Sand Ceremonies

sand ceremonyWe are so lucky to have many beautiful beaches here on the northern beaches of Sydney, and I have many many requests for beach weddings. And in keeping with the beach theme, I often get asked to incorporate a Sand Ceremony into the wedding for my couples. 

But what is a Sand Ceremony?

The origin of wedding sand ceremonies is a little vague, but we do know that the sand ceremony has been used historically to unite couples (and their families) who come from different countries, with the bride and groom each using a vial of sand from his or her homeland. Many people believe early Native Americans began the tradition, while others believe this ceremony only started more recently as beach weddings became more popular around the world. Another school of thought is that they originated in Hawaii when couples who were entering into a committed union with each other would scoop sand from the beach and combine their individual handfuls into a container to symbolize the joining together of their lives.

 Symbolism

The symbolism of sand ceremonies is immediately identifiable. The different colors, represent the individual lives of the bride and groom. Although combined into a single sand ceremony vase, the layers of color show that both the bride and groom have retained their unique identities and personalities. But looking closer, it is virtually impossible to define the exact point where one layer ends and the next begins …. the grains of sand can never be separated. This is a strong and beautiful representation of the “two becoming one” concept that has resonated with couples all over the world.

The Ceremony
The sand ceremony generally features two [or more] glass containers that are each filled with a different color of sand and placed on either side of another larger glass container or vase. The container can be completely empty or filled with a base layer of neutral- colored sand, and you may like to have it specially decorated with your names and the date of your wedding. The bride and groom then take alternating turns pouring layers of sand into the main vase/container until it is filled, usually accompanied by a short reading or statement from the marriage celebrant, or by the couple saying their vows and pouring a little sand after each pledge. You may choose to have the celebrant also add sand, or special family members [parents, children]. The celebrant then caps the container with a cork, wax, or airtight lid. The sealed vase then becomes a colorful keepsake that serves as a powerful reminder of the couple’s wedding day.

There are, however, no formal rituals or restrictions to follow for holding a sand unity ceremony of your own. Though they are performed at weddings in many faiths, wedding sand ceremonies are not a traditional part of any major religion. The colors of the sand, for example, are left up to the bride and groom (though sometimes neutral colored sand representing God is also used) and can have deeply personal significance or simply look pretty.

The most common point in your ceremony to hold the sand ceremony is usually immediately after the bride and groom take their vows, but some couples choose to perform the ceremony as an introduction to them. As I mentioned above, other couples have even begun to make the ceremony a part of the vows themselves, pouring additional sand after each pledge. It also does not always have to take place at the wedding ceremony itself, and can even be performed at the wedding reception that follows the wedding ceremony.

Sand ceremonies do not have to be limited to weddings either – I often get asked to include them in Renewal of Vow ceremonies and Naming Day ceremonies on the Northern Beaches. You can also choose from a large range of colours that can represent colour meanings, or just be your favourite colours, and create a beautiful multi coloured keepsake that can last forever. You might like to include family members, parents or children, in your ceremony as a symbol of family and togetherness, and they can add their own coloured  sand  to your vase.

Sand Colour Meanings:

Blue – longevity, patience, tranquillity
Purple – power, healing, health, progressSand Ceremonies
Green – luck, health, beauty, prosperity
Red – strength, love, fertility, passion
Pink – unity, love, happiness, romance
Yellow – charm, attraction, confidence
Silver – inspiration & vision, creativity
Gold – prosperity, unity, strength, longevity
White – peace, spiritual purity, devotion, truth
Black – wisdom, success, strength, pure love

If you would like to know more about Sand ceremonies, or would like to include one in your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to contact me and we can design a beautiful and meaningful ceremony just for you!

