Umeboshi, is a great cure for hang-over. Actually, a lot of the Japanese diet is - that's my theory.
Why? Your body in in a state of toxicity and high acidity... eat and drink alkali!
This articles tells about the majic of the umeboshi:
http://macrobiotics.co.uk/articles/umeboshi.htm
http://gaijintonic.com/2008/03/27/japanese-hangover-cures/
First Dance
These are great. But yours will be even GREATER!
I hope these inspire you:"You Are The One That I Want" from Grease.
This may now be the "traditional" (surprise) 2nd dance.
The first couple includes the whole wedding party (Bride's Maids and Groom's Men) for added fun!
http://youtu.be/ynnwhzWnnVg
http://youtu.be/FhB6SlR7350
Have a fun Mix and show off your talent!
With a mix like this, you'll have something ELSE to focus on and be more nervous about than the ceremony, or your new in-laws. :)
This couple really gave something for everybody in this mix!
Here's another mix:
http://youtu.be/wRYRk3S7hbk
Hip Hop dancing is awesome and fun to watch!
http://youtu.be/S1ie6NIvQfE
Dirty Dancing Fun
Loosen them up, and have your guests join you!
The second dance can really help segue into the fun part of the celebration, The Party. The sooner you get it started, the sooner everyone will be loose and having fun! (and the sooner you can slip away to your honeymoon.)
http://youtu.be/-iYg4K9O9jk
Zen for Your Wedding Day
Focus on how you are FEELING. Check-In!
Nervous about being the center of attention?
First, I’ve never seen full-blown panic on the wedding day. So don’t worry about it. There will be enough to do and keep you occupied to steer you clear of it.
Bottom line: Focus on how you are FEELING. Check-In!
Please check back for more tips. And please share any others you have found to be helpful.
Nervous about being the center of attention?
Don't let the jitters escalate into full-blown panic!
First, I’ve never seen full-blown panic on the wedding day. So don’t worry about it. There will be enough to do and keep you occupied to steer you clear of it.
Second, Can you really get rid of the jitters? Well, Yes and No. In a way, they are part of our make-up and are unavoidable (to most of us). That said, they are one of the few things in life we can actually learn to practice controlling.
So, what are they, the jitters?
We all know what they feel like, we’ve felt them, but what's going on in our body? Well, what’s’ going on is our nervous system – which we all have– going towards the fight-or-flight mode. The Jitters are our body’s gearing up for fight-or-flight and this actually, if you think about it, makes a lot of sense. A lot of it has to do with being up in front of people – in other words, Exposed! Even with the first thought of standing up in front of others, our body starts gearing us up for fight-or-flight because... well, that's what our ancestors were bred to do out on the savanna. So even by thinking, imagining ourselves being exposed, we start immediately tapping into that stress response. By scanning the environment looking for threats (I won't name any names), we’re automatically gearing ourselves up. And then, when we’re experiencing the jitters, all our attention focuses on that, our enemy, our jitters. And it ends up being a vicious cycle, a feedback loop, which keeps us in the jitters.
Here are some tips
Alcohol:
I do not recommend, though it may be tempting, to consume alcohol before getting up to the altar, for two reasons. One is that it impairs our rational mind, our rational thinking. What if something outrageous happens? (Just kidding). Alcohol’s been shown to put our decision-making faculties in default, non-thinking, mode. In other words, we stop making rational decisions and are at the mercy of our nervous-system, and our fight or flight. This could be a mess. Alcohol also makes some of us feel a little fuzzy and off-balance, which is nice at times... but maybe not-so-good when you're saying "I do" (and think of the photos). The second reason to post-pone consuming alcohol is that it’s dehydrating. You want to stay hydrated so that you’ll feel better and think clearer. That is all just advice. If you do drink alcohol for nerves or tradition before the big walk I won't think any less of you. I promise.
Food:
It's important to eat ... but not right before you go to the altar. You do not want your digestive system competing with your brain and nervous system for resources.
