A wedding is one of life's major rites of passage. It is certainly something to celebrate! Today, wedding books and magazines promote large weddings so that more and more wedding products can be sold. Wedding expenditures run into many thousands of dollars. And after this major outlay of money, most of what is purchased is never used again.
On the Spring Equinox 2004, my ex-husband (yes, that's right! my ex-husband!) Larry and I remarried. We had been together for almost seventeen years, and had divorced several years ago when our relationship problems seemed impossible to resolve. But we still loved each other, so we figured out what to do to make things better, and are now happier than ever.
In planning our wedding, we wanted to keep it simple, small, and full of meaning. We wanted a ceremony and celebration that would be easy to prepare for and manage. We wanted an intimate occasion, surrounded by our closest friends who would participate with us in the intention of our union. And as we planned our wedding, we used the same guidelines for health and the environment that we practice in our daily home life.
Since most books and articles are about planning big weddings, I want to offer some tips on planning another sort of wedding that can be beautiful and meaningful in it's own way.
* Make it your day. Each wedding can and should be a unique expression of the couple getting married. So create the day just the way you want it, to please the two of you.
* Choose the wedding traditions that are important to you. When it comes right down to it, the essentials of a wedding are the two people to be married, the minister or justice of the peace who performs the ceremony, the ceremony itself, and the guests who witness it. Everything else is decoration and tradition. Learn about wedding traditions and choose to do those that will make your day special.
* Write your own ceremony. The entire reason for having a wedding, really, is the ceremony. The most important aspect of a wedding is not the decorations, but the vows and intentions that are stated in the ceremony and that you give to each other. Research the time-honored patterns to wedding ceremonies and follow this pattern in your own personal way.
* Invite meaningful guests. When you have a small number of guests, you can spend more time with them and really experience their presence. Minimum is just the two of you, the minister, and a witness. Invite family and friends with whom you have real relationships. Eliminate those that might be invited out of social obligation.
* Have your wedding at home, either indoors or in your garden, or in a park. Rather than spending a lot of money on floral arrangements, we put that money into tidying up our back yard and planting perennial flowers that we are still enjoying today.
Looking back on our wedding day, we are very pleased with our simple, small wedding. We were able to relax and enjoy the day and experience the love and support of our best friends. Best of all, we still had energy left for the honeymoon...
For many more details on planning your simple, small, green wedding (including choosing flowers, rings, clothing and reciption, and photos of Debra's wedding), visit http://www.debraslist.com/wedding, and click on "You are invited to... My Simple, Small, Green Wedding". Debra is also available as a consultant to help you plan your wedding.
Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a consumer advocate for products and lifestyle choices that are better for health and the environment since 1982. Visit her website for 100s of links to 1000s of nontoxic, natural and earthwise products, and to sign up for her free email newsletters. http://www.debraslist.com/wedding
premium house cleaning Bannockburn ..All brides want that one photograph that perfectly captures the... Read More
Wedding ceremonies are the stuff fairy tales are made of.... Read More
More Americans are taking "til death do us part" seriously.... Read More
Are you in the process of planning that last special... Read More
For better or worse, in people's minds weddings and wedding... Read More
Selecting a wedding gown is possibly one of the most... Read More
You are locked in your seat on the most famous... Read More
One of my favorite memories from last year was not... Read More
When you are planning a budgeted menu, you must first... Read More
Despite all the fashionable theories of marriage, the narratives and... Read More
As a Personal Trainer for brides-to-be, I often get asked... Read More
The kind of bridesmaid dresses your bridal attendants should should... Read More
Dear Friends of Marriage,There is a lot of talk on... Read More
After choosing the design for your wedding invitations you can... Read More
As a travel professional considering an exotic island wedding was... Read More
These verses of Scripture from St. Paul are commonly used... Read More
Today Norm Goldman, Editor of Sketchandtravel.com & Bookpleasures.com is pleased... Read More
Being chosen as a maid of honor is a great... Read More
The wedding day is the day that most women wait... Read More
You've probably heard about Save the Dates since they have... Read More
Wedding receptions are expensive affairs and can set you back... Read More
As Mark Twain said "Let us not be too particular;... Read More
Being apologetic doesn't come easily for me. Unfortunately, being inconsiderate... Read More
Make your upcoming event the most memorable ever by adding... Read More
My husband had two affairs last year. I am pretty... Read More
home cleaning services Wilmette ..If the fires of passion in your marriage have been... Read More
"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of... Read More
There are many choices available when shopping for fine plus... Read More
Are you looking for a las Vegas chapel to make... Read More
This is something that we've started to send to all... Read More
How do you react if your spouse announces "I want... Read More
Every bride would agree that her wedding dress should be... Read More
You've had friends to your home for dinner. Maybe you've... Read More
Your groomsmen will be donating their time to your big... Read More
How do you handle arguments that lead to heated exchanges... Read More
It's time to look for a banquet facility. Most clients... Read More
Apparently for a person to get married is like burning... Read More
The most important day of your life is drawing near... Read More
Details, details, details. Paying attention to details, that's what makes... Read More
All brides want that one photograph that perfectly captures the... Read More
The big day is fast approaching, and the energy of... Read More
You may not think of Las Vegas as an area... Read More
The job of choosing the right wedding cake style is... Read More
Almost there! This is the third lesson of my "Invitation... Read More
Las Vegas wedding receptions are where people tend to go... Read More
Overwhelmed is a common feeling a bride-to-be experiences as she... Read More
In Part One, we looked at what wives really want... Read More
As couples begin thinking about their wedding, they are often... Read More
With the cost of today's weddings spiraling to astronomical levels,... Read More
Planning a second wedding? Prevent favorite guests comparing your second... Read More
Marriage & Wedding |