The Ceremony

The ceremony begins with Remy, Niki, and Jake, leading the parade of bridal party drummers to call the guests to the gardens for the wedding. The children play folk percussion instruments, while Greg, Isaac, Gavin, and Nick play drums that experienced drummer, Huck has brought for the ceremony.



As the drumming begins to call the guests to the wedding, Cindy, Margo, Sue, and Lisa wait in the flower gazebo at the side of the gardens. Sue holds the lotus pillow with the rings for the ceremony.

Cindy, Sue, Margo, and Lisa enter the ceremony carrying carved gathering baskets from Uluru filled with rose petals from their garden. Sue carries the rings, and Margo carries a single stem of Regal Lilies that Lisa selected at the Farmer's Market.









The drummers call the bride and attendants to begin the ceremony.

Huck explains the Flower Ceremony and gives the invocation for the ceremony, sharing with guests the meaning of the Heart Blessing, Candle Ceremony, and Ring Blessing that Margo and Greg have selected as their marriage rite. Attendants Cindy, Sue, and Lisa stand beside Margo with the rings nestled in a lotus pillow, while Isaac, Nick, and Gavin flank Greg with didgeridoos for their ceremony.

Sons Nick, Gavin, and Isaac play a Heart Blessing for the couple, and then for the guests. Margo spent last summer on a Fulbright seminar in Australia studying Art, Environment, and Culture, which has enriched our lives throughout the year. Two of the didgeridoos are from Kakadu National Park, a World Heritage Site. The Fulbright projects can be seen online at:

http://www.fulbright.com.au/events/FulbrightHaysCurriculm.htm

For the Candle Ceremony daughters Ari and Maura held candles that Greg and Margo used to light the single wedding candle - symbolizing how love comes from and is nourished by family. Kiera brought a candle representing the presence in Spirit of son Ryan, along with a sculpture of carved seals to represent the bonding of family and love.

Cindy, Sue, and Lisa read the Ring Blessing:

Benediction of the Elements

May the fountain of the waters of Life
Spring eternal within you!
May the breath of the Spirit
Consecrate the cloister of your hearts!
May you truly be children of Earth,
Living to nourish the seed of the word!
And may the cosmic fire rise
Forever torchlike through your Beings!

The exchange of rings. Margo designed her engagement and wedding band with etchings of the 4 Elements: Air, Water, Earth and Fire. Greg's ring is a Mokame Gane from Japanese metalwork traditions that fold several metals into one piece for great strength and to symbolize unity from dioversity. It also reminded him of the Lord of The Rings - one of his favorite books - which is a pretty cool style for a wedding band.







Holding hands Margo and Greg walk out into the community of family and friends . It's ime to get this party started!

After the ceremony it's hugs all around and time for the celebrations to begin. Fabulous food, great music, extraordinary family and friends made this an absolutely perfect day: the evidence is on our faces.

Dave, Gigi, and friends took such lovely photos of the entire ceremony. Phyllis emailed several wonderful shots. In this one Dave zoomed in and the photo has a blur that creates an interesting halo. A lovely effect as this was the moment in the ceremony where Huck declared us a married couple. The halo of happiness radiates to reflect the joy of the moment.