Celtic Wedding

Celtic Wedding

Celtic font and picture by AON Celtic Art.

Being exposed to all types of violin music for a long period of time, I came to enjoy Celtic music.  You might hear some of that type when you watch Titanic or Braveheart.  The Irish aren't afraid to show the sad side of life, and it is reflected in the music.  If you haven't seen Braveheart, snuggle up with someone you love, and watch it one of these last cold days.

I have seen the Ashoken Farewell used in a wedding for the entrance of the mothers and grandmothers, symbolizing the woman's leaving her home to join her husband.  These are the lyrics, though I have only heard it played instrumentally.  It's really quite beautiful.

Words by Grian MacGregor
Music by Jay Ungar

The sun is sinking low in the sky above Ashokan.
The pines and the willows know soon we will part.
There's a whisper in the wind of promises unspoken,
And a love that will always remain in my heart.

My thoughts will return to the sound of your laughter,
The magic of moving as one,
And a time we'll remember long ever after
The moonlight and music and dancing are done.

Will we climb the hills once more?
Will we walk the woods together?
Will I feel you holding me close once again?
Will every song we've sung stay with us forever?
Will you dance in my dreams or my arms until then?

Under the moon the mountains lie sleeping
Over the lake the stars shine.
They wonder if you and I will be keeping
The magic and music, or leave them behind.



If you're Irish, I'd love to plan an Irish wedding for you. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

Spring Is In the Air!

Found some fabulous bathing suits at J. Crew.  Now that it is feeling a little warmer, we can begin to hope.  There were great styles for any body type. 

HERE COMES THE BRIDE

I also purchased a Martha Stewart Weddings and can't wait to show one of the ideas to one of my brides.  I think it is one of my favorite things, a banner which says Here Comes the Bride for the ring bearer. Most brides don't want to trust the actual rings to the little ones, so this would be a great thing for them to do at the wedding.  I love this look.

Are You Happy?

I love watching Oprah, and will really miss it when it ends this season.  I saw an episode today that made me really think.  I respond very well to self-help advice, anyway.

Goldie Hawn was talking about being happy, and studies have shown that you can make yourself happy by about 46%.  Outside influences and genetics make up the additional 54%.  I was pretty surprised by that because I always thought that you pretty much are as happy as you WANT to be.

Michael Buettner, who authored Thrive: Finding Happinesss the Blue Zones Way, was on the show.  He listed four things which are the most important things to being happy.

-  Are you married to the right person?

-  Do you like your job, is it engaging work?
-  Do you volunteer in some way that makes you believe that you are giving back to the community?

and the number one happiness factor

-  Do you  live in the right place?

Just something to think about.

Let Him Eat Cake!

Women love to be wooed.  We love flowers, jewelry and perfume.  Valentine's Day has to be so easy for a man, but what does a woman buy?  If you want to get something he'll really like that doesn't break the bank, think about a food gift. 

You could get cream cheese-filled cinnamon rolls or cheddar biscuits at Rose Cottage Bakery at 113 W. Market Street, Kingsport.  You could get a custom cake at Sweet Revenge Cakery.

You could get wonderful breads or apple dumplings at Scratch Bakery in Johnson City.  You could get bagels, cookies or scones at Panera Bread.  You can get cream pies, tarts or truffles at Main Street Cafe, Jonesborough.

At Blackbird Bakery in Bristol, their specialty is doughnuts, but you can get baklava or chocolate croissants.

I'm making myself hungry.  Call now if you want to get something special for Valentine's Day.

Heart Month - Be the Best You Can Be

With February being Heart month, I am thinking of ways that everyone could be healthier.  I see on TV brides who want to lose weight before their weddings.  It’s a natural thing to want to look your best when all eyes are on you and you have on a white dress, which is not the most flattering color.

I am available to be your fitness and nutrition coach through the months leading up to your wedding.  Nutrition is one of my favorite things.  I try to learn everything I can to keep myself healthy.  I work out several times a week.  If I can do it, you can do it.

We could set up times to go over nutritional information, and even to plan menus.  I could even go with you to the grocery store and help you make better selections.  I could come to your home and evaluate your pantry.  When you are giving your best effort to lose weight, some items just have to go.  We could have a weekly weigh-in (sometimes it helps just to have someone other than yourself to be accountable to).  I wouldn’t be the drill sergeant you see on TV.  I would be caring and encouraging, but you would have to push yourself.  We would make out a plan and we would be successful.  Give me a call if you want help (423)943-2630.

Weddings on the Big Screen

This month has been so cold and snowy, and between year-end closing and movie season (Oscar nominations came out Tuesday), I have neglected the wedding blog.  Sorry.  I was trying to think of a way to incorporate my love of all things wedding and my love of movies.

The first movie wedding I remember is The Godfather, now out in Blu-Ray.  Nothing was too good for Vito Corleone’s daughter.  The cake was a favor called in, and it was fabulous.  There was a very erotic scene (for 1972) between Sonny and one of the bridesmaids.  Then when Michael had to move to Italy to avoid jail, he married a local girl.  The parade of the wedding party through the village sticks with me, still.  See, my love of weddings isn’t recent.

The wedding in Braveheart was beautiful, but sad for the fact that it had to be secret.  Lots of people want to incorporate something Celtic in their weddings.  There are many ways to do that, even if you don’t want a bagpipe player.

My favorite wedding movie is Father of the Bride.  I absolutely love Franck , played by Martin Short.  All the furniture must go, bring in the geese.  Poor Steve Martin, wanted so much for his daughter to have a nice wedding without causing his bankruptcy.

I also loved My Best Friend’s Wedding.  My favorite scene in that movie is the bridesmaid’s luncheon when they sing, “I Say a Little Prayer for You.”

I loved Steel Magnolias.  It was so pink.  One of my cousins, Sarah, had an all pink wedding, which was one of the most beautiful I remember.  She even had middle-school aged pink-clad girls handing out rice bags.  The scene I loved most in the movie was when Julia Roberts was talking about going skinny dipping with her fiancé just before the wedding, and doing things that “would scare fish.”

My Big Fat Greek Wedding was also fun.  Everyone has certain traditions relative to family or religion, and the more they are incorporated in the wedding, the more special it will be for everyone.

On these cold days, buy or rent one of these movies and enjoy the pageantry.  It will be spring in two months, and we can truly be in wedding season again!

A Purple and Yellow Wedding

These colors are complimentary and there are so many flowers in these colors, that you could have a very formal, or a very casual wedding and use these colors.

Bridesmaid's dress by Ann Taylor.  Real wedding of Matt and Rachel Osborne, photography by Amy Callahan.
I'm feeling like something to brighten up the cold, winter months.  A friend of mine reminded me today of our working at Girls, Inc. shovelling mulch in the heat of summer.  Oh, how I'd like to have that day back.  We don't appreciate summer enough, and let it slip away.