Timberwolf Creek Blog
Monday, December 15, 2008
Married in December
Our December brides are kind and gracious, and the charming grooms are all those Strong Silent types. There is something special about the couples who choose to be married here in the winter, when Mother Nature is quiet and at rest. I love winter in the mountains - you can see the backbone of the hills, when all the leaves are gone. The branches spread their architecture against the sky in stark relief and the snow softens everything and brings the world in close. These couples have a serenity about them, and December is the perfect setting for their vows.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
November Weddings
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Ah, October!
I call this one the Ballerina Bride.
Isn't she just the portrait of grace?
The bridesmaids called this one a Julie Sandwich. :)
I love my job. I mean, if you have to have a job,
it should be one you love.
Some people I just wish lived next door to me.
In this case, it was the whole darned wedding party
and every single guest.
What a romp. Lots of silliness and much fun.
--Sandee
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Mark looked brilliant in his formal black kilt and Prince Charlie jacket, and -a stroke of luck- his gold boutonniere precisely matched his gold satin ruche tie. His sporran and skene dhu in place, shod in ghillies and flashes on his hose, the man was picture perfect, right out of a magazine. (Being ridiculously handsome didn't hurt anything.)
Niamh nearly took my breath away. She explained to me that her name (pronounce Niev, rhymes with Chicken Kiev) does indeed come from a fairytale. In the tale, Niamh, a fairy princess (told ya) falls in love with a mortal man. That part of the story has certainly been reenacted here. She's such a rare beauty and in her exquisite gown, as she emerged into the clearing... I fully expected a unicorn to follow her.
The couple was charming, everything was very relaxed, in spite of the formal attire, lots of laughter and True Love in the air.
They told me that our place reminded them of the chapel at Gougane Barra, in Ireland. High praise, indeed. And to find out that place was second choice, oh be still my heart. (And my puffed up ego! Compliments like that go straight to my head.)
It was a real pleasure to be part of such a beautiful ceremony. Thank you, Mark & Niamh.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Silliness
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Sweet August Weddings...
Thursday, July 31, 2008
It was, without a doubt, the most beautiful wedding we've ever had here. First of all, the bride is just a knockout. All those men in full dress uniforms -with swords!- aren't bad, either. :) The bridesmaids were all lovely and were all also Marines. Ranking officer of the whole bunch? The bride.
It was so spectacular. First, the two sergeants posted, left and right of the aisle. Then I walked down with the groom, best man, and two lieutenants. From all the way back by the pond, one at a time, came each bridesmaid and then the little flower girl and ring bearer, following by the bride. At the beginning of the aisle down at the chapel, she was joined by both her parents, who walked her down the aisle and gave her hand to her groom. The parents were seated and the ceremony continued in the traditional manner, with two notable departures: the Lazo and Arras ceremonies. From the vows:
At this time, we honor Jeniffer’s heritage with two traditional ceremonies, the Lazo and Arras.
The Mexican wedding tradition of the Lariat, or Lazo, binds the bride and groom together, symbolizing their unity. Scott & Jeniffer will be bound by Jeniffer's grandparents, Jesse & Paula. The lazo, symbolic of the rosary, encircles them with God’s love and protection, as we join together to ask God’s blessing on this marriage, and also represents Scott & Jeniffer’s love for each other, which will bind the couple together every day of their lives. The gift of the Lasso is an expression of honor and hope and love from Jesse & Paula for Scott & Jeniffer.
The ceremony of the Arras is a presentation of 13 coins, the number of coins representing Christ and his apostles. In times past, this was the dowry from the bride’s family to the groom, and the groom placed the coins in the brides hands, pledging to support her and entrust all his wealth into her care and safekeeping, with full confidence.Acceptance by the bride meant taking that trust and confidence unconditionally, and with total dedication and prudence.
Today, Jeniffer's godparents, Ben & Gloria, will present the Arras, which have been blessed by Jeniffer’s priest, Father James.
Scott, as you pass the coins to Jeniffer, repeat after me: Lo mio es tuyo y lo tuyo es mio -What is mine is yours and what is yours is mine
Jeniffer, as you return the coins to Scott, repeat after me:Lo mio es tuyo y lo tuyo es mio -What is mine is yours and what is yours is mineJeniffer's grandparents both move with difficulty, but they were determined to make the trip down the aisle not once, but twice: first to place the lazo around the shoulders of the couple, and then to remove it at the end of the ceremony. It was an especially beautiful double rosary, of gold chain with jewels. The arras were gold coins (about the size of dimes) in a small gold carriage reminiscent of Cinderella.
Here's one picture, where all the fellows looked away so their boss could steal a kiss from her new hubby!
They didn't get all those medals for nothing. (Check out Joe, on the right - he has so many medals they hang in TWO rows!)
Ok, the fun part: at the end of the reception, the groom's mother put on 'Duke of Earl' and the groom gave a hilarious lip-synch rendition to his new bride.
Monday, June 30, 2008
June Brides!
We started out with Ed & Edwina. It was all about family. They all gathered together at the altar and by golly everybody got married. His kids were there. His parents were there. Her nephew, all the way from Ireland, was there. And eldest son produced his blackberry and held it out by the couple during the ceremony - he had phoned Dublin and reached the bride's parents, so don't you know they were there, too. Lots of happy tears.
Next were Jerry and Jennifer. By the time this gentleman finished reading his vows - written especially for his bride - I was ready to marry him myself. They were just beautiful. As was the bride. These folks are the kind of people that make our work so fulfilling! We've made new friends, and I'm thrilled they are coming back this winter to visit some more.
What do you do when a wedding photographer gets married?
Well! You provide him with the most exquisite setting and let him work. :)
Ok, we did take a couple hundred pictures and portraits of Jacob & Jessica, but this is certainly one of my favorites.
Friday, May 30, 2008
All those springtime weddings!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Spring Weddings
It has been one busy spring here at Timberwolf Creek!
It all started around Easter, when Clayton & Casey, Chip & Micheala, Ray & Lori, and Mike & Beth all got married here the same week. The spring weather held for all four, amazingly enough.
Snow was predicted each day -yikes!- and we had weddings on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. Don't you know, it was snowy and cold on Monday only.
The other four days were spectacularly beautiful, clear skies, sunny, and a balmy 70 degrees.
My brides are so blessed.
And yes, they are all my brides.