Home » Weddings » Wedding Ceremonies & Traditions

Holdin Outdoor Wedding

Ranked #1,022 in Weddings, #70,165 overall

The Soon-To-Be Holdin's

I proposed to my fianceé, Amy, in June 2011. We strolled along downtown Evansville, IN one evening. When we approached the Courthouse, I asked her if she wanted to sit on the steps for a minute. As she sat down, I knelt in front of her and pulled a ring out of my pocket. It was a magical night. We have set our wedding date for October 13, 2012 (10 days after our 3rd anniversary).

Engagement rings

These rings are similar to the one I gave my lovely bride-to-be on June 30, 2011.
Loading

Flickr Photos

Loading

Save the Date!!!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Countdown to Holdin Wedding

Holdin Wedding: October 13, 2012

Bookmark

Come back often and check for updates

Add this to your lens »

Bookmark and Share

The countdown begins

  1. January 2012:
    We officially have a location for our wedding: her aunt's backyard in Jasper, IN. We plan to rent a canopy for shelter (particularly in case of rain). We will be decorating with tiki torches and paper lanterns. Both are affordable and add ambiance to the scenery. For our reception, we plan to have a bonfire. We want to time the ceremony just right so that it will be during sunset. The person we want to officiate our wedding has recently agreed to do so. We haven't gotten our engagement pictures yet, but we plan to do so by Valentine's Day. Plans are really starting to fall into place.
  2. February 2012:
    We have not gotten our engagement pictures taken yet. We plan to do so as soon as we can afford it. We decided we are going to use a cootie catcher template for our invitations. Once we start making the invitations, I will post one on here. We spoke with our officiant about the script for our wedding. There are still a few kinks to work out, but we have an idea for the order of events. We also decided on a playlist for our reception.
  3. March 2012:
    We now have a more detailed outline for our wedding script. I think we have finally decided which unity ceremony we will go with. Our decorations have expanded to include pumpkins. We may sprinkle fine glitter over the pumpkins for a touch of elegance. We still cannot afford engagement photos, but we're hopeful for next month. Side note not related to the wedding: we may be buying a house soon!
  4. April 2012:
    We've come to realize that parking is going to be an issue with the location we have. We don't want to relocate the wedding, but we may have to. We created a Facebook event to get an idea of how many people to expect and to get address to send out invitations. Also, I've contacted a local musician to see if he's available to play for our reception. No word back yet.
  5. May 2012:
    We now have a layout for our wedding setup. Further down in this lens, I will post pictures of the yard with descriptions on how it will be setup. Our first invitation has been mailed out to our Maid of Honor from Vietnam. All other invitations will be mailed out shortly.

Okcupid (Where it all started)

Holdin Love Story

How we met and fell in love :)

powered by Youtube

Invitation Idea

This is the poem she wrote me when she asked me to be her girlfriend. We would like to make our wedding invitations in a similar fashion.

Wedding Site

Parking will be in the driveway and front yard. We will have the ceremony in the backyard under an arch. The bonfire will be behind us. The patio will be the dance floor. If we get the musician we are hoping for, he will perform on the deck above the dance floor. To the side of the dance floor and in front of the deck is where we will have tables set up for the reception. The food table will separate the tables and the dance floor.
Loading

Ceremony

A Unitarian Wedding

Our ceremony is going to be performed in a Unitarian Universalist fashion. We have been attending the Unitarian Universalist Church of Evansville since July 2011. The UU principles fit our own principles to a tee. We will express our spirituality through our ceremony. We don't have all the details yet, but I will update as our plans fall together.

We may do the unity candle for our unity ceremony, so long as it's not too windy. We think it will be fun to pass out small candles to our guests before the ceremony. Then, during the unity ceremony, have each of our guests light each others' candles all the way up the isle to us. Then we will take our lit candles to the unity candle. This may not work if the wind is too strong, though. We might end up doing something similar, but with a bowl of pebbles. We haven't decided yet.

We found a prayer we both like and may conclude our ceremony with it:
An Apache prayer expresses our parting hope: Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there is no loneliness for you. Now you are two bodies, but there is only one life before you. Go now to your dwelling place, to enter into the days of your life together, and may your days be good and long upon the earth. AMEN.

Unity Ceremony

Vote which ideas you like best

You may also add an idea if you think of something we may like.

