ANCIENT OR MODERN CUSTOMS TO INCLUDE IN TODAY’S WEDDING CEREMONY

A contemporary popular addition in today’s wedding ceremony is to include a symbolic ritual between the bride and groom.  This custom can have ancient or modern roots and come from a variety of cultural traditions such as :

Hand Fasting   

An ancient wedding ritual often associated with Celtic or Pagan roots.  The wrists of the bride and groom were tied together during the ceremony until the pledge had been made between them at which time the couple are untied.   However, some traditions the cord was not untied until the marriage was consummated!

Today, the Hand Fasting ritual (also referred to as Handfasting or Hand Tying) typically consists of tying the right hands of the couple to be to be married with ribbon(s), chord or sash while they exchange their vows. 

At the recent Royal Wedding of HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London, William and Kate’s hands were bound together with a golden sash by the Archbishop of Canterbury as he proclaimed them to be joined as husband and wife.  

The colors selected for the cord, ribbon or sash for the Hand Fasting ceremony each have a significant meaning:  
 

White is for peace, sincerity and devotion

Grey is for balance and neutrality

Gold is for intelligence, energy, prosperity, and longevity

Silver is for values, creativity and protection

Light Blue is for understanding and patience

Dark Blue is a safe journey and longevity

Pink is for romance, honor, partnership and happiness

Purple is for sentimentality, faithfulness and goodness

Green is for health, prosperity, luck, fertility and beauty

Red is for courage, strength, passion and fertility

Yellow is for wisdom and harmony

Brown is for earth, grounding, telepathy and home

Black is for wisdom, vision, success and strength

WEDDING RINGS

As you plan and prepare for your special wedding ceremony you will probably also be selecting the rings you wish to exchange if you both choose to wear rings.    

A ring is a circle which is also the symbol of the sun, the earth and the universe.  It is also a symbol of wholeness, of perfection, of harmony and balance.  

The exchange of rings is symbolic in so much as it is a symbol of the circle of shared love into which you enter together and a reminder of the vows you pledge and exchange.  

It is said that it was the Egyptians who began the symbolic ritual of presenting a ring to the bride as a sign of never ending love.   The space in the center of the ring was considered to be an entrance or gateway leading to that which was known as well us unknown.   

Rings were made of leather, bone or ivory. The greater the value of the ring, of course, reflected the wealth of the giver.

In time, the Roman’s adopted this tradition, however, the significance for the Roman groom to present his bride with a ring was not as a symbol of his love, but to claim his ownership of his woman. Often made of iron to symbolized strength and permanence, the Roman wedding ring was called Anulus Pronubus and it is thought that the Romans were the first to engrave the ring.  The Roman wedding ring was worn on the left hand, on the finger that had a vein that was referred to as the Vena Amoris, the Vein of Love said to be directly connected to the heart.   

Despite this myth, today, this finger is known as the ‘ring finger’ and is the most popular finger for wedding rings in western society.  

However, throughout history, wedding rings have been worn on different fingers on the right hand as well as the left including the thumb too!   And so it is today, wedding rings are worn depending on the culture, religion or society, although, the rule of thumb is that if both partners choose to wear a ring, they wear their respective rings on the same finger.
 

I LOVE LUCY'S HOUSE...........IN PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA.......

I LOVE LUCY’S HOUSE ………….IN  PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA !

This desert gem with its illustrious history is nestled in historic Palm Springs, California.                 Once the favorite Palm Springs hideaway for Hollywood legends, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, today, this spacious, beautiful and unique property, rich with Hollywood history, provides a picture perfect setting for your Palm Springs wedding.

This charming, secluded estate sits on an acre of land surrounded by beautiful hedges, and behind the wrought iron entry gates, you will find a very inviting, exceptionally attractive and specially unique home with not only breath-taking spectacular views of the nearby mountains, but also a beautiful canvas for your wedding ceremony and a wonderful atmosphere to entertain your guests.   

