Cape Cod Weddings-What's with the Soulful?-Huppahs,Thresholds and Archways
Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at 10:24AM
"Under the Huppah- a symbolic act of intimacy that demonstrates the couple's intention to create a new home and new life." from the New Jewish Wedding, a book by Anita Diamant.
This wedding shelter made from birch branches and adorned with white hydrangeas with a carpet of peach rose petals, provided a sacred space for Evan and Sarah to say, " I do."
They wed in September at The Poppy' Popponnessett Inn on Cape South Beach.
What's with the Soulful?
As this Cape Cod Wedding Officiant /Celebrant /Interfaith minister winds down her 2012 season (slowly for I am happy to say I have two weddings at Chatham Bars Inn coming up in December) I want to thank all the wonderful couples who gave me the pleasure of presiding over their weddings this year.
It has been a truly delightful wedding season and I wish everyone of you the very best of love! I will be traveling abroad from November 5th -19th so I wanted to take time to voice my appreciation.
As the inquiries for 2013 begin, I thought I'd like to share with you the genesis of the name, Soulful Wedding Ceremonies. I am an ordained Interfaith Minister. I don't adhere to any one religion although I respect and honor all faith traditions. I was raised Irish Catholic and Celtic Spirituality is a part of my 'practice.' I truly love God but think God is actually too big and has too hilarious a sense of humor, to be contained in any one religion. Meher Baba summed up it up best when he wrote, "God is Love and Love must Love."
'Soulful' is not a religious word to me. Actually growing up near Detroit and dancing to '60s Motown Sound may have more bearing on my concept of soul then any CCD class ever did. Soul to me is felt deeply but acts without pretense. Soul has a great sense of the humor and humanity. Soul knows how to have a good time. Knows how to stand on ceremony without being stodgy.
Enough of that for now I had a couple who gave me feedback that the name might scare off some deliciously unchurchy couples. Rest assured you are safe with me. Now, let's look at some wedding shelters, archways and chuppahs all sacred thresholds for your wedding day.
This first do it yourself bedoin beach wedding shelter which was way out on Ballston Beach in Truro.This "Just the Two of Us" wedding was colorful, simply soulful and sweet.
The second archway just resounds with anticipation nestled at low tide on Chequessett Neck.
Lots of sky and the Nantucket Sound meet at Chatham Bars Inn Boathouse where Laura and Chris wed beneath a simple white trellis.
The last photo is of the wedding arch featured on my website. The bride's family built that arch over the course of the summer from driftwood on the bayside beach where Kathleen and Ben were wed in September 2010.
These thresholds are just a small sample of the wedding archs, chuppahs, trellises that serve as holy shelters set out in the natural world. As John O'Donohue says "To be Natural is to be Holy."
Soulful Wedding Ceremonies
For Marriage by John O’Donohue
From to Bless the Space Between Us
As spring unfolds the dream of earth,
May you bring each others hearts to birth.
As the ocean finds calm in view of land,
May you love the gaze of each other’s mind.
As the wind arises free and wild,
May nothing negative control your lives.
As kindly as moonlight might search the dark,
So gentle may you be when light grows scarce.
As surprised as the silence that music opens,
May your words for each other be touched with reverence.
As warmly as the air draws in the light,
May you welcome each other’s every gift.
As elegant as dream absorbing the night,
May sleep find you clear of anger and hurt.
As twilight harvest all the day’s color,
May love bring you home to each other.