And who brings the rings?
There is that moment in a wedding when the marriage celebrant looks up and asks who brings the wedding rings.
Sometimes its grandma. Occasionally a favourite pet or a child with a cushion.
Generally it is the moment for the Best Man to pat every pocket in his suit and pretend he has forgotten the rings. It gets a little laugh, and then he breaks out in a smile and fishes a ring box from his pocket.
I encourage this little game to lighten the mood at a wedding ceremony. The best man has his moment of fame, and everyone is relieved that nothing is going to go wrong. “Just joking”, his smile says!
From the beginning
Jason and April’s wedding began like expected. Jason waited patiently for his bride, accompanied by his groomsmen. As the marriage celebrant I waited with the guys, calming them about late brides & would she arrive.
Held on the shores of Lake Baroon in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, at Secrets On the Lake, we all enjoyed being outside in the warm sun with rainforest all around.
The girls soon arrived, to oohs and aahs, and the wedding ceremony got underway.
It was, so far, what the guests expected; a little emotional, some laughs, a sweet and funny love story.
The ceremony approached the moment to exchange rings.
What if he doesn’t?
But what happens when the best man looks genuinely worried, and gives a meaningful but slight shake to his head, looking back at the celebrant with a “Don’t ask me!” expression on his face.
I continued the charade and asked him to check all his pockets. Fortunately Matt was a good sport, and didn’t mind when we all looked at him expectantly. He just continued to shake his head and look at me, the celebrant, with expectation. Perhaps he might have guessed something was up. Note the groom looking away…..
Enter an eagle
Suddenly everyone felt the air above their heads move, as Soren the eagle swooped down almost touching the hairdos of the entire guestlist.
There were many audible gasps as the wind from his wings lifted spirits in surprise, startled us all and brought an emotional tear even to my eye. At that moment I felt the awe of nature, of the power in one creature, the wonder in life around us. This huge bird swooped over us all, and landed on the arm of Jason, the Groom who by this stage had donned a leather glove for protection.
Soren
Soren, the eagle, is specially trained to carry wedding rings. They hang from his tresses on his ankles. Paul, his trainer keeps a nature refuge, a training and conservation centre for wounded animals. Soren is a star of Broadwings Events.
Paul very kindly allowed me to hold Soren for a photo after the ceremony and photos were over. I can assure you there is nothing like holding a powerful bird on your arm, and experiencing a wild creature so close.
Allowing nature in
Many say that the presence of water blesses a marriage like no other. There is plenty of water at Secrets on the Lake, one of the most beautiful wedding venues on the Sunshine Coast. The lake over which the tree houses look is actually the drinking water for this area. It is special water, clean water, and was a very special blessing for this couple. To honour the place and the water, April and Jason chose a finale ritual for their wedding.
The pebble toss…
Guests were invited to participate in a Celtic wedding tradition, that of the Pebble Toss. Stones were handed to each guest at the conclusion of the ceremony. Behind this tradition is the notion that natural things can anchor a thought. It is important that water is involved in the pebble toss. Water is the element that represents emotion and spirit. In a wedding it is about wishing prosperity and flow. The stone is the carrier of wishes and prayers, happy hopes and cheeky thoughts for April and Jason’s future.
Holding their pebble for a moment, each guest waited by the shores of the lake. Imbued with warm thoughts and story the stones were tossed into the water, sending wishes into the ether to come true for April and Jason.
Thanks to Malin from Love Is A Place Photography for the images.
This is what the couple said:
Kari was one of the vital pieces of our wedding that we couldn’t have done without. We are so glad to have chosen her as our celebrant after a lot of careful searching. We were quite lost as what we wanted, but she listened carefully and crafted for us an amazing ceremony which both we and our guests loved. She also helped us keep our “ring delivery” secret a huge surprise from everyone (rings flown in via wedge-tailed eagle). Kari is a fantastic celebrant and also a truly talented lady. I hope many other couples get to experience the same joy she brings to their ceremonies too. April & Jason
See this wedding story in pictures by Malin from Love Is A Place Photography :
Read about another unusual ring bearer:
Unusual Readings
This story is about readings for your wedding ceremony. As an example let’s look at the wedding Danielle and Karim, married at Tiffany’s looking out over the Glasshouse Mountains.
But first let’s glimpse their wedding day….
Meeting your love
It is one of life’s richest surprises when a chance meeting of two people on a stairway leads them to love. It is one of life’s finest experiences when this love grows into a permanent relationship. It is a sacred day when these two people realise that they wish to make it forever in a marriage.
And it is joyous day when the wedding arrives and family gather from all over the world to marry on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland in the presence of spectacular views from the Maleny Range.
This meeting and this growing are what led to the wedding day for Danielle and Karim, who indeed met by chance five years ago on a stairway in a hostel in Scotland. The pipes may have played for them that day, or the angels sang, for they both knew that they had met someone special. Through being ruthlessly and wonderfully themselves, they fell in love and chose to get married, to begin the journey and ride the waves of life together.
A wedding ceremony in French
Now being French, Karim wished to make sure his mother could understand the service. So when this couple came to me it was with a special request, that their ceremony be in English AND French.
I am always happy to include other languages in a ceremony, and indeed speak French and Indonesian. However I have been known to get training to use other languages in a wedding ceremony.
Readings are often a part of a marriage ceremony. You can choose to have a close friend or relative to read, or indeed ask your wedding celebrant to read for you.
A reading can expand on your reasons for marriage, or describe the feeling of love in a way we may never be able to find the words to say out loud. A reading is a moment to pause in the ceremony and and reflect.
For this wedding, Karim’s mother, Nelly chose a poem for this special day. And of course it was in French! AND of course it is about love (l’amour)!
A Poem in French
Éloge de l’amour par Jean de La Fontaine
Tout l’Univers obéit à l’Amour ;
Belle Psyché, soumettez-lui votre âme.
Les autres dieux à ce dieu font la cour,
Et leur pouvoir est moins doux que sa flamme.
Des jeunes coeurs c’est le suprême bien
Aimez, aimez ; tout le reste n’est rien.
*****
Sans cet Amour, tant d’objets ravissants,
Lambris dorés, bois, jardins, et fontaines,
N’ont point d’appâts qui ne soient languissants,
Et leurs plaisirs sont moins doux que ses peines.
Des jeunes coeurs c’est le suprême bien
Aimez, aimez ; tout le reste n’est rien.
A Reading from Bob
The second reading they chose is from Bob Marley, in English this time:
Only once in your life, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more.
You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful.
There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life. A phone call during the day always brings a smile to your face.
Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and soul mate, who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they will be part of your life, forever.
There are so many beautiful texts to help illustrate a wedding ceremony. I keep a folio of ideas and samples for my couples. I also have several books with unusual readings and quotes.
You may find something from a song lyric, a film script, or written on a graffiti wall that inspires you.
Thank you to Focus Films for the images of Danielle and Karim’s English/French Wedding ceremony.
For other stories on French Weddings:
Something Very French
With a French touch
Totally in French
More French wedding inspiration
But the rings!
