Be forewarned that it is likely you will have to re-calibrate your monitor after viewing this post – Masha, the bride is beaming so brightly in each moment that I’m not sure technology has been developed to handle it. Fortunately her husband, Francisco, can and is partially responsible. Having the sweet pleasure of knowing Masha before she met Francisco, I can attest that she had a bright and soft sweetness to her from the start of their romance. Here is the part that gives me chills – Francisco is a genius and a rock and committed to fulfilling Masha’s desires beyond her wildest imagination and each time he does she grows brighter and more beautiful. Masha and Francisco, there is no doubt that together you both will continue to grow brighter, stronger, bolder and if there was one wish I could make on behalf of the world it is that you continue to reveal the way you love as an inspiration for all. In utter joy and love, ENJOY!
I thought it would be fun to share about the neurochemistry of love in this blog, Andreas, the groom completing his Post-grad on the subject at Stanford. What I found was much less inspiring than I had hoped, mostly talk of oxytocin and dopamine, estrogen and seratonin. Although I’m fascinated by the mechanics of the brain and how it functions and reacts to certain experiences, situation, when it comes to love I look to the creative sciences, Rumi, Mumford and Sons, Shakespeare. A good friend and man that I’ve had the privilege of falling in love with described it as “a feeling of wholeness and an experience of dwelling within the complete positive regard of another.” It’s exquisite and delicious and brings joy not only to those in the throes of it but to those all around.
Andreas and Lena experiencing your love was such a sweet gift and one that I see as positively inspiring and effecting all those around you. ENJOY!
Two days before Bryan and Jennifer’s wedding I learnt the translation of an ancient Aramaic incantation. I was having lunch with Mark Morford and he had the transliteration on his t-shirt. I know the word, you do too – we have seen it, used it, heard it hundreds of times. I’d never known the translation and I’ll get to it in a minute but right now I want you to know how this is relevant to Bryan, Jennifer & their wedding.
If you know Bryan and Jennifer personally you know that being friends with them is like being friends with Magic itself, every thing they think or speak comes to life in ways that exceed all conventional imagination.
Imagine having a divine frequency sonar that could pick up the vibration under every word, thought, belief we emit and that the sonar would translate it into language we could understand. I’m certain you would hear this very Aramaic incantation, the one that means “with these words, let it be so” repeated over and over again when you were in the company of these two.
Bryan and Jennifer, let your marriage, your devotion and your commitment to freedom inspire Humanity to experience the limitless potential and full impact of Love itself. May your beauty and brilliance inspire our collective greatness and transcend the world into a Golden Age. May I always have the honor of calling you my dearest friends. Abracadabra.
Alissa’s brothers read The Blessing for a Marriage adapted from James Dillet Freeman at their ceremony and although I typically share in blog posts about my experience of the couple, of the team and the wedding itself, this time I wanted to share with you the words from their ceremony that burst open my heart. And of course, Alissa and Brock’s wedding photos from Holman Ranchin partnership with Allison Weddings. ENJOY!!
May your marriage bring you all the exquisite
excitement marriage should bring,
and may life grant you also patience,
tolerance, and understanding.
May you always need one another –
not so much to fill your emptiness
as to help you to know your fullness…
May you want one another, but not out of lack.
May you entice one another, but not compel one another.
May you embrace one another, but not out encircle one another.
May you succeed in all important ways with one another,
and not fail in the little graces.
May you look for things to praise, often say, “I love you!”
and take no notice of small faults.
If you have quarrels that push you apart,
may both of you hope to have
good sense enough to take the first step back.
May you enter into the mystery which is
the awareness of one another’s
presence – no more physical than spiritual,
warm and near when you are
side by side, and warm and near when
you are in separate rooms
or even distant cities.
May you have happiness,
and may you find it making one another happy.
May you have love, and may you find it loving one another.
I think of myself as a researcher of being Madly in Love and part of my commitment to creating a structure for my clients to experience the full impact of Love on their wedding day includes me asking questions that help me understand how they love, what they are most looking forward to having experienced on their wedding day and what they love most about one another. On the morning of Krista and Daniel’s San Francisco Wedding, I asked Krista what she was looking forward to and what she said still gives me those delicious “oh yes, this is madly in Love” chills. Given all the beautiful details of this day, ceremony at the historic Cavalry Presbyterian Church on Fillmore, reception at one of my favorite spots, The San Francisco City Club and a dress that was beyond breathtaking, Krista was most looking forward to having spent the day at Daniel’s side. Chills, right? Krista may your utter joy and happiness at spending your life as the side of Daniel be an inspiration for all! Enjoy!
I got it within 3 blocks of dropping off my luggage, putting on my sneakers and stepping out into the rainy Brooklyn evening – I ♥ NY. I don’t know if it was the crowded sidewalk despite the warm May evening rain, the dogwood in bloom or the promise of a weekend spent capturing Natalie, Charles with their family & friends celebrating marriage NY-style. Whatever it was, I got IT – I ♥ NY and IT stuck. There are many different stories to share about Natalie and Charles – the way Natalie’s best friends, Lia and Matt, picked Charles out at the Cal law library as a good match for her, the spontaneous engagement in Egypt that included a late night rush to the local marketplace to search out an engagement ring that they negotiated down from $30 to $18 or how classically beautiful the two fit together, Natalie working with smart inner-city school kids to get the education they deserve or Charles commitment to a just marketplace as an Anti-trust lawyer BUT I’m going to talk about something completely different.
I want to tell you about Natalie & Charles extraordinary commitment to appreciate what is. The night before their wedding was the clincher. Imagine this – an open-top tour bus taking their friends and guests on a tour of NYC when out of nowhere a thunderstorm, drenching them and their guests Did it ruin the night? Nope. In fact it was Natalie and Charles positive attitude that transformed what could have been a disaster into an adventure. Come Rain or Shine is their sweet motto and I think it is not only in regards to the erratic NYC weather but to their lives as a whole.
You’re gonna love me like nobody’s loved me, Come rain or come shine.
Happy together, unhappy together And won’t that be fine.
Days may be cloudy or sunny, We’re in or we’re out of the money
But I’m with you always. I’m with you rain or shine.
Karen and I met last October at The City Club. She was in town from Portland meeting wedding pros and visiting locations around SF with her mom for her wedding this October. She took a look at my work, we chatted briefly, giggled about something fun and that was the whole of it. A week later we were on the phone and within minutes, it was obvious that we had to work together. Karen is fun, in love and full of life, three of my favorite and most admired qualities. Seeing Kevin and Karen together is awesome. Kevin is committed to her happiness and it shows. My great friend Bryan always says you can tell the character of a man by how radiant his woman is. Kevin, you have my utmost respect.
Really, they are this cute. Lizzie in her girlie white cowgirl boots, Tyler in his bicycle cufflinks and the two of them re-live the fun and play of their college years with the self-assuredness of two brilliant adults madly in love and on the eve of their wedding. Together they poses an easy going life is good in the midst of change and growth and new jobs and travel and a wedding around the corner. So much so that being with them is simultaneously enlivening and relaxing. Tyler and Lizzie, it is an honor to be witness to your sweetness and love for one another. Thank you for having me be part of the rich experience of your wedding! ENJOY!!
