Ushers & Runners

May has been a busy month for me wedding-wise, and so a couple of details are on my mind.

Ushers - they are a good thing. I heartily recommend asking 2 to 4 friends or family members if they would help out at the ceremony. They can:
- provide a bit of guidance when guests arrive at a space
- make sure certain seats are saved for specific guests
- tell inquiring guests if there are or are not "side" preferences
- hand out programs
- define a space, in the event the guests will be standing rather than sitting
Having ushers is a gracious gesture to offer to guests, who often look slightly bewildered when entering a ceremony space.

Aisle Runners - they benefit from some planning. The idea of a long carpet, perhaps strewn with flowers petals, for a spectacular entrance is lovely. The reality is that I have seen too many runners trampled and crumpled before the proper satin-shod toe steps out onto the stretch of fabric. If a runner is laid out before the guests enter, how are the guests supposed to get to their seats - or run over and hug someone they haven't seen in a long time? Ushers can help direct people away from the center aisle, but really...do you want to keep people from greeting each other?

If you are going to include a runner, make it a dramatic moment in the ceremony, having two or more ushers unroll it with a flourish to heighten the tears and the "Aaahhhh!"s for that historic walk down the aisle. And if you actually want flower petals to stylishly adorn the pathway, choose a flower girl/boy who is older than 5. The whole ritual can be quite stunning, creating anticipation for the entrance.

Let your celebrant know that you are going to have a runner. She or he can help you decide how you wish it to be used. It is one of those details that offers an opportunity for a beautiful ritual.

Details, details. They are the nuts and bolts of the occasion.

photo by Sonya Andonov

Playing For Change

This is why I am a Celebrant.

As I wend my way through life, I see what so many other people see - that anything we can do to find common ground is what we need most of all.

These songs from the Playing For Change folks do it all so enjoyably and clearly. The music is wonderful, the musicians are soulful and our being taken picturesquely around the world opens the airways so that we soar. What a way to convey how life-changing it can be to dance and sing and be joyful!

And how is this like my work as a Celebrant? What I do is help people find a way they can gather together in a harmonious celebration of an important change in their life/lives. I have no qualms speaking the words that someone might shy away from, and I completely enjoy listening to people's stories and seeing the ceremonial form that naturally arises from their particular experiences and desires and outfits. If the persons involved have wishes that seem at odds, I imagine a view in which they complement each other.

I love kaleidoscopes too - the view continually changes
.
This image is from a page on Wayne Schmidt's amazing site