Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. A classic wedding day poem that reminds us in a hand full of words the importance of symbolism on a wedding day. Some brides might be wearing a family heirloom on their dress or the dress of a loved one all together. Each celebration is as unique as the people celebrating their love on the day. In our line of work we have seen a few variations on tradition. Some keep with the standards, others don’t!
Catherine and Levi met while both were far from home at college. After only a few classes together they knew their relationship was meant to be! Ever the gentleman, Levi was careful and respectful in his courtship of Catherine and in her words “didn’t ask me out officially until two months later!” She told me that 100 days after he did she was visiting him and his family in Ohio and he proposed! Nothing to flashy though, just the two of them talking together in a quiet room. He pulled out a wooden box that he had carved by hand called ‘The Box of Questions’. It had a handful of ‘getting to know you’ questions on it and at the bottom of the box was an engagement ring which he used to ask the biggest question of them all!
The symbolism is obviously very important with this couple! The day of their wedding it was even more evident. As it goes with the groom’s family, when the boy becomes a certain age, he will receive a wooden practice sword intended to symbolize the idea that he is should now be considering his future, to put it in the simplest of terms. At another milestone age he will receive an ACTUAL BROADSWORD! This is meant to serve as a reminder to the young man of his responsibilities as an adult and that he needs to remain pure and honest in his endeavors, staying true to his beliefs and honoring himself and his family. Finally on his wedding day he is presented with a shield to go with his sword! This is to be a symbol of protection and strength and will serve to remind he and his new bride of his role as protector and provider! The Idea is unique and the symbolism is something that I think we can all relate to with our own families on some level… Oh and the hardware in this tradition is AMAZING!
Jordan Photography 