1

Vote Up
Vote Down

Hourglass Sand Ceremony

It's like a normal sand ceremony where you both fill a container with sand except the container is an hourglass. After you fill the hourglass, you are then supposed to turn the hourglass over at every anniversary and see the sand mix together.3 points

2

Vote Up
Vote Down

Vase with Pebbles

Before the ceremony, each guest will take a pebble from a bowl. When it comes time for the unity ceremony, guests will come up to place their pebbles in a vase. Then Amy and I will each place a flower in the vase. It will symbolize the unity between the two of us and the support from our loved ones.2 points

3

Vote Up
Vote Down

Unity Candle

Before the ceremony, each guest will take a small candle. During the unity ceremony, guests will light each others' candles, passing the flame up to Amy and me. We will then light our candles with the flames from our parents' candles, and then light our unity candle.0 points

Here Comes the Bride

Amy is nervous about walking down the aisle. She doesn't want all eyes on her. But I think she should walk down the aisle; she deserves all the attention she can get on our special day.

Should Amy walk down the aisle?

Loading

Yes

flycatcher says:

I like the idea of walking down the aisle together, as a symbol of equal partnership.

greenlungsofpoland says:

Love yes of course walk the aisle together - fab!!! It's your day you'll love it or regret it afterwards - you'll Rock It

TomMaybrier says:

I think you should walk down together!

Toni says:

Yes walk down...I was nerves also but when the doors opened to the church the only thing i saw was my husband. and i know you guys missed the wedding but there was about 140 ppl there and really the only ppl there was my dads arm and my husband looking back at me.

Ryan says:

Walk down the isle together, in the Swedish fashion.

No

Amy says:

I say if I have to walk down the aisle, Alisha has to walk down the aisle as well. I'm just not a big fan of people staring only at me!

 
view all 13 comments

Wedding Registry

So far, we are registered at Target and with Human Rights Campaign. Follow the link below to make donations to HRC in our name.

HRC Donations

Wedding Colors

Left side (A Bird's Eye View)
Right side (Jack Be Nimble Blue)

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Reception

A Flaming Celebration

Jeremy may perform for the receptionFor our reception, we plan to have a bonfire. Decorations will include paper lanterns and tiki torches. We are still deciding how to arrange tables and seating. Food is still to be determined, but it WILL be delicious! So far, we have received two offers for our wedding cake. We have not decided yet which offer we will take.

We plan lots of music and dancing (scroll down to see our playlist and purchase the songs on iTunes). We may even have at least one fire performer! Jeremy, a member of the Evansville Fire Family, has offered to perform for the reception. He may even bring some fellow performers.

Decorations

Lighting

These are some of the lights we are thinking about using for the wedding and reception.
Loading

Processinal

(as we walk down the isle)

Track Artist Album  
Songbird Eva Cassidy Songbird

First Dance

(our song)

Track Artist Album  
Bella Notte Steve Tyrell Steve Tyrell: The Disney Standards

Wedding Songs

Playlist for the reception

Track Artist Album  
Bella Notte Bob Grabeau Lady and the Tramp (All the Songs from the Film)
Wonderful World Sam Cooke Greatest Hits
The Way You Look Tonight Tony Bennett Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett
Can't Take My Eyes Off You Frankie Valli The Very Best of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
I Got You Babe Sonny & Cher The Beat Goes On: Best Of
At Last Etta James At Last! (Remastered)
Let's Stay Together Al Green Al Green: Greatest Hits
Happy Together The Turtles Happy Together
Chicken Dance The Official Oktoberfest Band Oktoberfest: a Beer Drinking Tradition
The Light Sara Bareilles Kaleidoscope Heart
Lucky Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat
We Go Together John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John Grease (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) James Taylor James Taylor: Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
She Loves You The Beatles 1
All You Need Is Love Dana Fuchs & Jim Sturgess Across the Universe (Music from the Motion Picture) [Deluxe Edition]
Songbird (Glee Cast Version) Glee Cast Songbird (Glee Cast Version) - Single
Power of Love (Live) Huey Lewis & The News Live At 25
I Feel Good James Brown Make It Funky - The Big Payback: 1971-1975
L-O-V-E Nat "King" Cole Nat King Cole
Unforgettable Nat "King" Cole Nat King Cole
Just the Way You Are Bruno Mars Doo-Wops & Hooligans (Deluxe Version)
Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got) The Four Tops Ain't No Woman (Like the One I Got)

Jasper, Indiana

Wedding Ring Idea

We want to get wedding ring tattoos with the infinity symbol or a yin yang. Maybe we will get ones with a combination of the two symbols.

