On recent beautiful Autumn day, I had the blessing of performing a ceremony in which the couple chose to celebrate the sacred union of their hearts, spirits & family with a ritual that has origins in South America. To mark the new beginning in their journey together, we incorporated a Palo Santo smudging, an ancient spiritual practice used by the indigenous communities of the Andes to help clear the energy fields of that which does not serve us, to set sacred intention & to invite & venerate the source of all that is holy.
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In preparation, I asked the bride & groom to join hands & then lit & burned the chosen piece of Palo Santo wood for a short bit before extinguishing the flame & using the smoldering wood to smudge.  For the actual smudging, I used this white pictured handicraft, that was created by the groom's family, to waft the smoke in circular motion first around the groom, then around the bride, & finally around their clasped hands to honor each, as individuals, & their union as its own entity.

I completed this ritual with a few final larger circular gestures, expanding the smudging circle to represent the invitation of goodness into the lives of the couple's parents, guests, community & our world at large.

I adore it when couples incorporate rituals, lyrics, poetry & any other elements that are meaningful to them into their ceremony & always consider it an honor to witness & be part of their sacred union. 

Encircled by loved ones, in their beautiful backyard, on their wedding day, these two were lovingly wrapped in the blessings & spirit of the Osage Nation, by a dear family member who was so kind to honor & share some beautiful words on this tradition. I adore being able to officiate & take part in sacred ceremony & my heart is so full, as couples include elements & traditions that are close to their hearts & meaningful to their family members too. Giving many thanks for the ability to serve in this way & wishing these newlyweds nothing but the best, as they travel along their path for all of their lovely days together on their Earthwalk!
Congratulations Mr. & Mrs.!!!
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#wrappedinlove #backyardbliss #unitedinlove #lifessweetestmoments #weddedwonderland #marriedinoregon #osagenation #osagespirit #oregonofficiant #oregonelopement #bewedyourway #beandbeweddings25w

Colossians 3:14: "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."  Thank you two for being so warm and wonderful and fun, and a shining example of how to bind us all in unity!  Blessings on your marriage, Newlyweds!

​Why be wed anywhere other than in your backyard when it looks like this?! I was instructed to not wear dress shoes, therefore donned my hiking boots & hit the trail! What a pleasure to stand amidst nature, old growth & an old pioneer well at the confluence of protected seasonal waters in the SW Portland Hills. Even more of a pleasure, though, to have been able to capture the essence of the couple (who shall remain anonymous) & their love story in a beautiful ceremony that pales in comparison to the magnitude of the force that unites them & to the goodness that emanates from the merging & intertwining of their soulshine...
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#heartsofgold #soulshine #magicalmoments #sacredspace #sayidoathome #backyardwedding #yourdayyourway #bewedyourway #beandbeweddings See Less
— in Portland, Oregon.