We got married on 26th July. Our wedding could not have been more beautiful, nor more in keeping with the spirit of Doing Things Differently. So many people told us that it was the most enjoyable wedding they'd ever been to - firstly, because there was such overflowing of love and secondly, because it was so unique and had 'us' stamped so clearly upon every aspect. I could go on and on about every little detail but instead here is my top ten of some of the reasons this day became the dream it was: 10. tons of activities and chances to get involved e.g. a treasure hunt, a video diary room, a 'guess the baby photo' game and a Wisdom Tree from which guests could hang their thoughts
9. the whole thing took place outdoors in my parents' beautiful gardens with recycled glass jar lanterns at sunset
8. both wedding dresses were from Oxfam Bridal and tiaras from British Heart Foundation
7. a performance section with friends offering juggling, jokes, beat-boxing & singing
6. many decorations were enjoying their second life from shop window displays e.g. sparkling pink fairies from Lush, and signs were painted by our friend
5. the buffet was entirely vegan and sugar-free and had everyone going back for more
4. our friends made a photo slide-show which documented our 4 years together and played piano and sang as the back-drop for our first dance
3. speeches were toasted with home-made champagne from hand-picked elderflowers and accompanied by local strawberries
2. the ceremony itself was held by our three best friends, with various friends and family offering readings and singing our favourite chant: We Are A Circle
1. our love truly was at the centre of the whole day, with every decision leading back to that core.
Our love inspired all the organisation and then the sense of created-by-community inspired our guests. What made this possible was that we really looked to our circle of friends and family to hold the day for us and support us, both practically and emotionally. We looked to their skills and asked what they wanted to contribute. And rather than this being a burden for them, we saw their joy at being so instrumental in creating the magic of our special day. They gave us so much, and we gave them the opportunity to share their gifts with others. It fully affirmed my belief that we all long to contribute and find our meaning in this way. The beauty of the day will be with us forever - THANK YOU to all of you who gave that to us.
Do Things Differently
Whatever you're working on at the moment - be it a business venture, a home-development project, an event etc - really look to see: Who is your circle? Who would absolutely love to contribute something of their skills and talents to help you out? Play with the idea that they might be desperate for an opportunity to offer their gifts and see if you can provide them with that.
(c) Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2008
After-thought....
Yesterday, I got chatting with my optician about our wedding and he was so impressed by how different it all was that he wants me to sit down with him and his fiancee and help them generate ideas for theirs. I'm wondering if there might be something in this so I'm keen to explore a You Inspire Me 'plan an inspirational event/do your event differently' service. So... if you are planning an event like a wedding, birthday, or anniversary bash and want to Do It Differently - book a session. This is a new venture so we'll assess as we go how many sessions you might want. Sessions are £50 each and can be booked here.
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