Celebrate Your Wedding with Three Words

Every once in a while, I come across a "feel good" moment on TV.....times when I think that television, a much criticized part of American culture, is a really terrific tool that connects people. Several months ago, I stumbled upon a feature on the weekend edition of Good Morning America that I really loved. "Your Three Words" is an invitation to viewers to submit home videos (usually less than a minute in length) that use signs with three words, expressing anything they wish. Sometimes the clips are happy ones ("My First Snow" -- with a darling baby in a bunny outfit, situated in the snow) and other times they are profoundly emotional ("Mom finished Chemo" or "Dad came Home" [from the War]). Each week, it is a bouquet of messages from regular people.

I tried one of these video clips with a wonderful couple, following their wedding ceremony. Anne-Marie and Warren were lovable people from Belfast, Northern Ireland. I was so pleased to officiate their wedding in the Conservatory Garden in Central Park. They were joined in New York by a handful of their loved ones. Please enjoy "Their Three Words"! Congratulations to Anne-Marie and Warren!

The Wedding of YOUR dreams!

On Halloween, I was invited to officiate a “costume” wedding for a very nice local couple. The couple had met when they were very young. They went on separate journeys and reunited many years later. Pure romance. In a sweeping romantic gesture, the couple “eloped” and planned to surprise their friends and family members later in the day, with news of their marriage!

We met at the beautiful Wave Hill garden up in Riverdale, a section of the Bronx. The setting is truly stunning. This garden is set on the edge of the might Hudson River. It was peak autumn leaving season. The day was clear as a bell. The couple dressed in ghoulish wedding costumes from Tim Burton films. I, of course, was the Queen of Hearts. We tucked ourselves away in a small garden and had a private ceremony with the bride’s brother.

The wedding went smoothly, with some passers-by stopping to view the spectacle. All were generous with smiles and good wishes. One of the garden volunteers even agreed to be a witness. I must admit, that I was a bit nervous about the wedding plan. Wave Hill is a somewhat conservative location. Unlike Central Park where “everything goes,” Wave Hill doesn’t normally host off-beat events. But everything turned out perfectly.

What did I learn from this couple? Seize the Day! Have courage! Although we need to roll with the punches, assume things will turn out as we hope. And, finally…..pursue the wedding of your dreams and don’t worry about meeting the expectations of others.