Photography by Fortuna Photography
Every couple I am privileged to work with, leaves me with unique feelings that come from their essence, from who they are. Each one has their own love-print in me.
With Michele and Brian it’s adoration, joy, and an indescribable happiness. That’s what I feel when I am with them. In their presence, I feel the energy of adoration, joyous love, playfulness and profound gratitude. Everyone who knows and loves them, have said they too, feel laughter, joy, love and unbounded affection. They are bright lights in the world
The fun thing with them, is their heights. Michelle is not even 4’11” where Brian is, I believe, 6’10” or more. During their engagement photos, Michele got such a sore neck from looking up so much at him for so long, that we decided to have Brian get down on bended knee to kiss her in their ceremony. No one knew the plan was in place except the wedding court and photographer, and when the moment arrived, it was absolutely touching, fabulous and magical.
They incorporated the Philippino Kasalan Ceremony which blessed all their sponsors while their sponsors blessed them:
The Veil Ceremony symbolized oneness and their protecting each other;
The Cord, draped over both their shoulders as an infinity symbol, symbolized infinite loyalty.
They finished with the Coin Ceremony—
"The thirteen (13) arras (coins) represent wealth and prosperity for each month of the year with an extra to spare assuring luck for the newlyweds and their future family the whole year through and beyond." As Brian passes the coins to Michelle and she passes them back to Brian, it is a symbol of their mutual support throughout every aspect of their marriage throughout the whole of their lives.”
Their vows? They wrote their own. Oh my. So rare. I don’t have permission to share them. They are so personal and deeply sacred, and if I could share them, it would uplift all of us and give us all permission to give voice to our deepest feelings for our Beloved and our love, with the freest heart ever.
They and their families made all the table favors, spreading everything out over Michele and Brian’s floors for weeks. It was a wedding of intense love, the weaving together of families and friends, of cultures and traditions old and new, and a grand celebration under the sun and the stars for a pair that defy description and limitation and who light up the world.
I had a hard time finding the words for them in my address for the ceremony, but I took my stab at it. Some of it is printed below.
Excerpts from Michele and Brian’s wedding ceremony:
“Are all of you up against it like I am to describe these two???
Michelle and Brian, all the words in the universe that describe light—brightness, brilliance, radiance, shimmering, shining, glowing, luminous, sparkling—describe the both of you.
Then we go on to extremely capable, intelligent, gifted, forward thinking, always learning, energetic, leaders and contributors, you are unmatched, fresh…..each of you causing breakthroughs in your individual industries…one in shoe creativity, the other in high tech. Your intelligence and energy knows no bounds!
Yet the most luminous of all is your love! You as a couple respect, treasure, enjoy, adore, love and honor each other in a spirit I have never seen before! You tend to each other with gratitude and extreme care. Every exchange between you, you focus upon with your whole Being, as if your life depends on them, and truly, it does!
You have found the truth--that to be so alive every moment and responsive to each other every moment, sustains and keeps you in Present Time and Now Love—the very pulse of Life itself. Indeed, you are each other’s life! Life, in it’s very essence and substance is Love. And Love, in all its expressions, is the only true power, source and sustenance in the universe, and you have it fully and foster it with great joy and fun. You encourage its endless supply to flow in and between you without interruption.
…Like a forever bubbling and flowing fountain, you are wellsprings to each others hearts and souls.”
I hope you enjoy just looking at their pictures. Perhaps you can feel some of what I do and imagine what they feel. If you get even a glimpse, you’re going to have an amazing wedding yourself.
