Saturday, May 12, 2012

Modern Elegance and Historic Warmth Blend Beautifully

I had the pleasure of helping my friends, Doug and Marianne, create a ceremony that suited their setting as well as their spirituality.

St. Mary's Chapel in the heart of downtown Charlotte, NC is a small, historic sanctuary with beautiful wood appointments and good acoustics.  Though non-denominational and open to any faith tradition, the setting is definitely Christian. 




So as an Invocation we used a a beautiful prayer the Book of Common Prayer modified slightly to more authentically reflect Doug and Marianne's beliefs and intentions for their marriage.  An original poem reminded the couple of Love's commitment to them as they committed to each other.

Acoustic instruments (more wood) playing Americana-style songs filled the sanctuary with music that reflected the couple's personal taste and sounded wonderful in this sanctuary.

Doug and Marianne's ceremony balanced modern elegance with personal history and the warmth of close friends and family.

My very best wishes to both of you, dear friends.  Can't wait to see you again at our favorite gathering!

From my heart,




Michelle

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Please do! Just include this complete blurb with it.

Michelle Smith is the founder of Asheville Celebrant. She is an ordained Inter-Faith Minister and Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant who helps people experience deeper, more meaningful connections in their families and communities. Whether helping people create personal ceremonies for life’s big changes or leading public ceremonies that build community, Michelle honors all philosophies, beliefs and traditions--religious, secular, spiritual, inter-faith and multi-cultural. To explore the possibilities for honoring your own life’s transitions email Michelle at ashevillecelebrant@gmail.com to set up a no-obligationExplore the Possibilities call.
 

Two Generations of Spanish Romance in Black Mountain

Fernando's father, who is from Madrid, met Fernando's mother when they both attended Black Mountain College, the influential and experimental school that ran from the mid-1930's to the mid-1950's and included many of America's leading visual artists, composers, poets and designers,like Buckminster Fuller, who invented the geodesic dome.  

Mary and Fernando met in high school Spanish class and had carried a little torch for one another ever since.

Forty-some years later Mary, whose daughter teaches dance classes at the Lake Eden Arts Festival, invited Fernando to come up and see the former campus of Black Mountain College.



That was one year ago.  Mary and Fernando married this morning at the Arbor House Bed & Breakfast on a tiny dock in Lake Tomahawk with Mary's two lovely daughters as witnesses and Oliver, their dog, as ring bearer.

Everyone present (except Oliver) read a romantic poem in Spanish...even me!




La Única Rosa

Todas las rosas son la misma rosa, 
amor, la única rosa. 
Y todo queda contenido en ella, 
breve imajen del mundo, 
¡amor!, la única rosa.



My very best wishes that the romance is only just beginning for this lovely couple!

From my heart,





Michelle

Would you like to share this article?

Please do! Just include this complete blurb with it.

Michelle Smith is the founder of Asheville Celebrant. She is an ordained Inter-Faith Minister and Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant who helps people experience deeper, more meaningful connections in their families and communities. Whether helping people create personal ceremonies for life’s big changes or leading public ceremonies that build community, Michelle honors all philosophies, beliefs and traditions--religious, secular, spiritual, inter-faith and multi-cultural. To explore the possibilities for honoring your own life’s transitions email Michelle at ashevillecelebrant@gmail.com to set up a no-obligationExplore the Possibilities call.