Holiday Weddings, Often Unforgettable - Dock 580

As a wedding officiant I see marriages all year long and here I was at Dock 580 venue in Columbus, Ohio! Helene and Michael were the bride and groom and they chose a sand ceremony to add meaning and symbolism as two people, and two families, became one! The extra jars of sand were for the groom's children and the completed ceremony demonstrates the union of all the members of this new family, now inseparable! 

Marriage License ready for wedding officiant to sign; and Helene and Michael's sand ceremony at Dock 580 in Columbus, Ohio!Jean took this picture! Michael and Helene, it is a joy to be a part of your lives and we wish you all the very best in the years ahead! Damian & Jean

Joelle & Jacob at the Vault!

I was the officiant for another fun wedding at the Vault in Columbus Ohio! This indoor ceremony for Joelle and Jacob was filled with joy and meaning. A few words that I was privileged to share are listed below this photograph!

Damian King is the wedding officiant in Columbus, Ohio, at the Vault for Joelle and Jacob's celebration!"A relationship grew stronger by the aid of their friends. And blossomed into love, by the support of their families. And that’s when Jacob realized, it wasn’t really fate that brought them together.  It’s been said, that fate is nothing more than the crossing of preparation and opportunity. The day that Joelle met Jacob was the opportunity.  But they had been in preparation for that opportunity their entire lives.  A preparation that came from everyone in this room.  Parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues."

They also conducted their own Sand Ceremony! Here is the wording they used - "Joelle and Jacob, today you join your separate lives together. The two separate bottles of sand symbolize your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends. They represent who you are as an individual. They also represent your lives before today. As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one." 

(Sand is poured here) "Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be."

Their sand ceremony was then followed by a special ceremony for their parents! Roses were presented as these words were spoken... 

"This wedding celebration is a joining of two unique families who stood separate until today.  Today we unite these families by the marriage of Joelle and Jacob.  Now as an extension of their love for each other Joelle and Jacob will present a rose to their parents.  They would also like to acknowledge the love and sacrifice that each parent has made to make their children who they are today. The giving of this rose is a symbol of honor, love and gratitude. It says, we value you mom & dad, today and always. Thank you for all you have done. We will always be grateful."

It was a very special day and their family and friends were so glad to be part of such a time of celebration with the ones they love.

The artistic images in this entry are courtesy of Dan Buckley of Dan Buckley Photography. You can view more of Dan's fine professional work by visiting the link to his website provided. Dan's phone number and email address are 614-288-4427 and dan@danbuckleyphotography.com.

Thanks for visiting my website today!

Danielle & Bill at Brookshire in Delaware!

Bill and Danielle asked me to be their officiant for their wedding celebration at Brookshire Premiere Event Facility near Columbus, Ohio. Brookshire sits off Route 23 about 8 miles north of I-270 in Delaware, Ohio. In this photo below I am posing with this happy couple. Danielle and Bill have a true sense of humor and also are some of the most caring people with whom I have had the pleasure to celebrate.

Wedding officiant, Damian King of Columbus Ohio stands with Danielle & Bill after their ceremony at Brookshire in Delaware. Their sand ceremony was distinctly unique. You see, this bride and groom are soldiers serving the USA and living to protect our freedoms. They obtained the grounding layer of sand from Omaha Beach on the shores of Normandy, France. If you have seen Steven Spielberg's movie "Saving Private Ryan" you have experienced a depiction of the devastation that took place on Omaha Beach, and the profound loss of lives endured when Americans began to liberate Europe from the Germans. So this grounding layer was extraordinary.

Danielle & Bill's beautiful sand ceremony after their wedding at Brookshire Premiere Event Facility near Columbus, Ohio.In this photo we were discussing just how special their own sand ceremony was and as we contemplated how fortunate we are to have men and women who are willing to live to defend the cause of freedom. They were both so humble about their own service to our country.

Wedding Officiant, Damian King, reflects with Danielle & Bill about their sand ceremony at Brookshire near Columbus, Ohio. This was a touching day in so many ways. I was very happy to have been able to celebrate with these two very special people. 

Photos in this entry were provided by Missy Gray. Missi does not have a website yet but her email address is missibsu@yahoo.com

Danielle and Bill, I wish you all the best in your years together as husband and wife!

Thanks for the privilege of celebrating with you as your officiant on your wedding day in Columbus Ohio!

Sand Ceremony at Franklin Park Conservatory

Being a wedding officiant in Columbus, Ohio allows me to experience many "special" ceremonies that couples, and sometimes families, include. For Pam & Rick the sand flows at Franklin Park Conservatory in a symphony of colors as this blended family combines their sand into one vase. As their wedding minister I had fun officiating this part of their ceremony. Here the height of the sand is at the inscribed letters.

Now the sand moves above the letters.

 

A few final grains poured by one serious participant. If you look closely you can actually see the last bit of sand between vases.

Now the finished product! Doesn't it look great?

Maybe you are wondering where to obtain various colors of sand if you were to use this ceremony for your wedding. You can conduct a Google search for sand ceremony kits and you will find companies like Sandsational Sparkle that sell many colors and styles. Enjoy!

All images in this entry are courtesy of Open Prism Photography and photographer, Rebekah King. You can call Rebekah at 614-653-9082.

Michelle & Bryan - Heritage Golf Club

Michelle and Bryan celebrate their marriage with the Sand Ceremony, as I read selected wording as their wedding officiant. Their unique containers hold the sand that represents who they are as individuals. They combine the two colors in the center vase to represent their existence in marriage, no longer two but one new reality, husband and wife. It was very touching and meaningful. 

Here Michelle and Dad are drawn to the stirrings of her wedding. It's almost time for Michelle to walk the aisle and be presented by her father.

Here was a fun spot in their ceremony.

Father to daughter. Daughter to father. A priceless moment.

I love the expression on Michelle and Bryan's faces here. Celebrating the mystery of becoming husband and wife.

Now they walk into their future together. May their days as one always be blessed!

Kim & Matt

One couple I officiated for this weekend was Kim and Matt at Heritage Golf Club in Hilliard Ohio. We had great weather, and even though it was hot, everyone seemed to enjoy their ceremony. Kim and Matt incorporated the sand ceremony and the rose ceremony into their wedding. It was very touching. The bride and groom were very happy as were both sets of parents!

Jody Meyer and her staff at Heritage Golf Club did a fabulous job, like they so often do. DJ services were provided by Master Mix DJ. I hope to have photos soon from Master's Photography.