Ceremony.
It’s a word you’ll see us use often on this blog, and we are generally referring to the formal portion of the wedding day when the couple promises to be together for life. But the word “ceremony” has a much deeper meaning.
In its most basic sense, a ceremony is a formal act marking a special event. Ceremonies often employ the use of rituals – the exchanging of rings, the giving away of the bride by her father, the couple’s first dance, to name a few. These rituals, and the wedding ceremony itself, are a symbolic expression of concepts so enormous and emotional that mere words are insufficient.
Ceremonies allow our normally intellectual selves to experience the sacred, reinforce our sense of community, and mark life’s transitions.
It’s not uncommon to hear newlyweds talk about how quickly the wedding day went by. It’s so important to find ways to slow down; pause; breathe; feel; reflect. If you are planning your wedding, think of ways to find meaning and plan time for reflection throughout the day… beyond the wedding ceremony itself. See the bottom of this post for a list of links we referenced for this article.
Katherine and Jamison first came to us nearly a year ago to photograph their wedding. During our first consultation, Katherine explained to us that both she and Jamison were in seminary school. This couple truly understands the meaning of ceremony. Katherine and Jamison each asked their bridesmaids and groomsmen to plan a special ritual prior to the wedding ceremony. Katherine’s bridesmaids performed a hand-washing ritual and a laying on of hands. Jamison had a special moment of prayer with the groomsmen. Additionally, just before the reception, the entire bridal party enjoyed some celebration time in a private room. It would be easy to imagine that these few quiet moments were among the most memorable in all the hustle and bustle of the wedding day.
The reception at The Country Club of Landfall was simply stunning! We worked with a great team of vendors that helped make Katherine and Jamison’s day not only spiritually beautiful, but visually gorgeous as well.
the wedding of katherine & jamison, starring:
bride: katherine hester
groom: jamison doehring
hair/makeup artist: passion salon
ceremony venue: st andrews covenant
officiant: rev. robert lapp
reception venue: country club of landfall
florist: fiore fine flowers
band: groove town
bakery: beatty cakes
gown: nitsas
…and photography by indigosilver!
- Psychological & Social Functions of the Ritual or Ceremony – eHow
- The Psychological and Physical Benefits of Spiritual/Religious Practices – Spirituality in Higher Education Newsletter
- Ritual, psychology, Carl Jung and archetypes – Examiner.com
- Hand-Washing Ceremony – Google Search Results
- Laying On of Hands – Wikipedia