The spacious house with 3,000 square feet, was built in the 1930s and inspired by the Mediterranean style of a traditional Spanish Hacienda.   A charismatic home with great reception rooms, a modern kitchen with many features, four bedrooms, three bathrooms and comfortably sleeps between 8 to 12 people .  The lovingly maintained Lucy House has many original features including an abundance of rustic charm and stylish character throughout the estate.     A great location for a wedding ceremony, reception, dinner and dancing under the stars. 

The gourmet kitchen boasts granite counter tops, a SubZero refrigerator, three dishwashers, three sinks, center isle, French doors out onto the patio and all of the accoutrements needed to entertain small groups or large parties with seamless effort.

An arched doorway leads to the expansive living and dining area with exposed beam ceilings, a wood burning fireplace and comfortable sofas, French doors, plantation shutters and formal dining area.   
Luxuriously appointed bedrooms each with their own private entrance and French doors opening out on to the private courtyard and pool area.   The master bedroom is a beautiful retreat and enjoys its own private patio, fireplace, sitting area and a luxury bathroom.

Rooms open out onto a beautifully covered courtyard patio with wood burning fireplace, ceiling fans and a large fountain.   A place to relax like a celebrity, in casual comfort, with Hollywood style.   The secluded private and sprawling back yard features a large pool surrounded by the original palm trees all of which create the ultimate Palm Springs picture for a memorable wedding.

The separate guest casita is an attractive home unto itself and provides added privacy with its own ample sitting and living area which opens up onto the pool deck.   Two bedrooms and a master bath with al-fresco open air shower complete this charming casita.   A perfect space for the bride to prepare for her special day.

The Lucy House is available for special events and weddings, as well as short term vacation rental!   

For further information on this wonderful, unique location for your wedding ceremony and reception in the heart of Palm Springs,  simply contact :
Gina Leslie at 760 702 4418
or gina@thelucyhouse.com 
or gina@thewalkdowntheaisle.com

YOUR WEDDING !

YOUR WEDDING !

TYING THE KNOT!

Congratulations, you have decided to celebrate your love by exchanging vows and pledging your intent in the special ceremony of marriage. In so doing, you have become engaged.

Becoming engaged means you are planning to unite your love for each other in front of your invited guests on your wedding day, in more light hearted words, you are going to “tie the knot” !!

A light hearted expression, but where did the words “tie the knot” originate?

Various suggestions for this include the fact that knots have been a common symbol in marriage ceremonies in many cultures for many centuries and usually symbolize unbreakable pledges.

Knots are sometimes used in the actual marriage ceremony with the tradition of tying the wrists of the bride and groom as a symbol of lasting unity. History and folklore tells us that in the past this has been done with simple twine or cord. Today, however, more often than not, a ribbon or sash is used by gently placing over the bride and grooms wrists tying their hands together during the ceremony while the couple exchange their vows. This symbolic ritual dates back to medieval times when it was known as ‘handfasting’ a possible origin for the common expression “asking for her hand in marriage”.

To 'tie the knot', has been associated with marriage since at least the 13th century. The Legend of St. Katherine, circa 1225 used the Middle English 'cnotte', i.e. 'knot', to mean 'the tie or bond of wedlock; the marriage or wedding knot'.

In the Hindu marriage ceremony, the bride and groom tie a ribbon or necklace of flowers around each other’s neck.

In ancient Rome, the bride wore a girdle or belt that was tied in a knot. The groom would then unfasten it on their first night together as husband and wife.

There is a suggestion that the expression “to tie the knot” derives from the nets of knotted string which became the main support for a bed (prior to the introduction of more modern beds!) with the theory being, in order to make a marriage bed, you needed to 'tie the knot'.

It has been said that illiterate sailors and soldiers in yesteryear would send a piece of rope to their sweethearts when they wanted to get married. If the rope came back with a knot in it, that meant she said "yes".

So, to tie this all together in a nutshell. You are soon going to tie the knot!

But, in reality you are two individuals coming together in love, entering into a marriage which symbolizes the ultimate intimacy between two people, when you become united and yet remain individual, this is a beautiful reflection of a deep and tender mystery of our universe.

For further information on weddings visit my website at:   www.palmspringsweddingminister.com or click on the photo above .............