Honeymoon Ideas

We don't really know where we want to go for our honeymoon yet. We know we would like to camp or stay in a cabin. Here are a few of our ideas:

1. Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

2. Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

3. Black Hills, South Dakota.

4. Out West. Grand Canyon, maybe?

Prediction

What are your predictions for the future Holdin's?

imthepoet predicts:

I predict our wedding will be beautiful, and our life together will be even more beautiful.

Loading

greenlungsofpoland predicts:

A long and Loving relationship for you both - i wish from my heart that all your dreams are fulfilled and you share your Love with everyone who is lucky enough to meet you both - much love and respect to you and yours.

Amy predicts:

I predict that we will eventually find what we love to do and where we want to spend the rest of our lives soon, and that we will have a baby one day and live out our lives happily and in love. =]

 
 
 

Quiz

How well do you know the happy couple?

*Hint*
Everything you need to know for this quiz is found on this page.

Engagement/Wedding Planning

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Like us on Facebook!

Work In Progress

More to come as our planning progresses...

Guestbook Comments

  • khakigirl Mar 13, 2012 @ 11:15 am | delete
    I put this under the poll for the colors but there's a Squidoo glitch that doesn't always let you see the comments there so I'm posting it here too:

    I actually really like the one above the brown but out of the 2 choices, I like the Jack be Nimble. Just keep in mind it might be hard to find the exact color you want for everything. It might be easier to choose an existing wedding color such as aqua because there's tons of stuff out there in that color. Just a thought. :)
  • vallain Feb 13, 2012 @ 3:57 pm | delete
    I used the Apache prayer in my wedding. The wording is lovely on it. Your ideas for the use of fire at the wedding. Best of luck to you.
  • lisadh Feb 8, 2012 @ 8:12 pm | delete
    Congratulations on your engagement!
  • greenlungsofpoland Feb 6, 2012 @ 2:40 am | delete
    Super Lens given me lots of ideas for our own Wedding lens - you guys are awesome and after reading this Lens i feel i know you both a little better already x much love and respect x Stephen and Robert
  • khakigirl Feb 2, 2012 @ 3:59 pm | delete
    I like the cootie catcher wedding invitation idea. You could also use them for wedding programs, menus, favors, etc. There's a template for menus on this site that we could edit for invites or whatever: http://ruffledblog.com/freebie-fridays-cootie-catcher-menu-template/
  • imwithbrittana Feb 5, 2012 @ 5:49 pm | delete
    Aw, those are so cute!
  • TomMaybrier Feb 1, 2012 @ 3:07 pm | delete
    What an amazing idea for a lens! I can't wait to see the updates! Congratulations on finding each other! =]
  • khakigirl Jan 25, 2012 @ 7:24 am | delete
    I love your video - so stinking cute. :)
  • Go-Shopping Jan 24, 2012 @ 3:45 am | delete
    The Apache prayer are lovely. Looking forward to follow your wedding planning. Take care.
  • lestroischenes Jan 23, 2012 @ 2:12 am | delete
    I like the idea of documenting your wedding on Squidoo.
  • vitralyoz Jan 16, 2012 @ 5:46 pm | delete
    cool lens. thanks
  • jeremykim2011 Jan 16, 2012 @ 1:47 am | delete
    Congratulations!!!!
  • lbrummer Jan 15, 2012 @ 11:32 am | delete
    Congrats on your engagement. Nice lens that we'll need to revisit so we know where you are in the planning.
  • RavenRunner Jan 15, 2012 @ 3:51 am | delete
    Yay! Very excited for you two!
  • khakigirl Jan 13, 2012 @ 8:22 pm | delete
    Oh and speaking of paper lanterns, I found a tutorial on how to make them which will be soooo much cheaper than buying them. http://dollarstorecrafts.com/2009/07/folding-paper-lanterns/
  • imthepoet Jan 17, 2012 @ 10:13 pm | delete
    That is really cool! We might end up doing that.
  • khakigirl Jan 13, 2012 @ 8:20 pm | delete
    This is such a good idea! =) You could have people vote on things like music, food, etc.
Show All

by

imthepoet

I am a recent graduate from Kentucky Wesleyan College with a degree in English and minor in Business. I love talking about gender and fashion, particu... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Explore related pages

Featured Lenses 

Loading

Related Tags