Eat in the morning and then brush your teeth. You'll be glad you did. Couples often forget or just don’t feel like eating early on their big day. But even if you’re having a morning ceremony, please don’t skip breakfast. You think you have a lot to do before the ceremony? You’ll have a lot to do after, too. So keep you’re energy up. Often I see couples taking care of the guests, getting pictures taken, and forgetting to eat or drink water! You hear stories of couples fainting during the ceremony or reception… though I have never seen it, I suspect it’s due to forgetting to take care of themselves. Remember to eat a little, drink water, move around once in a while, and sit down when you're feeling tired or dizzy. It's a big day.
Eat in the morning and then brush your teeth. You'll be glad you did. Couples often forget or just don’t feel like eating early on their big day. But even if you’re having a morning ceremony, please don’t skip breakfast. You think you have a lot to do before the ceremony? You’ll have a lot to do after, too. So keep you’re energy up. Often I see couples taking care of the guests, getting pictures taken, and forgetting to eat or drink water! You hear stories of couples fainting during the ceremony or reception… though I have never seen it, I suspect it’s due to forgetting to take care of themselves. Remember to eat a little, drink water, move around once in a while, and sit down when you're feeling tired or dizzy. It's a big day.
Comfort:
Surround yourself with things that make you happy. Especially if you're going to be away from home, have some comfort things with you. Your day will be disrupted enough. You might a well have something(s) be consistent. And don’t forget your little routines and rituals that you normally do during the day. Speaking of rituals, sports stars and rock stars (even golf stars) have little rituals, especially when they are "on" – because rituals work to help them (and you) relax, focus, and be your best! A good one to have before anything, especially before anything that might make you nervous or stressed-out, is to pay attention to your breathing and to pay attention to how you are feeling. (I'll offer some great pre-performance rituals and routines in Zen for Your Wedding Day – Parts 2 and 3)
Feel:
Shifting your focus to your body also starts you into the process of relaxation. And that’s what ‘having presence’ is: Being present. When you are present you are not caught up in thinking about the future or the past. How to be present? Just concentrate on sensation. Feel what you are feeling, inside. Butterflies? Heart palpitations? Just feel and notice them without judgement. Feel the bottoms of your feet touching the floor, or the palms of your hands. What the air feel like? What does the top of your head feel like? What is your balance like?
Breathing:
Focus on your breathing for a minute or two. Close your eyes and just breathe normally. Bringing your attention to your breathing does two things: 1) It will give you a little gauge on how you’re doing (tight and fast breathing usually indicates stress, while slow and relaxed breathing usually means you’re calm and at ease. 2) It will actually help you relax, center, and focus. Focusing on your breathing for a couple minutes brings your awareness inwards, and that helps you shift from a nervous fight-or-flight state to a relaxed, comfortable and confident state.
A quick tip: When you inhale your heart-rate goes up a little, and when you exhale your heart-rate goes down a little. So when you’re a little stressed, extend a couple of exhalations in a row. Breathe in, count up to five (or whatever). Then, as you breathe out, just extend your exhalation a little (e.g. count to six). Just squeeze out a little bit more air, and then allow your natural inhalation, your natural in-breath, to come.
That’s one way of controlling your body through your breath.
That’s one way of controlling your body through your breath.
Please check back for more tips. And please share any others you have found to be helpful.
Why make it a normal wedding?
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| Noah Fulmore and Erin Finnegan: the first couple to tie the knot while weightless. |
Here's a fun article I found in the Toronto Sun. Maybe it'll inspire you.
Why make it a normal wedding?
Weddings come in all shapes and sizes, including eccentric
Greg Curry was happy to pose as Gandalf the Great - of Lord of the Rings fame - and loved hiking up the side of a mountain to the sound of bag pipes, but he wasn't so good with being dropped by a cherry picker into a field of mud.This dedicated officiant seeks to ensure that couples have the kind of wedding that is meaningful to them, but sometimes too much is actually too much.
Curry is a London, Ontario-based ecumenical officiant with All Seasons Weddings and has performed 70 ceremonies over the past six years. Most have been traditional religious nuptials, but a few are uniquely memorable.
The couple that asked him to dress as Gandalf the Great lived in Stratford, Ontario - a city permeated with theatrical flair.
