A marriage that very few people may think of is between a visionary and a musician. There is one marriage that strikes my fancy each time I hear they are working together: Tim Burton & Danny Elfman. Theirs is a marriage joined in ultimate synergy. One of my favorite Elfman/Burton collaborations, and which I have on my iPod is the Edward Scissorhands theme. I could be in the middle of traffic, or having a really bad day and this song comes on and *POOF* I’m transformed into a Burton-like world. True love lives. Oddball antics occur but yet I am utterly at peace.

Whether it be a song, a color or smell something so mundane seems to evoke such a deep sense of being in you that no one, no thing can ruin your moment. Is there a song that resonantes in your mind so much that you envision your “moment”, your wedding? If so, hit “play”, imagine and create.

Sorry, guys, this is a political time! So, here’s more politics. Sarah Palin backs a Federal ban on gay marriage… this is the woman who opposes Roe v. Wade because she thinks the states oughta have the right to decide. She wants freedom for everyone… as long as they share her religious beliefs.

Okay… this is a very powerful story and I had to post a link to it. Prop 8 only HARMS, it doesn’t HELP. Prop 8 is directed at same-sex couples and yet it’s being pushed by people it doesn’t affect at all. Why is it so easy to attack other people’s rights for nebulous (read: imaginary) gains?

Read this story: http://www.positiveliberty.com/2008/10/no-on-california-prop-8.html

By the way…

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Some people may not know it by looking at me but I love food. If it were between a moment of sleep or a moment of feast, I would definitely choose the latter. I never thought I would actually sit and compare the meals provided at the 4, yes 4, weddings I went to last year. It was like being an amateur food critic while someone’s happiest day/night was going on. I guess there’s always something that sticks out about the particular weddings you go to. Some have the most beautiful flower arrangements, other the best color scheme, but for me, it was all about the food. The first wedding had a full five course meal: lobster roll appetizers, walnut shrimp, fried rice, sweet/sour fish, duck (which I did not partake - I like Donald too much). So good that a year later I remember the exquisiteness of the food. Good news is, she did outside catering from a local restaurant so I can stop by and get the food again.

Perhaps food is an important aspect of a wedding. One of my friends, currently engaged and to be married next year, wouldn’t even think twice about a location if they didn’t allow outside food. I guess it depends on the type of person you are and the kind of crowd you roll with because you could go the 5 course meal way or the hot dog stand route. Either way, it’s pretty memorable for a free loading friend like me.

You got food? Count me in.

The one-l lama,
He’s a priest.
The two-l llama,
He’s a beast.
And I will bet
A silk pajama
There isn’t any
Three-l lllama.

–Ogden Nash

Ah, the great and glorious llama… and here’s a wedding where the llama (and alpaca) became special guests, and added special meaning to the ceremony….

It’s just another reminder that your ceremony is your own, and integrating your own favorite things, whether they’re llamas or lamas or silk pajamas (pajama party!) or strawberry jam, will make your wedding meaningful and powerful.

Underwood

Here’s a fun theme wedding in Jacksonville, North Carolina, a couple married as Robin Hood and Maid Marion, including a handfasting ceremony in their medieval wedding.

Underwood

Here’s some news from Joburg… the first legally recognized handfasting ceremony. Congratulations to the happy couple, JJ Jacobs and Michelle Roux, who married barefoot and in black. And, congratulations to high priest Tora (Glen Muller) for being recognized as a marriage officer.

Underwood

There it sits, alone. Once loved, once hated but now forgotten. What happens to bridesmaids dresses after they’ve been contemplated, chosen, praised or ridiculed. After the drunk groomsmen dropped his Jaigerbomb down the front. After the other drunk bridesmaid cried her non-waterproof mascara on it. Does it sit in the closet thinking I had a good time. Or It was fun while it lasted.

Not too long ago we cleaned my parent’s storage and I came across two old bridesmaids dresses and remember thinking, why would my friend who claimed to love me make me wear something so hideous? Seriously. Do some brides-to-be think, How ugly can I make my friends?  How much public display of you-look-like-a-damn-fool can I push upon these poor unfortunate souls?

What happens to the lonesome bridesmaid dress? It gets a quick thought and a swift toss into the “trash” pile.

If you’re giving a budget wedding reception, you’re looking for budget food. That’s a given. One of the suggestions that we’ve given is a food bar… cheap and plentiful. Spaghetti. Peanut Butter. Whatever mass-appealing, wallet-saving food you desire. And one of those food-possibles (a good one because of its portability) is the taco.

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The Connecticut Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriages… why? Well, the answer is clear. It’s discrimination. There really aren’t two sides to this issue. I find it odd that the people who want their own rights to gun ownership, to the government staying out of their affairs, are the ones who want to limit other people’s rights. Let’s look at some facts.

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