Dianne Morpurgo ♥

♥ Happy Valentine’s Day ♥

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many countries worldwide. We are not really sure exactly how Valentine’s day originated, but legend has it that it started with St Valentine, a Roman priest who was martyred on or around February 14 in the year 270 CE. How he became the patron saint of lovers is a mystery, but there is a theory that the ancient churches started using the day of St Valentine’s martyrdom to christianize an old Roman pagan festival called Lupercalia, which was also held mid February.

Lupercalia was an ancient ceremony which is said to have involved putting girls’ names in a box and letting the boys draw them out. The new couples would then be paired off until the following year. The Christian church did not particulalry accept this tradition, and instead substituted saints’ names for girls’ names in hope that the participant would model his life after the saint whose name he drew. However, it appears that over time, communities changed back to once again having girls’ names  put in the box, In the middle ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be, and they would then wear these names on their sleeves for one week.

This continued and developed over the centuries, and eventually the custom of sending anonymous cards or messages to those whom one admired became the accepted way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day has become increasingly popular in Australia over the years, particularly during the late 20th century, and it continues to be observed among many Australians to day.

There are many ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day, some people take their loved one for a very romantic dinner, while many young couples choose this ‘romantic’ day to propose or actually get married. Many people give greeting cards, chocolates, jewelry or flowers, particularly red roses, to their partners on Valentine’s Day.

In some cultures it is also a time to appreciate friends, Valentine’s Day in Finland refers to “Friend’s day”, which is more about remembering all friends rather than focusing solely on romance. Valentine’s Day in Guatemala is known as Day of Love and Friendship which is similar to Valentine’s Day customs and traditions in countries such as Australia and the US, but it is also a time for many to show their appreciation for their friends.

♥♥ It is interesting to note that in America, 15 percent of women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day! Teachers receive the most valentines, followed by kids, mothers, wives and sweethearts. More than one-third of men would prefer not receiving a gift. Less than 20 percent of women feel the same way!! ♥♥

12 mins past 12pm on 12/12/12 !!

A Wedding to Remember!
12 mins past 12pm on 12/12/2012
“Portuguese Beach” Ku-Ring-Gai Chase, Pittwater.

The 12/12/2012 was a special day for so many couples as they entered into marriage becoming life partners, husband and wife.

The ceremony I was privileged to conduct at 12mins past 12 on Portuguese Beach was simply amazing.

With the bride looking radiant in a stunning long strapless bridal gown, carrying a bouquet of deep red roses and red Singapore orchids, and the groom dressed in a white shirt and cream trousers, we left Palm Beach Wharf by barge allowing us to arrive right onto Portuguese Beach without having to wade through the water.

Portuguese Beach is a truly amazing location, with a natural cathedral formed with arching trees and tropical palms, as well as Aussie bushland. Just perfect for a wedding.

The ceremony started with the bride walking along the beach as the groom played a song he had written especially for the ceremony on his guitar.

A lei of 12 red orchids plus one gold and white was placed on the signing table representing the couples family members in Sweden, as a poem and message sent from both the bride and groom’s mothers was read.

The vows written by the couple had been placed in sealed tiny bottles in the ocean, which were retrieved by the witnesses and given to the bride and groom to be kept and treasured.Then there was a very moving moment, as the bride sang a love song to the groom in Swedish.

The ceremony concluded with a sand ceremony. Sands from Manly beach and Portuguese beach were used as Manly Beach was where the Groom proposed and Portuguese beach the location of their marriage.

This amazingly romantic wedding ceremony was followed by French champagne as a beautiful quilt was spread on the pure white sand and a scrumptious picnic hamper unpacked.

Yes it truly was an amazing wedding in an amazing location with an amazingly lovely couple….”may their love know no boundaries”

Photo courtesy of Jo Bartholomew – www.jobartholomew.com.au

The Royal Botanic Gardens, surprise “Renewal of Vows”

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

You have just arrived in Sydney for the weekend, on a flight from Melbourne to celebrate your 12th Wedding Anniversary. An anniversary surprise is soon to be revealed!

The day and location is just perfect!

