We are excited to have everyone involved and looking forward to our Beltane Nuptuals! It will be a very unique wedding expirience for everyone! I have included information below regarding the traditions Joel and I will be incorporating into our special day. Please See the information below and dont miss our Honeymoon Registry! Seeing as we are established and have household items; we are requesting donations to the honeymoon as well as small donations to the ASPCA in lieu of plates and glasses. 

After dating in Jr High and going 13 years without crossing paths Joel & Catherine reunited on Facebook in May of 2010 and have been inseperable ever since! Joel proposed to Catherine on New Years Eve, 2013 at Midnight with a perfect ring! Both Families are excited for the upcoming nuptuals. 

The Engagement Party will be held on the evening of October 4th, 2014 at the home of Elaine Ralls and Edward Anderson in Gilbert

The Wedding Day: Catherine & Joel have chosen Sunday May 1st, 2016 for the ceremony and reception. The location has not been selected at this time

The Honeymoon: Catherine and Joel plan to have 7 days away in June of 2016

May 1st (May Day) is the Pagan/ Celctic Holiday of Beltane, a love holiday which celebrates the end of winter and begining of summer. A Uniting of two life forms, the Green Man and the Goddess and focuses a lot on earths fertility and growth. We will focus more on the growth together and the growing connection between us and the earth then on fertility. Beltane is a fire festival so flame will be incorporated and visible. As Beltane is the great wedding of the Goddess and the God, it is a popular time for Pagan Weddings.

Handfasting:

Handfasting is a term Pagan's use in place of the term marriage. The vows will be taken "for as long as this love shall last".  Majority of Handfastings also incorporate a ribbon. This practice of tying a ribbon around the hands of the couple is described to originate in pre christians times, is still used widely today, and is where the phrase "tying the knot" originated. The couple will choose the type of handfasting ceremony and may include family and friends in the tying of the knots or incorporate special vows into the ribbon. 

Jumping the Broom:

This is one of the oldest marriage traditions from the British Isles, predating even the handfasting.The broom as it is used today in marriage or handfasting ceremonies represents the threshold of a new life, and jumping the broom is symbolic of entering a new life together. Many wiccans and pagans see the usage of the broom as a symbolic way of sweeping out old energies and clearing away negativity. This is also a great usage of it in a wedding, and helps the couple to come together with a "clean slate".

1000 Paper Cranes:

An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane. Some stories believe you are granted eternal good luck, instead of just one wish, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury. This makes them popular gifts for special friends and family. The crane in Japan is one of the mystical or holy creatures and is said to live for a thousand years: That is why 1000 cranes are made, one for each year. In some stories it is believed that the 1000 cranes must be completed within one year and they must all be made by the person who is to make the wish or friends and family of that person.