A Low-Key Affair

Sometimes weddings are a big event. Big wedding parties, lots of guests and a ton of planning.

Sometimes weddings are an intimate affair- and there's no better example than my Squamish wedding with Kelly and Cameron. They were originally planning a helicopter ride for themselves, their witnesses and me to dropped off on a mountain peak for their ceremony. Unfortunately, the clouds were too low and it was just too dangerous to fly.

Fortunately, Cam and Kelly are so laid back, and took it all in stride. We were wearing hiking gear, so their best man took us to a local spot where we hiked in to a stream at the base of the Chief. Salmon were spawning in the river, the sun broke through the clouds and the moment was truly beautiful. These two had met while mountain climbing and now exchanged vows out in the mountains. I had prepared them a special ceremony, reflecting how important the outdoors is to them.

Here's an excerpt:

Finding the person to share your life with is tough- and these two don’t make it any easier. They can’t just meet on regular land like the rest of us. They have to meet at the top of a mountain, almost like they were pulled out of the regular everyday world so they could see each other, apart from the crowd. And today is a full circle moment. These two, who met on a mountain, pull apart from the crowd, with only our lucky 3 to witness it, and stand among these beautiful mountain to be joined in marriage.

Whether a ceremony is a big event or something small we think it's very important to have something meaningful and personal that reflects the couple. And, we're always up for an adventure!

 

New Wedding Element- Time Capsule

I always like seeing something new at a wedding.

When I married Chris and Jessica a few weeks ago they decided to create a beautiful wedding time capsule. Chris (who is a skilled carpenter) made this beautiful box. During the ceremony they ceremony I read this:

Chris has built this beautiful box, and in this box they will place their written wedding vows, a collection of music from the wedding, a love letter from each to the other, and of course, a bottle of wine. The love letters describe the good qualities they find in one another, the reasons they fell in love, and their reasons for choosing to marry. The letters are sealed in individual envelopes and they have not seen what the other has written. With this box, Chris and Jessica have created their very own romantic time capsule which they will open on their 5th wedding anniversary. 

With that, Chris and Jessica tapped a few simple nails in to seal up it up. The box will be in their home, a reminder of that special moment.

I thought it was a unique and meaningful element and I just wanted to share!

A Surprise Wedding

One of the things I love most about weddings is meeting new people who I might not otherwise meet in my job or regular life. I also get to do some many new and different things!

Last weekend was no exception. I got to do my very first SURPRISE WEDDING. And this wedding was a surprise....for the BRIDE!

When Shawn first called me and old me he wanted to surprise Lisa with a wedding. The two had been together for 15 years, raising Lisa's daughter and then going on to have two sons together. They have a business, a home, a whole wonderful life together, but Shawn wanted to make it official. They were already planning a big backyard BBQ with their family and friends on their property, so while they had everyone together- what a great chance to tie the knot! I coached Shawn through the planning and tried to write something simple and personal for their day.

Here's an excerpt:

The truth is that these two have something that is very special. They have created and raised a family together. They’ve made a home, they run a business, they’ve shared their lives for quite a long time, so today is not a new journey for them, but instead an important milestone. It’s a ceremony and a moment to share with all of you what they have known to always be true in their hearts- they love each other, are committed to one another and want to spend the rest of their lives together. 

I think Shawn and I were both a little nervous going in- but he was right, she LOVED it! They were such awesome sports and their friends and family were thrilled for them. Best part- they throw a great party! I had so much fun being a part of it. Congrats to Shawn and Lisa!

Email Trouble!

I've been having a bit of trouble with the weddings@jordanbateman.com email, and some of the emails are not getting through (or bouncing back). So please send any emails, including requests and inquiries to jennbateman5@gmail.com and I'll get them while I get the glitch with the other worked out. THANKS!

Update: Sept 20 weddings@jordanbateman.com is now up and working again! Thanks for the patience!

Dinosaurs in Love

When I married Trevor and Lindsay a few weeks ago I knew their wedding was going to be fun, funky and unique- and it did not disappoint. One of my favorite parts was the reading they chose, called "A Lovely Love Story" by Edward Monkton.

The fierce Dinosaur was trapped inside his cage of ice. Although it was cold he was happy in there. It was, after all, his cage. 
Then along came the Lovely Other Dinosaur. The Lovely Other Dinosaur melted the Dinosaur’s cage with kind words and loving thoughts. I like this Dinosaur thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. Although he is fierce he is also tender and he is funny. He is also quite clever though I will not tell him this for now. 

I like this Lovely Other Dinosaur, thought the Dinosaur. She is beautiful and she is different and she smells so nice. She is also a free spirit which is a quality I much admire in a dinosaur. 

But he can be so distant and so peculiar at times, thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. He is also overly fond of things. Are all Dinosaurs so overly fond of things?

But her mind skips from here to there so quickly thought the Dinosaur. She is also uncommonly keen on shopping. Are all Lovely Other Dinosaurs so uncommonly keen on shopping?

I will forgive his peculiarity and his concern for things, thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. For they are part of what makes him a richly charactered individual.

I will forgive her skipping mind and her fondness for shopping, thought the Dinosaur. For she fills our life with beautiful thoughts and wonderful surprises. Besides, I am not unkeen on shopping either.

Now the Dinosaur and the Lovely Other Dinosaur are old. Look at them. Together they stand on the hill telling each other stories and feeling the warmth of the sun on their backs. 

And that, my friends, is how it is with love. So let us all be Dinosaurs and Lovely Other Dinosaurs together. 

For the sun is warm. And the world is a beautiful place.

 They had it read by a groomsman and bridesmaid (who happened to be married by me a few years ago!), with the groomsman reading about the female dinosaur and the bridesmaid reading about the parts about the male dinosaur. It was charming and adorable and their guests LOVED it. We always recommend picking a reading that reflects who you are as a couple- and if you're a lot of fun, you might want to consider dinosaurs in love :)

Beyond the Sand Ceremony

We've been having ANOTHER amazing season full of fun, sweet couples. Hard to believe we've been doing this for 8 years!
The summer just flew by and while we've tweeted (@jennbateman and @jordanbateman) and instagrammed a bunch of our favorite moments and pics from this season, we've been behind on the blogging!

 One thing I've noticed are some variations on the unity candle/ sand ceremony.
When I married Zach and Keren last month they wanted to create something that signified how important it was that they were not just joining their two lives, but also their two families. They are big fans of wine, so I helped them write this special 'wine ceremony'.

Here's what I wrote:  
Zach and Keren have chosen to do a wine ceremony that they created for today. In many cultures a raising a toast is a sign of the celebration. Today marks one of the best events we could possible celebrate, a marriage. 
Each of the mothers will pour a glass of wine here at the table. The wine represents the richness and the beauty of the families that come together today. Today we celebrate the individual lives of Keren and Zach being bound together, being joined for a lifetime. Today also two families, two stories, two cultures reach a shared path. 
Today Zach and Keren will take a sip of the wine poured by their own mother to represent their past, their family their roots. Then each will take a sip of the wine poured from their new mother-in-law to represent their future, their new family, their life together. 
Today we ask for you to share in the blessing, as Zach and Keren raise a toast in celebration of their new life together as husband and wife.

It was a great fit for them and a beautiful, personal addition to their ceremony.

Yes, Churchill and Thatcher Can Be Romantic

Yesterday, I married off Neil and Aisha - two amazing people who a year or so ago, sold everything they owned here in Canada and moved to England with literally two suitcases. They are fantastic people, and returned to the Lower Mainland this week for a visit, and to get hitched.

They are political animals (I first met Aisha when she was the spokesperson for Integrity B.C.) and huge fans of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. Fortunately, I love politics and history, so this was right in my wheelhouse.

I tailored my opening comments to include an excerpt from a love letter from Winston Churchill to his wife Clementine:

Now, there are many amazing marriages these two could pattern their own after. But there was one deeply romantic couple that they felt would serve as a most apt inspiration. Of course, I speak of the great British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his beloved Clementine. When one thinks of Churchill, we think of his courage, his stubbornness, his magnificent leadership during the darkest days the free world ever faced. We think of his perseverance, his ability to speak hope to terrified people, and his brilliant wit. We don’t necessarily think of Churchill as sweet or romantic, but to his dear Clemmie, his wife of 56 years, he certainly was. They wrote one another hundreds of love letters during their marriage. This is an excerpt from just one of those letters:

My darling Clemmie,

… you wrote some words very dear to me, about my having enriched your life. I cannot tell you what pleasure this gave me, because I always feel so overwhelmingly in your debt, if there can be accounts in love... What it has been to me to live all these years in your heart and companionship no phrases can convey.

Time passes swiftly, but is it not joyous to see how great and growing is the treasure we have gathered together, amid the storms and stresses of so many eventful and, to millions, tragic and terrible years?

With tender love from your devoted,

W.

I love the idea that Winston and Clementine recognized that they enriched one another’s life. They made the other better – they didn’t agree all the time, but they love one another unconditionally and encouraged one another relentlessly. Those of us lucky enough to have fallen in love know precisely what that feels like. If a couple can treat one another with that kind of deep, abiding gratefulness, they forge something that can never fail.

           

Neil and Aisha, we know your love runs deep, and all of us here today bless you to have a happy, full, wonderful life together. May you enrich one another’s lives for all time.

I also worked in a few other Churchill-isms: "Never give up," and my favorite, "It is better to jaw-jaw than to war-war," both of which are great advice for couples.

And when Aisha finished her vow, I was able to throw in a tip of the hat to her hero, Margaret Thatcher. "What Aisha is really committing to, Neil, can be boiled down to just six words: 'Neil, this lady's not for turning'."

Be amazing married people, Neil and Aisha! Congratulations - and thanks for having me as part of your special day.

Something Old, Something New

We're right in the midst of another wedding season, and July was a fantastic month. Not a single day of rain! We've had a blast with our couples so far this year and are still really enjoying the chance to be part of that special moment. We've done a lot of weddings- but it doesn't get old. Helping the couple walk through the rehearsal, joking around with the wedding party, checking in on the bride right before the ceremony starts, watching the grooms expression as the bride approaches the aisle....it's magic. It is such a moment and we're honored to be a part of it. For something new: check out some of the updates to our wedding website! We try to keep it updated with some info about what we do and some pics of us 'in action'! Let us know if there's something you think we should add. This pic is of me with Jodi and Trevor who were so sweet. I had such fun with them, despite the fact that it was a HOOOOOOOT day out!

May the 4th be With You!

I had a great time this afternoon, officiating a special Star Wars-themed wedding for Chris and Janice Bold. They are huge (!) science fiction fans, so when the chance to have a wedding on May the 4th came by, they couldn't resist.

It was fun, sweet, and, most importantly, totally them. That's the key to any wedding - put as much of your story into as possible.

Thanks Chris and Janice for having me share your special day.

Here's the Global News clip: http://globalnews.ca/news/536094/couple-carry-the-force-with-them-as-they-celebrate-star-wars-wedding-in-cloverdale/ 

And CTV: http://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=919759, along with a photo gallery: http://bc.ctvnews.ca/more/photo-galleries/may-the-4th-be-with-them-sci-fi-fans-wed-on-star-wars-day-1.1267308 

Finally, here's a story from The Province:

“I will honour you, I will be faithful to you, and I will protect you from the Dark Side.”

With that unique wedding vow uttered at a club house in Cloverdale on Saturday, May the Fourth, two passionate sci-fi fans tied the knot in a Star Wars-themed wedding.

Groom Chris Bold dressed as a stormtrooper, while bride Janice wore a white Princess Leia cape.

Getting laughs and cheers from the crowd, after saying “I do,” Bold kissed his bride one time with his stormtrooper helmet off, and one time with it on.

Self-described as fun-loving and “very bizarre,” the couple said they wanted to make their big day memorable for family and friends by doing something very far — light years as it were — from the norm.

“We both like to do things a little different, we’re very bizarre people,” Janice said after the ceremony.

Chris said that, in fact, he had first planned on doing a Dr. Who themed wedding — but the couple felt Star Wars was more accessible.

They also wore Lord of the Rings wedding bands, designed by Janice, complete with “Elvish script” engravings.

The couple made their vows in front of a movie screen-sized photo of R2D2 and his partner C3P0.

Bold’s groomsmen stood by him dressed as Chewbacca and Darth Vader.

Small statues of Yoda and Wicket the Ewok flanked the Intergalactic wedding party, and a stately bust of planetary hit man Boba Fett adorned another corner of the club house.

And the crowd loved it.

As two adorable flower girls, also dressed as little Leias, walked the aisle, one woman turned to another and said: “It’s different, I’ll give them that. It’s neat actually.”

The wedding officiant Jordan Bateman wore a brown Jedi robe and wielded a blue light sabre.

In a ceremony sprinkled with Star Wars quotes, Bateman cited the wisdom of Yoda, advising the couple that a good marriage is based on couples doing “the little things” for each other, no matter what.

“Do or do not, there is no try,” Bateman told the couple.

After the ceremony Bateman said he has done some interesting theme weddings, including a couple who walked a yellow brick road aisle and wore costumes from The Wizard of Oz, but the Star Wars wedding “was craziest” by far.

“It was amazingly sweet too,” Bateman said. “The best weddings inject the couple’s personality into it, and Star Wars fits this couple, it’s a big passion for them.”

May 4 has come to be recognized as Star Wars Day by the movie franchise’s fans, after the films’ iconic phrase “may the force be with you.”

Back at It!

Well 2013 is here and I wanted to update the site just to say we're still here and happily booking away for 2013. We have a bit more limited schedule this year as Jordan and I have both gone back to school so please inquire as early as you're able. For weddings, we remain passionately committed to make the weddings we perform special, memorable and personal. We love what we do and are so happy to share in your day! Best way to get us is by email- weddings@jordanbateman.com We'd be happy to send your our info, fee and also our Getting Married Kit. If you'd like to meet with us for coffee to see if Jordan or I are the right fit for your day, we're happy to do that too. Email and we'll set something up!