Weddings are a beautiful occasion, made even more special when the bride and groom incorporate meaningful traditions and personal touches. As an officiant, I’ve seen many of these unique elements in the ceremonies I’ve performed in Santa Barbara.
One sculptural artist designed and built the archway that created the boundaries of the sacred space for his and his wife’s ceremony at Elings Park. Another couple, Janet Elease and Marvin McMurray, chose the romantic sounds of a favorite singer for their processional, giving presence to the cultural background of many of their guests. After the kisses at Patsy An Grace and Harvey Bottelsen’s wedding, bagpipes played and the piper led the newlyweds and their guests to the reception room. And at a particularly touching wedding, the couple played guitars and sang their vows, as tears escaped from their eyes in an extremely tender moment.
For Nora and John Distefano, the Norwegian roots of the family were honored with the traditional Kransekake, a cake lovingly made and presented by the bride’s aunt. In honoring the Chinese heritage of bride Rae Huang in her marriage to Thomas Van Natta, the wedding book was red, the auspicious color for marriage ceremonies in Asia. Also, an “Arrow of Skillful Means” was brought to the ceremony to represent the intention for having the mindfulness to act with patience, understanding and honesty. Attached ribbons were: blue, for health and longevity; white, to raise good fortune; red, to subdue negative forces; green, representing compassion and honoring the earth; and yellow, to signal victory over obstacles.
To remind guests of the connection between countries at Amy and Al Leary’s wedding (Al is originally from the Philippines), we took a moment to look out onto the Pacific Ocean. We then spoke of the water’s great journey touching each shore and noted, “As the tides do ebb and flow, so may our fortunes in life.”
An athletic couple I married used that same ocean to arrive at their Ledbetter Beach wedding. The two rowed a boat until they got near shore, then dove in and swam to the beach where guests were assembled and waiting for the ceremony to begin.
You might not be quite as adventurous, but if you’re planning your wedding, be sure to use your imagination and find the elements that will make the ceremony truly meaningful to each of you on your happy day.