"I could tell when we were doing the wedding planning meeting that they wanted to bring something up but were nervous about it. They asked, 'How do you feel about thematic weddings?' I responded: 'I'm fine with them as long as they are respectful and create a cherished memory for both of you.' They were big fans of Tolkien and wanted a Lord of the Rings-themed wedding. All the guests were also fans of Tolkien, and it was definitely one of the most original weddings I've been involved in and everything was so well done. It was an incredible bonding experience for them and their friends," illustrates Curry.
As an ecumenical officiant, Curry is sometimes asked to perform ceremonies that are centred on religions other than Christianity. One of these was a union between a pagan bride and a groom with a strong Scottish background. Theirs was a traditional Scottish handfasting that took place on a mountaintop in Collingwood, Ontario. The bride's party and the groomsmen ascended the mountain on its opposite sides and met at the clearing on top for the ceremony. The groom wore a kilt and was piped in.
The ceremony was based on the neopagan tradition of handfasting - the bride and groom's hands are bound with chords and they often jump over a broom and fire. Attendees stand in a circle that is rendered as sacred space by the priest and priestess.
"The ceremony was a real mix of religion and culture, so it really married their values and cultural frameworks," says Curry.
John Harris* performs many handfastings. He's also an officiant with All Seasons Weddings and a priest with the Wiccan Church of Canada. Based in Toronto, Harris has performed more than 600 marriages over his seven years as an officiant. This is primarily due to the fact that he is one of the officiants on the roster at Toronto City Hall.
"You can get a dozen couples or more a day at City Hall," he explains. "These are usually basic civil ceremonies."
While he does perform two or three handfastings for pagan couples each year, more often couples who want to add an original touch to their ceremony will ask him to simply bind their hands as a symbolic gesture during their civil service. "It's a good lesson on how to work together as a married couple," he says. "Usually the hands are bound for the rest of the evening. It represents the bond physically, emotionally and spiritually."
As a gay, married man, Harris is often called upon to perform weddings for gay, lesbian and transgender couples. He estimates that this demographic makes up around 10% of the marriage ceremonies he performs. One of his more memorable ceremonies was that of a lesbian couple.
"The wedding was the night before Halloween and they threw a big party - costumes mandatory. They stopped the party in the middle and I performed the ceremony. They had asked for the shortest legal ceremony possible," explains Harris, who was costumed as a cowboy at the time.
He also remembers conducting a wedding "on the coldest, darkest February day by the lakeshore." It was a promotional event as part of an ice sculpture show. "We were all bundled up in multiple layers with chemical foot and hand warmers in our clothes."
Some of the previously more avant-garde aspects of weddings are making their way into the mainstream. "Outdoor weddings have always been more intimate. Very large formal halls sometimes make the bride and groom a little nervous or distract from what they are doing. Often they've spent so much money on trappings that they don't enjoy the wedding itself and want it to go perfectly," says Curry, adding that the move toward more relaxed, outdoor weddings signals a cultural shift.
Some outdoor weddings are just too far out, though. Curry declined to perform nuptials that were to take place in the middle of a wet, dirty field at Mudfest.
"I was to be lowered by a cherry picker to the ground where the couple was standing in the muddy field, wearing my clergy robes. It was outside my personal comfort zone," he admits with a chuckle.
Both Curry and Harris note the growing inclusion of children as a central part of the ceremony, not just as flower girls or ring bearers. With an ever growing number of re-marriages, both officiants regularly perform ceremonies in which the non-bio parent says vows and gives a token to his/her stepchild(ren)-to-be.
Sometimes wedding planners have to get creative to make the wedding what the couple wants it to be. Curry remembers a marriage that took place on a man-made island, created by the bride's dad.
"This guy gets my vote for world's best father. The couple wanted a small wedding, about a dozen people. The guest list spiraled out of control, up to 130 people. The parents lived on a lakefront. The dad was a landscaper and he built an island with a gazebo off the end of their property. The wedding party went across the bridge to the gazebo and had the intimate wedding that they wanted, while the guests could see and hear from the beach." Best of both worlds!
*Name changed by request
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