Scottish Wedding for Mary and Michael at the Raleigh Rose Garden!

Mary called me a couple of weeks ago looking for a minister to officiate her wedding to Michael and a place to have the wedding. She and I met one day last week. She told me that she and Michael had each been married before but they both had been single a long time and were ecstatic to have found each other at long last. Mary is a professional clown. Michael is an IT person and they are both members of historial "re-enactment" groups for fun and it is there they met. I loved hearing the wonderful story of their meeting and falling in love. It sure seems meant to be.

Mary and Michael had already written most of their ceremony. Michael is a descendant of the Robertson clan in Scotland and they wanted to have a wedding with Scottish traditions--the Quaiche (sharing the cup of wine) and the Pinning of the Tartan (the groom or a member of his family pins a rosette of the family tartan on the bride after the pronouncement symbolizing their acceptance of her into their family). Mary took one look at the Raleigh Rose Garden at my suggestion and fell in love with it. So, that was the place and April 2 was the big date. She emailed me her version of the ceremony and I polished it into a complete ceremony to include recognition of their family and friends at the ceremony. We incorporated the Quaiche and the Pinning of the Tartan into the ceremony. They revised their vows using my collection of vows as guidelines. Then we just waited for the day.

The forecast earlier in the week was for a sunny day but alas, it was raining on their wedding day--like so many weddings I have officiated this year. The rain was a fine mist, on and off again. Michael and his son Brandon were waiting for Marty and me when we arrived about 15 minutes before the ceremony start time. Michael was in full Scottish regalia with his kilt of the family tartan and all the accessories! Brandon was draped with the family tartan as well. We gathered in the shelter at the rose garden and waited for the bride and her family. See photo of Mary approaching carefully as the ground was so soft her heels were sinking! We decided to stay under the shelter for the ceremony. I had brought my handy little table to hold the Quaiche cup, the tartan and they added their two cell phones connected to family in California and Washington so they could hear the ceremony.

We began with a warm welcome to all and a prayer. We acknowledged all seven of our guests and the loved ones who were not with us but were listening by phone. After a brief wedding address the couple read their vows to each other. It was so sweet. They were both so happy they cried and had trouble getting the words out but they did it! Then they shared the Quaiche by each drinking to the love they shared in the past, to their love on this their wedding day, and to the love they will share in the future and forevermore! They then exchanged rings and I made the pronouncement of marriage. But before they could kiss, Brandon did the honors of pinning the Tartan on Mary accepting her into their family. Then Michael kissed his wife and Mary kissed her husband. They couldn't stop kissing! It was a great wedding and everyone had a wonderful and tearful time sharing their happiness. Cead mile failte ("one hundred thousand welcomes" in Gaelic) to the wonderful world of marriage, Mary and Michael. I am so happy for you and I wish you all the best in the world!