Celebration of Life Service for Rita Eby

I was honored to officiate at the celebration of life service for Rita Eby (September 11, 1930, to January 24, 2013) last weekend.  Rita lived a rich life with her husband, Bill.  They were married for 59 years!

Her daughter, Vickie, contacted me about a week ago.  I had officiated for her and her husband, Mark, about five years ago.  They remembered me and wanted someone they knew to lead the service.

Rita was very well loved -- the room at Tibbetts Creek Manor was filled with family and friends.  Of course, her daughter and two sons, Tom and Bob, hosted the gathering.

Several wonderful readings were selected by Vickie.  This one is by Daphne Rose Kingma:

It is love that fashions us into the fullness of our being---not our looks, not our work, not our wants, not our achievements, not our parents, not our status, not our dreams.

These are all the fodder and the filler, the navigating fuels of our lives; but it is love, who we love, how we love, why we love and that we love which ultimately shapes us.  It is love, before all and after all in the beginning and in the end, that creates us. 

Today, remembering this, let yourself acknowledge and remember the moments, events and people who bring you – even momentarily, into a true experience of love and allow the rest, the inescapable mundanities of life, like a cloud, to very quietly drift away. 

Rita was an avid bowler.  Her teammates were her dear friends and I got to meet many of them.  The room was decorated with items that reflected her hobby and her passion.



One of my favorite parts of the afternoon was the sharing of remembrances:  we laughed and cried as memories were recalled and spoken.  Rita will certainly live on in the hearts of everyone there.

Seattle Bride Best of 2013 Voting Now Taking Place

Kent and I would definitely appreciate your vote as Best Overall Wedding Vendor and Best Officiant/Clergy.

We absolutely love officiating:  meeting brides and grooms, helping them clarify their vision for their wedding ceremony, providing them with ideas and resources and writing assistance, preparing for their rehearsal and, of course, celebrating their wedding.  It is the best!

Vote here:  http://seattlebridemag.com/vote-best-bride-2013.

Wedding Ceremony Programs: To Have or Not to Have?

You're getting married and thinking about the wedding ceremony.  Do you want a program?  Should you have one?

From observation, most couples do have some type of program.  It can be a simple one- page creation that includes the highlights of the ceremony, the names of the parents and wedding party and officiant, and possibly a word of thanks.

Or it can be a more comprehensive one that provides information about the entire evening and is several pages in length.  This post features a program from Darcie and Neal's wedding last month.  It was so creative and clever.

The satin gold bow adds a touch of elegance, as do the flourishes and frames.

The first section outlines the ceremony (of course, I like this section because it gives the guests some idea of the ceremony highlights).

The next section introduces Neal and Darcie's grandparents and parents, the wedding party and me as the officiant.  

Drawings of the couple and each attendant, plus the flower girl and B. Bear, a stuffed ring bearer, introducsd each of the key people. 

Absolutely adorable!!!

Then on to the timeline of the evening!











And the best part is that the wedding was just as elegant and fun as the program ... and that's the most important part!

Thanks to Darcie and Neal for sharing their programs and to Julie Harmsen for her photographs.

If you a planning a wedding ceremony and looking for that perfect balance of tradition and chic, give us a call at 206-789-9788 or contact us through our website.

Laura and David Exchange Their Vows at the Salish Lodge and Spa

David and Laura are so delighted to be getting married and to be living in the same city together.  You see for three years, the two were in a long distance relationship. David was in California attending law school and Laura was here in Seattle getting her career started. Countless air miles were logged visiting each other. 

This was a challenging time but the two's relationship survived and is thriving.  One upside of their time apart is that Laura and David truly cherish every day they are together.

 

I love all the details of a wedding.  So much thought that goes into each detail.

 

The bride, groom and their wedding party gathered at the Snoqualmie Falls overlook for photos before the ceremony.  It was a spectacular September day.











The ceremony took place on the Centennial Green. It is a beautiful space right next to the Falls.








And isn't she the cutest flower girl!

There were some very light-hearted moments in the ceremony, as well a more serious ones.











Keenan, a close family of David's from high school, presented the reading, To Love.  It was a touching moment.

There were so many moments of happiness and joy!



 






Then it was time to kiss!




 

 




The couple are obviously happy to be married.

 

This is one of the romantic places at the Salish Lodge and Spa.  Perfect for settling in and taking in the moment.

And what is more Pacific Northwest than the Falls.


 







Hand in hand, Laura and David will make their way through life together!  Wishing them a life of peace, health and joy!!

Thanks to Kat and Justin Speyer of Persimmon Images for these wonderful images (you can see a slideshow of their photos here), and to Sean Antonius, their DJ.

To plan your ceremony at the Salish Lodge and Spa, give us a call at 206-789-9788 or contact us through our website.

Dramatic Space for a Remarkable Wedding!

Meet Noelle and Lisa.  They traveled from Arizona to wed at the EMP in front of the Guitar Tower.  Music is an important part of their lives and it was their dream to exchange their wedding vows there.


The 20' instrument sculpture constructed mainly of guitars is backdropped by the Sky Chuch.  What an awesome place to marry!  And, the staff at the EMP were incredible in helping arrange everything.  (For more information about the Tower, check out this short video.

Marriage is a commitment to life...to the best that two people can find and bring out of each other. It offers sharing and growth no other human relationship can equal, a physical and emotional joining that is promised for a lifetime...

So their ceremony began.

 

Lisa and Noelle decided to include a hand ceremony in their celebration.  This is an excerpt:

These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever. 

This was followed by personal vows, some of the best I've ever heard!













Then, it was time to make it LEGAL!  Wow ... what can you say.  It was a moment filled with emotion.












And so Noelle and Lisa begin their lives as wife and wife.  Wishing the two many, many years of happiness together.


Thanks to Shawn Anderson for the photos.

And check out this news clip for more on this ceremony!



To help create your wedding ceremony at your dream location, give us a call at 206-789-9788 or contact us through our website:  www.aheavenlyceremony.com.