Encircled: Planet Bluegrass Wedding Ceremony

There’s something quite remarkable about a Planet Bluegrass Wedding Ceremony. One really can’t go wrong in just about any location in Colorado — such is the magnificence of this state and the Rocky Mountains. Planet Bluegrass is one of Colorado’s typically beautiful spots: the flowing river provides nature’s melodious background music, the red rock walls offer breathtaking scenery, the large property provides plenty of opportunities for exploring and disappearing, if you like. Again, you’ll likely find many such locations throughout Colorado. The “extra” something that Planet Bluegrass offers is decades of bringing people together to create, enjoy, listen to, and dance to some amazing music. Borrowing from the poetics of vintage Beach Boys, it’s got really good, good, good vibrations, oozing from every rocky nook and beachy cranny.

So yes, the venue provided a splendid backdrop for this couple’s nuptials, as did the bride’s exquisite eye for beauty, making their Planet Bluegrass Wedding Ceremony a truly exceptional experience…

This couple chose a custom wedding ceremony. Along with a ceremony written just for them, we also had lots of time to explore ritual “enhancements” for their ceremony, and they decided to have their community create this lovely circle of flowers. This has become one of my very favorite ways to include community in a ceremony. The gist: a bucket of flowers, a sign letting folks know to choose a flower as they are finding their seats. The community is instructed to take the flower to the “altar area,” that they then place on the earth with some of those good vibrations in their hearts.

By the time all attendees place their blooms, we have collectively created this circle of flowers for the soon to be wedded couple and myself to stand in. It creates this wonderful feeling of being held within the community’s ‘good vibes’ during the ceremony, and it also provides an actual threshold to cross, once pronouncements have been made. Obviously, I love the symbolism, and the extra beauty! A lovely container within which to share their story….

“There are many symbols that have been associated with budding love over the eons: the ever present heart, cupid and his arrow, a pair of swans… We could probably use these symbols to enhance and describe all origins of love… all, that is, except for yours… Your story brings new life and new signposts into the ancient cannon of love images. Today, alongside cupid, swans and hearts, we are adding for all time: a hurricane, a peach, and some ham….with an assist from a broken sink and some Sephora lip stain.”

Truly a gift to create a relationship with this couple, and to craft and officiate their Planet Bluegrass Wedding Ceremony. The bride wrote many lovely words for me after their nuptials were complete, and I’ll let you read those on my Kind Words page. (It the first, super long, master’s thesis testimonial, and should really be an article on the value of a dedicated officiant:)

Lastly, props to June Cochran for capturing these beautiful moments with her exceptional photography. Out of respect to my couples I tend to be a little reserved in my posting of their images, but their complete set of photos was stunning.