So You're EnGAYged, a LGBT wedding blog

Thanks to our pro-gay vendor Sheila Carson Photography for sending us these photos!
Our theme was Ferns and Frames. Our ceremony and decorations encompassed the beauty of our love for each other and the beauty of Mother earth. This was carried out in the words in our ceremony, our decorations, heart-shaped bird seed party favors, and in the food which was 100% vegan. Our venue had a very natural wood look. We decorated with moss, ferns, frames, lichen covered branches, etc. We made as many of the decorations as possible. We each had immediate family there so the Day Of was full of us handing out jobs, oo-ing and aw-ing, laughing and even dancing. Everyone was helping us to create our beautiful celebration. Friends joined in to help arrange our first-look, out on the dock while it was starting to snow! Luckily our venue had a fire place inside- the whole earth and love theme came together perfectly.

Our favorite moment is so hard to pin down…the entire day was wonderful! Our first look was so beautiful…FREEZING but amazing! But hearing each other’s vows for the first time was magical! There was also a special moment in our ceremony that our daughter Aima receiver a bracelet and some loving words for her step mom… it was such a special moment for us all as a family and I’m pretty sure the whole group cried tears of loving joy right at that moment…if they hadn’t lost if already

We made a conscience effort to incorporate traditional and original aspects into our ceremony. The reverend we worked with to create our ceremony was form the Unitarian church in town. She brought different things than just your typical “I Dos” to the table to choose from. We ended up mainly focusing around the power of love and beauty of nature opposed to religion due to that neither of us are religious people, more spiritual and moved by the power and splendor of flora and fauna.

As a part of our ceremony we had hung our rings outside for three days prior on a Pussy willow tree that we purchased and planted in our yard together after our big day. This was done to absorb the powers of nature into our rings. We brought our tree to the wedding, rings tied on and all and removed them from our tree during the ring exchange. We also had a wooden box that contains a bottle of wine, 2 wine glasses, love letters to each other and letters of love and support from each member of our wedding party and our parents. During the ceremony we all places our letters in the box and it was explained that this was our wedding box and we will not be opening it until our ten year anniversary OR before making any decisions, if we ever found our relationship to be fraying. Whichever time came first, we would open the box (that is now sealed shut) read the letters and drink the wine…This was really special to us as well and so many people LOVED the idea! That’s going to be one good bottle of love filled wine in ten years…

I think we can both agree that our favorite design element of our big day were the center pieces, each similar but different then another… in the months leading up to the big day Tricia treasure hunted for brass candle holders for the candle sticks and all sorts of vases for flowers and to create terrariums out of. Once the arrangement of mossy terrariums, flower filled vases and candles were gathered at the center of each table it looked so lovely.

We liked how our theme carried out with even the small details like a fern frond places under a few of the glass dinner plates at each table. And random assortments of antique frames that we had been collection for months places here and there to accent certain areas around the room. (one was sitting around the cake, others were on the mantle and there was an entire college of them on the front entry table, some with pictures of us and our daughter, some empty with our glass or their backing laying about.)

We would say that a great way to create your own personal design element is to first internet research wedding sights and such to get some ideas of the feel you want to have, It took Tricia many hours of “research” (sounds better than obsessing!)and gathering of ideas. Then go treasure hunting for the things you need… try value-village, good-will, even garage sales! It makes for fun little trips and it’s always nice to get things cheaper than you could have plus its recycling! The more simple decorations you can make yourself the more personal your wedding will be, for you and for your guests.

We received so many complements on how personal and simple yet elegant our day was… store bought decor just doesn’t have the same affect. I think the fact that we used a lot of natural element to decorate, such as moss and branches and little potted ferns and such in the terrariums but then mixed it with antique looking empty fames and brass and silver candle stick holders really made a subtle statement and emphasized the beauty of love and nature.

Planner: US!!!! We are planners and doers!
Photographer: Sheila Carson…. so amazingly sweet! And talented!
Venue: Squalicum Boat House at Zuanich Park In Bellingham, Washington
Florist: A friend of the family, Jennie Edinfield…between nursing shifts at the hospital!
Caterer: Close friend of the couple Linda Melim and her daughter Taylor Melim (who also did the Tricia’s hair! Such talent!)
Dress/Suit/Accessories: Brides maids, flower girl’s and Tricia’s dress – Jcrew (Tricia got hers off Ebay! The rest were on clearance!) Tricia’s jewelry was also from the clearance section at jcrew.com (she stalked that necklace for MONTHS waiting for the price to come down) Jordan’s pants were form the Gap, shirt form American Eagle, and vest… Tricia found it an Value Village (4 dollars people!!!), tie from the clearance table at Macys. Our maids and mates (not your typical brides maids and groomsmen, so we coined them as maids and mates) all chose their own accessories and such. Besides those who were wearing dresses, we asked them to provided their own gray pants and white shirts.

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