Can you imagine the delight and overwhelming sense of happiness you would feel after 12 years of marriage finding yourself in the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens right on Sydney harbour, only to find that your husband had organised a surprise Renewal of Vows Ceremony for you.

Well this is just what happened last Saturday at one of the most beautiful locations within the Royal Botanic Gardens, “The Band Lawn”.

As my couple 12yrs earlier were married in the “Williamstown Gardens” in Victoria it was so appropriate that the husband opted for the “Band Lawn” here in Sydney for the Renewal Ceremony.

The sun was shining, the sky cloudless, with the fountain in the middle of the pond the perfect foreground to the shimmering beautiful Sydney Harbour BUT nothing could compare to the radiance of my couple.

Graham looking so handsome dressed in a dark suit and tie and Bili looking absolutely stunning in a strapless green creation.  She had been told there was to be a surprise in store for her once landing in Sydney which she would possibly like to dress up for, but little did she guess what the surprise was or the tremendous effort her beautiful man had put into ensuring the perfect ceremony for her.

A Hand Fasting ritual and the Cleansing of Rings were included within the ceremony whilst very beautiful and meaningful vows were exchanged.

But it was Bili’s radiant smile and little tears of joy that was the biggest reward for Graham’s wonderful restraint in keeping the Renewal of Vows a secret until only moments before the ceremony started.

Well done Graham!  And “Congratulations” to a very beautiful and special couple on the renewal of their vows.

An Amazing Waterfront Venue on the Northern Beaches

Finally the weather is warming up, and as we leave winter behind us we can now start to get excited and start our search to find that perfect beach or water view venue on Sydney’s Northern Beaches that we so badly want for our dream wedding.

With this in mind, I thought for this blog I would mention one of my favourite venues, “ORSO” at The Spit, Mosman.

Wouldn’t you, as a Groom, love to arrive with your Groomsmen to the venue and surprise of your guests in a water taxi?

It is possible, as this is truly an amazing location and is situated right on the water at Middle Harbour!  With magnificent pelicans walking in the shallows of the water adding to the picturesque backdrop of the boats in the harbour, it is not only the perfect venue for a wedding any time of the year, but simply ideal for a summer wedding.

Orso has been a restaurant renowned on the Northern Beaches and North Shore for its impeccable service and fantastic food for many years, and more recently has been available as the perfect venue for both your Marriage Ceremony and Reception to take place on our spectacular Middle Harbour.

To have a venue where you can have both the ceremony and the reception in the one location, makes a lot of sense to me as a marriage celebrant, as it really makes it so much easier for the Bride and Groom, and also for the guests not having to drive and find parking in two different venues or locations.

Conducting so many weddings around the Northern Beaches I see many lovely venues, but Orso is a particular favourite. Apart from the amazing location, one of the reasons it scores so high for me is that it has its own beach and private jetty …. As I mentioned what a fun way for the groom and his groomsmen to arrive    AND    even better, the bride and groom can speed off after the reception by water taxi, starting life in a truly romantic, fun and adventurous way.

Orso Bayside Restaurant

The other very important fact we can’t ignore is that we can never be sure of what the weather is going to be like on Your Wedding Day. As a celebrant, I know that it is vital when having an outdoor wedding to have a Plan B in place as backup, and this is where Orso comes into its own.

The beautiful outdoor terrace area is virtually sitting out over the crystal clear waters of Middle Harbour, and it has a retractable awing which can be used to protect you, your bridal party and guests from a too hot sun or light rain.  BUT….should the weather really be against the Ceremony taking place outside, there is no need to stress  as there is ample room inside for your Plan B to be put into action. With the floor to ceiling glass doors and windows the back drop to your Ceremony will still be a magnificent view of Middle Harbour in all its splendour.

If you are looking to get married on the Northern Beaches, I highly recommend that you consider Orso, and don’t forget to check in with me regularly via my blog  or facebook page  for my info filled blogs to help you plan your perfect wedding day.

