass, where the broken shards of glass represented the transformation from single individuals to married couple.
May 14th: Holly & Sinan at the Knights of Columbus in Bayonne
Holly and Sinan began their ceremony with touching Thank You messages to their parents and a Memorial Candle Lighting that honored their departed loved ones. They exchanged heartfelt self-penned vows and lit a unity candle to symbolize their new life together.
May 29th: Christina & Jerry at Seasons in Washington Township
Christina and Jerry had their dear friend Melissa read a poem during their ceremony and shared their humor, warmth, and love for each other and their family and friends through the telling of their story.
May 29th: Heather & Peter at Davis Johnson Park and Gardens in Tenafly
Heather and Peter's ceremony included a Memorial Candle Lighting that honored their departed loved ones, a poem read by their dear friend Brady, self-penned vows, and a beautiful modified version of a six cord handfasting ceremony. The violinists they hired provided the perfect "mood music" to accompany their unique ceremony.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
