Not long ago, I officiated a wedding for a stunning California couple Stephen and Kimberly. The venue was the ultra-hip Brooklyn Winery. Everything about the evening was perfect—the bride and groom sparkled with joy, the venue was a perfect mix of high style and retro glam. The wine and food and laughter all flowed freely.
The couple was intent on creating a loving sacred space for the ceremony—drawing the guests into the event. With a simple, yet significant, design choice, they beautifully accomplished the goal. The space for the ceremony was a standard rectangular room, where most couples would have selected a standard “theatre style” seating with a middle aisle for processing/recessing. With an eye for the unusual, our bride and groom had rows of seats, fashioned in a diamond, all facing the bride and groom. They stood in the center, in a circle of beautiful rose petals. With this arrangement, there were lots of happy faces in the wedding photos and a real sense of togetherness. At one point, during the “vow of community support,” where the guests agree to help the bride and groom honor the vows that they’ve made, their closest family members stood proudly to take the oath. The couple was literally enveloped in their love. The emotion of the day is captured in this beautiful photo from Rima Campbell.
I created a video of remembrance using Ms. Campbell’s photos:
