Rohan’s sent me this link to his photo album where he’s put the photos he took at our handfasting….
http://picasaweb.google.com/rohanwholt/BeautyAndTheBeast
They’re great!
Filed under: Handfasting, Marriage, faith, paganism, religion, spirituality
Its been two months now, and people are still asking us, “How’s married life?”
The answer in a nutshell is “great!”
But it is interesting when folks pose questions like, “is it any different?”
Strangely, it is. Perhaps it is the act of ritual and ceremony which changes how one feels about a relationship, but there is now more of a sense of permanency and seriousness to our relationship. The best way I can describe it is like the difference between a Dress Rehearsal and an actual Performance in the theatre: in both situations you are performing your production to the best of your ability, however in the first instance you have some allowance for stuff-ups, but in the second you are really doing it – and of course if things slip up, you improvise and get on with the show and hope the audience don’t pick up on it.
Jokes aside, there has definitely been some manner of energetic shift with both Deb and I about our lives together. We appear to be more focussed on long-term goals and issues – perhaps because of the intensity of short-term vision we had in the months leading up the Handfasting! 
But we are now considering what to do and where to be, whereas previously we didn’t. Perhaps we have also undergone a certain level of maturing also, where the lead-up to marriage meant we had to each consolidate our individual paths and integrate what we have learned into a new life as a ‘partner’.
Needless to say, we are probably more in love today than we were two months ago. And that day was so wonderful, we often feel like doing it all over again… but then we remember all the planning and logistics and breathe a sigh of relief that its all done! HAHAHA!!!
Thanks heaps again to all our family and friends who came, and thanks heaps for the wonderful gifts, and for making that day so memorable. See you again for the anniversary perhaps……?
Love & Lite,
Pete, Deb, Sophia, Jess, & Maggie
Filed under: Handfasting, Lawful union, Marriage, Updates, paganism, photos, spirituality
“Where’s the park? Has anyone got a copy of the invitation?”
Here’s the bridal party (and horse) rambling through the suburban streets.
Sophia smelling the roses.
The ‘Men in Black’. Waiting for the fashionably-late Bride.
“Here comes the Bride”
The Ceremony
Tying the knot
After copping flack for not updating this blog, I have gotten it together to post the script for the ceremony.
Some of you folks couldn’t hear Deb on the day, and have been waiting to hear her lovely words, so here they are in all their glory on the Handfasting Ceremony page.
The photos are on the way.
I’m not sure exactly what else we can put up here, other than stuff related to the day… but feel free to drop in from time to time (or subscribe to the feed, and that way you’ll know when its updated.)
We’re also hanging to hear some feedback from all of you who came, so please leave comments and let us know how much fun you had!
Filed under: Gift wishlist, Green, Handfasting, Lawful union, Marriage, eco-friendly products, ecological, environmentally friendly, paganism, spirituality, sustainability
OK, OK…. its taken me a few days to recover, but I have finally updated this site….
WE DID IT!! HUZZAH!
And what a wonderful day it was for everyone. The weather deities kept up their part of the bargain and gave us a wonderful rainless day; our friends and family that were stuck behind flood-waters in East Gippsland made it up at the eleventh hour; and there was enough food and drink to satisfy everyone’s tummies!
Thank you heaps to all our friends who came to both ceremony and feast; it meant so much to us that you came to share with us this day. And of course thank you to everyone that assisted in some way. It really was a communal effort, and for us that was one of the most important things: that our community would gather and help bring it all together, just like in old times where weddings/etc were seen as community events.
And thanks also to all of you re: gifts. We were so pleased to see that you all put so much thought into how your gifts would impact environmentally. There were so many inventive ways of wrapping gifts, and giving cards, it was truly inspiring. And we estimate that the carbon-footprint left behind by our event was minimal compared to most weddings.
We are still trying to bring the house back to a relative state of normalcy, but we’re pretty much there. It seems strange not to see the marquee in the back yard! We will be heading down to Bruthen for a break next week, so we’ll finally be able to let our hair down.
We’re meeting with Niki (photographer) tomorrow to check out her pics. I will endeavour to post some images up when we get them. If others have nice photos they’d like to share, let me know and we’ll work out how to post them up.
A few people also asked for a copy of the ceremony. I’ll get onto posting that up too.
So even though the event is over, there’s still a few things that can be done here.
Again, thanks all for coming. We are truly blessed to count you all as part of our circle.
Mitakuye oyasin,
Pete & Deb
Filed under: Handfasting, Lawful union, Marriage, Updates, Weather, Wedding Suppliers, faith
Its Nine O’clock on saturday morning, and the sky is clear, the sun is shining and we’ve got nothing better to do today than celebrate! Hooray!
We are in the park for the ceremony folks – but just in case the “showers” predicted come through, bring an umbrella and other appropriate rain gear.
Also (for those of you who have been waiting eagerly) we have a case of very fine Mead from a small family-run business in South Australia: Martin Mead . So there will be some mead-tasting for those who veer that direction….
Well, there’s not much else to talk about now. We’ll take some photos, shoot some video, and then I will endeavour to post up here as soon as the hang-over clears.
See you in a few hours…..
P
A little under two weeks to go, and I’m just starting my exam period.
There are no major changes to the proceedings for the day to report. But I do have the inside gossip on the weather, and it will most likely be windy. So rug up. Rain on the other hand may well hold off for us – but keep an ear out on forecasts and consult your local witch-doctor/shaman/medicine man/rain-maker for more info on this.
Just to remind everyone that Steph has some suggestions for gifts, and she is waiting for your calls. Of course, you may well have it all under control…
I would also remind everyone that it is a 1:15pm kick-off. There will be pre-ceremony drinks and nibbles at the BBQ area at the park. From here, you will be guided to the space when we are to begin the ceremony. A few words on that on the following blog entry…
Again all I can say is “watch this space…”
See you on the day!
Filed under: Green, Handfasting, Marriage, Wedding Suppliers, eco-friendly products, ecological, environmentally friendly, sustainability
Well its a far cry from the Talking Heads song.
But thanks to Denise Robinson from the Lakehouse in Daylesford, we shall find ourselves garlanded in the most beautiful and exquisite arrangements of fauna and whatnot.
We haven’t seen any of it yet, but she keeps repeating “Winter wonderland” over and over again. Lots of Yuletide kind of stuff like Holly, Ivy, etc as well as native bits and pieces.
And of course, the stark neutrality of the marquee will also be transformed to look like a homely pavilion…
So a huge thanks to Denise for lending her wonderful talents. I’m sure if you’re looking for a floral arrangement for your next do, you wouldn’t go wrong with getting her expertise!
Just wanted to drop in a plug for the excellent team at Aroma Bar Restaurant who are providing the food and drink (other than the beer, courtesy of Mountain Goat Beers and Ravenwolfe United Beverages).
The new menu is out, and they have a very hearty Guiness ‘n’ Beef Pie which is just awwwesome!
They also provide some of Australia’s finest wines by the glass (something I’m told is quite rare).
Below is a list of what food will be available on the day. We are catering for Vegetarians, Coeliacs, and Carnivores so everyone should be happy. This menu may change in the coming days, so stay tuned…:
Nibbles
- miniature hand-made sausage rolls
- arrancini balls (gluten-free)
- meatballs (gluten-free)
- mini pizzas
Dinner
- Roast Lamb and Pork on the spit
- Nona’s Pasticchio
- Nona’s infamous yemista (stuffed tomatoes, eggplants, capsicums) - gluten-free
- A variety of salads
- Mum’s famous Greek-style Chinese Fried Rice
- Mediterranean Baked Vegetables
See you on the day….!
Just a word on the weather….
We know that Melbourne is known for its unpredictable meteorological behaviour.
In the event that the Drought breaks on the day of our Handfasting, the ceremony will be held under the Marquee at home, where the feasting is planned to occur (see invitation for the details!)
I will be posting a notice on here the night before if it looks dicey – so keep an eye on this blogsite for news and updates!
See you on the day…
