Wedding Wednesday :: The Ceremony

It was important to us that our ceremony be representative of us as individuals and as a couple. That what was celebrated during the day was genuine and honest.

We kept our ceremony and reception intimate with approximately 70 guests and it felt just right. It was small enough that the meaning didn't feel lost and big enough that we had a great party!

We enlisted a couple of our friends to film the ceremony on a bunch of Super 8 cameras Jack has been collecting over the last year. We haven't seen the film yet but we cannot wait to have it developed! 

My dad walked me down the aisle to an instrumental version of "We are going to be friends" played by our friend, Adam. I couldn't imagine a better way we could have begun our ceremony. I loved the sweetness of the song, it's focus on friendship and how it's instantly recognizable in the first few chords.

Since Jack and I skipped the traditional wedding party, we wanted to find other ways for our siblings to be important parts of our day. Working with our justice of the peace, we personalized the ceremony. Among the changes were two readings for my sisters. My sister, Magdalaina read a pared down version of "I like you" by… I had bought this book for Jack because I loved how it spoke to all the simple, everyday ways love exists. 

Kirima's reading was a passage from "Everything Is Illuminated". In contrast, this passage was much shorter, more mature and spoke to the passionate side of love. We enlisted Ruby and my brother, Shane to be our witnesses and I must say, they did a fantastic job.
  

I honestly did not see it coming but I pretty much happy-cried throughout the entire ceremony. Once I made eye contact with my friend, Mary, as I was walking down the aisle, I couldn't stop. When I wasn't crying, I was trying to stop myself from laughing. I may need to re-evaluate the "cool as a cucumber" strength I have included on my resume. Luckily, Jack was almost as big a wreck as I was [likely why neither one of us could pull it together] so we ruined the pictures together.

The recessional, "This Might be the Place" by the Talking Heads, played again by our friend, Adam, was just perfect! Jack chose it and although I was little hesitant at first, I really ended up loving it. It was the perfect soundtrack to us officially beginning our lives together. 

photos by Chelle Wootten photography