When Kerri Steelman and Kregg Schmidt began planning their Garden City, KS wedding, they knew exactly what they were doing. They wanted an outdoor barn reception, lots of food and dancing, and S'mores...All things they love.
When it came to the ceremony however, it was a lot tougher. None of the usual traditions, ceremonies, music, and dim candlelight seemed to fit them. Just weeks before the wedding Kerri was still struggling with a unity ceremony. A unity candle ceremony seemed old news and overdone. A sand ceremony? In Kansas? That wasn't going to work either.
Then a friend suggested something she had seen at a wedding a few years back. A Unity TREE ceremony. From there the idea grew into a unique ceremony that brought a new twist to Kerri and Kregg's ceremony.
When ask about how the idea of a Tree Ceremony fit with their wedding Kerri replied "Our wedding ceremony was very US. The front 1/3 of our house is an atrium and we are very outdoorsy" people. We wanted to add something to the ceremony that really reflected who we are as partners."
To add to the uniqueness to the ceremony, Kerri and Kregg had their parents gather soil and water from thier childhood hometowns to plant and water the tree with at the ceremony. For Kerri's family, that meant a bottle of water and a bag or soil traveled on a plane to Garden City, Kansas all the way from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
"One of my favorite wedding preparation memories happened the night before the wedding. We were so busy in the weeks leading up to the event, we forgot to get the actual Unity Tree! It was pitch black outside and THUNDER STORMING as we walked along the outdoor tree selection at Dillons East. Kregg would shout over the rain, THIS ONE? and I would yell, NO! THIS ONE DOESNT FEEL RIGHT! We finally found our Unity Tree and walked in the store, soaking-wet, to buy it. Im sure the cashier thought we were nuts!"
Kerri and Kregg's tree ceremony embraced everything they need to make a strong, growing marriage. It represented the effort it takes to plant a good foundation, not only efforts from the Bride and Groom, but also the families that surrounds them. Here the soil and water represented the families and where they came from as individuals. By planting the tree with pieces of each others past, they came together as one. Any marriage, not unlike the plant, takes daily care and nutrients it to make it thrive. And when it's cared for properly it will experience growth and change and blossoming throughout the years.
"Every moment we spent together, Has touched our lives, our souls forever, The things that we shared and learned
Is permanent growth that we've earned."~ From the poem FOREVER CONNECTED by Silke Wettergren
All photography by Jennifer Bailey at
Memories by Jen Bailey Photography
Source:
http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/forever-connected#ixzz3F6Go191W
Family Friend Poems
When ask about how the idea of a Tree Ceremony fit with their wedding Kerri replied "Our wedding ceremony was very US. The front 1/3 of our house is an atrium and we are very outdoorsy" people. We wanted to add something to the ceremony that really reflected who we are as partners."
To add to the uniqueness to the ceremony, Kerri and Kregg had their parents gather soil and water from thier childhood hometowns to plant and water the tree with at the ceremony. For Kerri's family, that meant a bottle of water and a bag or soil traveled on a plane to Garden City, Kansas all the way from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
"One of my favorite wedding preparation memories happened the night before the wedding. We were so busy in the weeks leading up to the event, we forgot to get the actual Unity Tree! It was pitch black outside and THUNDER STORMING as we walked along the outdoor tree selection at Dillons East. Kregg would shout over the rain, THIS ONE? and I would yell, NO! THIS ONE DOESNT FEEL RIGHT! We finally found our Unity Tree and walked in the store, soaking-wet, to buy it. Im sure the cashier thought we were nuts!"
Kerri and Kregg's tree ceremony embraced everything they need to make a strong, growing marriage. It represented the effort it takes to plant a good foundation, not only efforts from the Bride and Groom, but also the families that surrounds them. Here the soil and water represented the families and where they came from as individuals. By planting the tree with pieces of each others past, they came together as one. Any marriage, not unlike the plant, takes daily care and nutrients it to make it thrive. And when it's cared for properly it will experience growth and change and blossoming throughout the years.
"Every moment we spent together, Has touched our lives, our souls forever, The things that we shared and learned
Is permanent growth that we've earned."~ From the poem FOREVER CONNECTED by Silke Wettergren