Dianne

Maid of Honour Duties

One of your closest friends has just announced her engagement and has asked you to be her Maid/Matron of Honour or bridesmaid!   You are having visions of yourself dressed in the ideal bridesmaid dress in your favourite colour, looking incredibly glamourous…. But will the reality be like this? As a Maid/Matron of Honour or a bridesmaid what are you expected to do?

A Maid of Honour is an unmarried friend or relative of the bride who is chosen to support the bride and act as head “bridesmaid” for the upcoming wedding. If this special person is married, she will be called a Matron of Honour.  Traditionally, Bridesmaids were unmarried young ladies who were asked to support the Bride and Maid/Matron of Honour, although these days this is often not the case.

The Maid/Matron of Honour is quite possibly one of the busiest roles, next to the Bride, in a wedding. She will need to be next to the Bride every step of the way, and take on any number of ‘hats’ to ensure the success of the day – she may be asked to be an stylist, advisor, party planner, psychiatrist, referee and ‘reality checker’ from time to time!  

So here are a few handy tips which are sure to help you through the big day…

  • The MOH should be the chief organiser of the bridesmaids and a conduit of information from the bride. Helping to make sure everyone has their full outfit and attends dress fittings and all the pre-wedding events.
  • Help inform the guests about any gift registries or present ideas.
  • Plan and/or co-host, the hen’s night and kitchen tea/bachelorette party with other bridesmaids.
  • Assist the bride with choosing the bridesmaids’ ensemble and accessories. You should always discuss very early on with the Bride who is going to pay for these outfits – often these days the Bridesmaids are asked to pay for their own dress and accessories, including jewellery, hair accessories and shoes.  But the Bride may also expect the bridesmaids to pay for their own make up and hairstyling on the day. 
  • A very important and often overlooked item is to remember to break in new shoes before the wedding day to minimise blisters and aching feet.
  • The MOH will very likely be needed to run a myriad of last minute errands, like collecting dresses or flowers, liaising with the marriage celebrant, or satisfying bridal snack attacks!
  • Ensure that all bridesmaids get their hair and makeup done, and have the correct accessories and bouquets. Assist the Bride in dressing.
  • It is often a good idea to carry a small emergency kit in your clutch with a needle and thread band aids, tissues, stockings, white chalk (to cover up any dirty spots on the bride’s dress), deodorant and a touch-up makeup kit . It is also a good idea to have a spare copy of any readings or prayers for the ceremony .
  • At the ceremony, the MOH will assist the bride with her train and veil and stand beside the bride and hold her bouquet, and the groom’s ring.
  • Assist the Bride with her dress and train in the wedding photo’s.
  • At the reception the MOH can assist by introducing guests to each other, making sure they know their way around the venue, telling them where to put presents and inviting them to sign the guest book if there is one.
  • Make sure the bride takes a moment to eat something.
  • Give a speech or toast if requested. 
  • Dance with the best man/groomsmen during the first dance.  
  • Assist the bride change into her ‘after party’ dress if she has one, and arrange for storage of her wedding dress in a safe place until she returns from honeymoon.
  • After the reception, organise with the best man and groomsmen to help pack the wedding presents to be taken home.

Wedding Trends – Save the Date!

Save-the-dates are growing in popularity and are a great way to announce your wedding day.   They are a really fun way to set the tone for your upcoming wedding, and generate excitement among your potential guests, and they have really become a ‘must-have’ for couples planning to tie the knot somewhere far away, perhaps on a warm, sunny island somewhere!  Or if your wedding date falls near a major holiday, save-the-date announcements are especially important. Your out of town guests will really appreciate the advance notice, which will give them plenty of time to save money and make travel their travel and accommodation arrangements.

 A save the date is a notice or card sent to friends and family advising of the future date of a special event. They would generally be sent to those likely to be interested or invited to the event and simply state the planned date of the wedding so that potential guests can keep that date free.

