Thursday, July 28, 2011

Wedding Ritual - Tree Planting

 It was Joyce Kilmer who said
'I think that I shall never see,
A poem as lovely as a tree'

and there are those who give us statistics on just how lovely a tree is.

For example
  • an average tree can remove 1 ton of carbon dioxide from the air
  • a mature tree can pump 100 gallons of water from the ground and expel it into the air through transpiration
  • trees help cool the erth by cooling the ground and air around them
  • hospital patients are said to recover faster when they have a room with a view of trees
  • a family of four can get all the oxygen they need for a whole year from one average mature tree
So, no wonder couples are including tree planting rituals into their wedding ceremony.

If the wedding ceremony is in their home, they might plant the tree in the garden. If somewhere else, they might use a pot initially and later transplant the tree into their garden.

Here's a tree-planting text for those who'd like to add this symbolic ritual to their wedding ceremony.

Celebrant:
When two people meet and see each other reflected in their thought, speech and action, they recognize each other as kindred spirit they have been searching for all their lives.

It is this type of relationship which has brought (Groom) and (Bride) here today.

In committing themselves to each other, (Groom) and (Bride) see their relationship as a growing, maturing union.

They are symbolising this through the planting of a tree in soil which has been brought from the household of each of their families.

 (Tree is planted)

(Groom) and (Bride) always remember, that just as this tree needs nurturing, so does your relationship.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Wedding in the Rain

An outdoor wedding might be beautiful, but weather is unpredictable. The careful bride and groom, while hoping for the best, prepares for the worst. And the worst is the beautiful sunny wedding day, turning into a very wet wedding day.

Some of the things you can do to anticipate the worst is

a)      Choose an outdoor wedding venue which has some undercover areas – gazebo, barbeque pits etc.

b)      Collect as many umbrellas as you’re likely to need and have someone to put them in the boot of their car for emergencies

c)      Decide early on a backup plan in case of change in the weather – a marquee or the reception centre - and rehearse the wedding party in that situation just in case

d)     Let everyone likely to be affected by any weather change – photographer, transport arrangers – know what the backup plan is beforehand

e)      Consider both situations and select your wedding dress and accessories accordingly

f)       If no backup plan is possible and your wedding will go ahead even if it rains, inform everyone of this so that they can come prepared