Wedding: The Ceremony

Early on we knew we wanted our ceremony to be intimate and brief. We chose a spot in the Italian Garden at Maymont that had an old and classic feel–almost like we were standing on the balcony of a castle. I was a little nervous as we gathered in the garden but I took my dad’s arm and felt immediately at ease. Aaron and I considered writing our own vows but ultimately decided the process was too daunting. We were confident in the commitment we were about to make, so the actual words felt less important. Our officiant, Meredith Winn, put together a beautiful program that really resonated with us. This was one of my favorite excerpts:

I want to be your friend, forever and ever without break or decay. Until the hills are all flat and the rivers run dry, until it is hot in winter and snows in summer, until Heaven and Earth mingle; not till then will I part from you (Ancient Chinese oath of friendship)

After we were pronounced husband and wife, we opened a few bottles of champaign and celebrated with our families. But the most important thing was that we were surrounded by an enormous amount of love and that’s what made the ceremony so special.

Photographs: Two Spoons Photography