‘Save the Date’s’ are generally sent out somewhere in the range of six to twelve months before the actual wedding date, and would subsequently be followed by the formal wedding invitation sent 6-8 weeks before the date . Be sure to include “Formal invitation to follow” at the bottom of your wedding save-the-date card and guests will know there’s more to come.

Save-the-date cards can be anything as simple as a postcard, can take the form of a fridge magnet or even be as elaborate as a magnetic puzzle! The postcard option can be a recent ‘couple’ picture, perhaps taken shortly after your engagement.  Another popular idea is save-the-date stickers that are small enough to be stuck onto calendars or into diaries. The design of your save-the-date can be a great way to set the tone of your wedding with a theme that can be incorporated in everything from your cake to your invitations.

One of my favourite ideas is for the bridal couple to create a funny face photo strip of 4 photos, and in each of the four pictures they hold up a sign saying.  “1) We’re getting married. 2) Save the Date. 3) June 30th. 4) Be there/ Stay tuned!”

The wording on a save-the-date card or note doesn’t have to be anything formal, all you really need is something as simple as:  “Save the Date: [bride’s and groom’s names] are tying the knot on [your wedding date] in [the city where you’ll marry]”. Your guests will know what to expect, and they can get in touch with you if they have questions. You might like to add a short poem or rhyme or quote… use your own imagination!

A few tips and suggestions for you:

  • Make sure that everyone you send a ‘save the date’ to will definitely be on your final wedding guest list.  Once you tell someone to save your wedding date, there’s no turning back!
  • Don’t ask for RSVP’s – the cushion time is just too long and it can just create difficulties.
  • If you have a large number of out of town guests, you may want to consider including more specific wedding details on your ‘save the date’, and less in the actual invitations. This will give the out of town guests advance info on local hotels and other travel details.
  • If you have a wedding website, you may like to include a link to your wedding website on your ‘save the date’, giving the guests more in-depth information on your wedding day.
  • And don’t forget to book your wedding celebrant early, they will need to ‘save the date’ too!

Wedding Money Saving Ideas – part 2

Continuing our theme of how to trim the waste from your wedding budget and still have the wedding of your dreams….

Trim Your Wedding Guest List

For every name added to your invitation list, you are increasing your budget, as it impacts not just catering costs, but also the extras like centrepieces, bonbonniere, etc. As a rule of thumb, we would suggest not to invite anyone you haven’t talked to in five years.

More good tips are not to feel obligated or pressured to :

  • let single people bring a date
  • let friends bring children
  • invite all your work colleagues.

Change the Day of the Week

Have you considered changing the day of your wedding to a weeknight or a Sunday? Saturdays are the ‘primetime’ for weddings, and are charged a premium accordingly. As there is less demand for other days of the week, wedding venues and suppliers will often be willing to give you a better rate for another day of the week.

Restaurants
If you have a particular favourite restaurant, consider approaching them to find out how much it would cost to rent a private room or even the whole place. If it is a restaurant with a nice garden, you may be able to set up for the ceremony outdoors, and move straight into the function are after the formalities to commence the reception. This is an option that works best during non-peak hours, as the restaurant might not want to lose their busy Saturday night business.

Wedding Money Saving Ideas – part 1

We all know weddings are an expensive business and it is easy to get carried away and end up spending way too much money on unnecessary things . But there are ways to trim the waste from your budget and still have the wedding you want. So here is part 1 of my money saving wedding tips!


Is it necessary to have bonbonniere?  You may plan to follow tradition and give your guests a memento of your special day to say thank you for being a part of it. But very often the gift is a somewhat meaningless knickknack,  that will cost you unnecessary outlay!
One of the nicest ideas I have seen is the ‘breakfast bag’. A little collection of some tasty muffins, a couple of good quality tea bags, and a little pot of gourmet jam or honey. This way, the next morning they’ll be sure to enjoy your treat as they reminisce about how wonderful your wedding was!

The BIG Wedding Cake –  If you have only invited 50 guests, why order a cake that serves 300? With gourmet cakes costing anything from $2-$15 a slice, that extra tier adds more than just calories! While a large cake looks impressive, a smaller, more appropriately sized cake can be just as charming, with less wastage.

Too Many Mementos –  Having mementos of your special day is a good thing, but you really don’t need very many. A wedding photo album and your wedding dress are probably the most common items that most brides will keep. But you should give consideration to other items -do you really need a personalized pen to sign the guest book? Is preserving your bouquet worth the money and the space in your home? You don’t need to have a wedding video, unless you will really watch it and enjoy it regularly. Rather than filling up your house with tons of wedding mementos, you can leave room for creating new memories!

Too Many Bridesmaids and Groomsmen
  – Do you really need a wedding army?  Before you finalize your attendants, perhaps consider what you would like the role of the wedding party to be. Even if you’re not paying for their attire, each of those attendants requires a bouquet or boutonniere, a thank you gift, and an invitation to the rehearsal dinner and other parties. Tack on just a few unnecessary bridesmaids or groomsmen and you’re potentially talking about hundreds of unnecessary dollars.

You might like to consider giving some of your friends or loved ones different roles in the wedding. You could consider asking them to read during the ceremony or give them a special role at the reception.

Wedding Trends 2012 – Music

Are you planning your wedding and looking for ideas on more modern, upbeat and recent music to play?

There are 100’s of classic tunes that couples traditionally like to include in their wedding day soundtrack, but you have probably heard some or all of these at all of the most recent weddings you have attended. As a marriage celebrant, I am finding that in 2012, many of my couples are looking for something a bit more upbeat that suits their personalities, suits the style and formality of their wedding, and at the same are songs that fit who they are and what they like.

Here is a list of songs that are popular in 2012 at weddings on the Northern Beaches:

Walking down the aisle:

  • Just a Kiss – Lady Antebellum
  • Just the way you are – Bruno Mars
  • Marry Me – Train
  • Every time we touch – Cascada (slow version)
  • A moment like this – Kelly Clarkson
  • A Thousand years – Christina Perry
  • I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
  • I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz

Ceremony music/signing register:

  • Bubbly – Colbie Caillat
  • Everything – Michael Buble
  • I Belong in Your Arms, Chairlift
  • This Ole Love – Lior
  • You’ve Got the Love – Florence & the Machine
  • Halo – Beyonce
  • Paradise – Coldplay

First dance:

  • Bubbly – Colbie Caillat
  • Lucky-by Jason Mraz featuring Colbie Caillet
  • Paradise – Coldplay
  • I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
  • I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
  • You’ve got the love – Florence and the Machine
  • Everything – Michael Buble
  • We found Love – Rihanna Ft. Calvin Harris
  • Good Feeling – Flo Rider
  • I don’t want this night to end – Luke Byran
  • Just a Kiss – Lady Antebellum
  • Halo – Beyonce

Reception Music – Cutting cake/ Introducing bride and groom/ party music:

  • Tonight Is the Night – Outasight
  • You’ve got the love – Florence and the Machine
  • Better Together – Jack Johnson
  • Stereo Hearts – Gym Class Heroes (featuring Adam Levine)
  • This year’s Love – David Grey
  • Give Me Everything – Pitbull
  • We found Love – Rihanna Ft. Calvin Harris
  • Good Feeling – Flo Rider
  • Love you like a love song – Selena Gomez & the Scene
  • Walking on a dream – Empire of the Sun
  • Call me maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen
  • Fight For You – Jason Derulo
  • Take Care – Drake (featuring Rihanna)
  • Need Your Love – The Temper Trap
  • Never Let Me Go – Florence & The Machine
  • What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction
  • Count on Me – Bruno Mars
  • Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5 (featuring Christina Aguilera)
  • Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) – Beyonce (for the bouquet toss)