Winter Solstice Wedding

The winter holiday season has begun–yesterday was the winter solstice–and today the full cold moon shines bright in the night sky.

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The winter vacation season has begun – yesterday was the Winter Solstice – and today the full cold lunation shines bright in the night sky . Yesterday , we celebrated the marriage of my girl Lucie to Matt , the love of her animation . We used the herb and greenery of the time of year with sight of candle flame and bubbling poove luminosity to contribute to the thaumaturgy of the day .

The observance claim place at about 4 promethium at the Howard County Conservancy , which is a modern wooden construction with white walls , high wooden ceiling with rafter ( from whence to string lights ) and lot of windows , and a huge partly covered deck of cards , which overlooks gardens and wooded trail .

For December 21 in Maryland , the day was warm – nearly 60 degrees F – with drizzle on and off , cloud and some sun – and a steady snap . They say that rainfall on your marriage Clarence Day is a good signal . Because of our blotto weather , we were not able to have a balefire , which we had hoped for ; the trails were slick and cloudy . However , we were prepared with abundant taper and hang whitened lights and a few little electric stoves to represent the Yule log . My younger daughter Cady ’s gallant , Zack , put down out a labyrinth using 300 candlights on the outdoor deck of cards .

We brought the forest indoors with evergreens and wintertime greenery , along with the three herbs of the Winter Solstice : holly , ivy and mistletoe . These three worship herbs have been used in solstice celebration for centuries ( we did n’t put mistletoe on the dining tables since it is poisonous ) , although it was in our greenery display , and I added as adornment to a chapeau and my pilus wreath . A dear gardening friend , Deborah Hall and her daughter Susan O’Donnell made all of the fragrant and beautiful , evergreen wreath for the tabular array as well as the floral arrangements , and the boutonnieres and bouquets for the spousal party .

In the centre of each wreath , there was a pear-shaped , handsawn slab of maple with the bark still in place . secure ole dad , Tomas , saw a huge stack of round from a recently downed maple tree diagram . On these slab , we place three different sized mason shock ( half - pint , 12 - apothecaries' ounce and pint ) and put votive wax light in the two diminished ones and a string of fairy lights in the dry pint - sized jar .

I forgather commons and herb for the winter solstice video display and headpieces and my herbal pals in Arkansas , Tina Marie Wilcox and Sue Toney shoot down Viscum album from an oak tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree on their driveway and send it along with fresh retem and rosemary sprigs . Rosemary is an herb of the wintertime vacation season and it also is traditionally used for remembrance . Cady , baby of the Saint Bride and Maid - of - Honor , gathered pinecones of all human body and size of it and bring them Florida and she trimmed them to stomach on their ends and used them as holders for placecards and signage and for table decorations .

Besides the winter solstice , evergreens , natural burlap and lots of candle flame , Lucie chose ethereal colors : deep , dark blue - indigo , silver medal and Cu . We gathered and dry out depressed and empurpled flowers from our gardens and friend ’ gardens , used blue cloths on the serving table , and dismal bandanas as diaper . My momma , Lucie ’s nanna , washed and iron out 100 bandanas and roll the cutlery in each one , and tied them with instinctive hemp string .

We had a hot hot chocolate bar with three form of chocolate : Classic(very chocolatey);Xocolatl(with dried ancho chili pepper and fresh grate mace blade ) ; andMagic Mushroom(with cordyceps , reishi , lion ’s mane , turkey tail , astragalus and marshmallow beginning ) . We served these with fresh whipped cream and miniature marshmallow and a few bottles of spirits were on deal . We packaged these cocoa blends and put them into sinister blue with white patch , solstice physiognomy for party favors . The couple used the winter solstice grasp on their invitation and it was embossed on the chump and also used on recording label .

Well Crafted bring their antique truck equipped with a wood - fired pizza pie oven that cranked out six pizzas at a time ( using seasonal root veggies and winter K ) , rosemary focaccia and a seasonal salad . Anna Saint John , a friend and caterer , made the desserts – Lucie and Matt did n’t want a typical wedding cake . He want German Chocolate Cake and she wanted my Keylime Pie with Chocolate . So Anna made German Chocolate Cake Bites and Keylime Pie Triangles , along with Blondies with Dried Apricot and Beebalm ( I made the Monarda Butter this summer and froze it ) ; and Ginger Molasses Krinkles . In keeping with the evergreen plant radical , I made White Pine Shortbread Cookies from a recipe I found athttps://wildmuskoka.com/blogs/recipes/white-pine-shortbread.(They make neat bitters and shrub ! )

They say it take a small town to levy a nestling – and I say it take a Greenwich Village to put on the wedding ! Family and friend lurch in way back when the provision start – from creating Lucie ’s ensemble to ordering rentals and estimating sum of money of solid food and drink . And then they flew in and labour from afar . They show up for rehearsal , host dry run dinner , help oneself and picked thing up for us . A whole crew of Matt and Lucie ’s friends came hr early and set everything up , hauling methamphetamine hydrochloride in cooler , dishes and equipment ; Dain brought his homebrewed “ Bridezilla Brut ” and Corey create a touch cocktail “ When Cranberry Met Rosemary ” ; Jolanta and Hannah organized and kept the show go , Nancy officiated and protagonist and category learn for the ceremony and made toast , and many of them took dandy candid photograph . Last though not least , family ride out afterwards and assist break down and pack up the entire venue , before heading off to the after party . My earnest thanks go to everyone who helped – and although I did n’t name every single person , you do it who you are and how much we revalue you !

Eastman String Band provide foot - stompin music , complete with call outs for the Virginia Reel and a band dance .

Well this has gotten lenghthy , however I have to mention the observance . Matt ’s mom , Diana Amtower play the piano before the observance and for the processional ( Harvest Moon ) and recessional ( Islands in the Stream ) . It was simply double-dyed . I have never been in a room where there was so much joyousness , love and light . And there were many tears of joy – I heard a lot of sniffling . The candle lighting , reading and the vows were lovely ; deeply heartfelt and sincere . We all witnessed the lovelight in Matt and Lucie ’s eyes and observe their married couple , which we hope they will keep for many years to come – every Winter Solstice .

The Saint Brigid wear ivory crepe de chine woolen boilersuit shroud in ex lace – with hand - carved , ivory osseous tissue buttons ( one lunation and one whizz ) with a lacing blouse , with a cryptic , midnight bluing , Celtic , hooded cape and dark dark suede boots . The hostler bust a heather green - grey crown with dark grey trousers , his vest was a deep blue gray with button made from eucalyptus pod , his tie and matching pouch square had a celestial motive . Dear acquaintance , MaryAnn McAbee make Lucie ’s corps de ballet and Matt ’s waistcoat , while her husband , Doug , fashioned and cut up the buttons . Lucie ’s aunt , Louanne Sargent , made Matt and Zack their celestial ties .

Guests draw both sides of the walkway with heart - shaped sparklers have a sorting of tunnel of starry Light Within and the duad departed the party in a hell lights , hoots , yowl and well compliments .

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Evergreen wreaths are adorned with dried flowers in shades of blue and purple (homegrown and dried). Rounds of maple are in the center with quilted canning jars holding votive candles and fairy lights.Photo/Illustration: susan belsinger

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