Interfaith Same Sex Summer Wedding at Misselwood

August 2, 2016

The beats of a wedding day are universal. The specifics vary from culture and region and faith.  An interfaith wedding can be an awesome blend of different cultures and this one was.  

A Jewish/Italian hybrid same sex wedding with two loving families bringing their traditions together.  The two brides thoughtfully, mindfully and artfully crafted a day that brought their two faiths and two unique women together into one family.   It was a huge day, full of joy and tears and laughter and music. Which makes for this mega blog post.  Enjoy!  

MISSELWOOD WEDDING

misselwood estate wedding photography

misselwood wedding paper flower bouquets

misselwood wedding glitter sneakers

misselwood wedding photography dress

GETTING READY

misselwood wedding getting ready

tears at misselwood estate wedding

heirloom neklace misselwood wedding

bride and brother

plaid bow ties for the misselwood wedding

FIRST LOOK/MEDITATION

Friend and officiant, Edie, led R into the room where D waited. Back the back, they turned at the same time to see each other in their wedding dresses for the first time.  There were tears! Smiles! Laughter!

Then Edie led a guided meditation.  We left the brides to spend some quiet moments together and private, personalized vows were said only to each other.

misselwood staircase bride

misselwood wedding first look

first look before the wedding

misselwood wedding meditation

BRIDAL PORTRAITS

Misselwood, the house and the grounds, provided us with so many gorgeous places to do bridal portraits.  Here are a few of my favorites. 

brides at misselwood

same sex wedding at misselwood

same sex wedding at misselwood

misselwood wedding photography

same sex wedding at misselwood

same sex wedding at misselwood bridal portrait

same sex wedding misselwood lawn

same sex wedding misselwood black white

KETUBAH

Signing a ketubah before the wedding ceremony has its roots based in the Jewish marriage traditions.  A ketubah is essentially a marriage contract  – signed and witnessed words that reflect a couple?s shared vision of their commitment, their life together and their aspirations.  Sentiments that both families, and both faiths share.

In the wood paneled Oak Room at Misselwood, the two brides, their four parents and 2 bridesmaids as witnesses.  Blessing cups used were brought from each family, parents poured wine into their daughters’ blessing cups. 

As the ketubah was signed, one official part of the wedding was complete.  

ketubah misselwood wedding

ketubah signing misselwood wedding

explaining the importance of signing the ketubah

signing ketubah misselwood wedding

signing ketubah misselwood wedding

prayer ketubah misselwood wedding

family prayer misselwood wedding

One of my favorite moments of – beaming brides surrounded and blessed by their parents. 

CEREMONY

As with each piece of the day, the outdoor ceremony on the lawn was created to reflect both cultures, faiths and their own personalities.  Bringing in a little of everything to complete the vows and make this marriage official.   

The processional aisle was split into a Y shape, so what the brides, who were each escorted by their parents down the first half of the aisle where they said goodbye to their parents and then simultaneously approach the chuppah united.  

Once under the chuppah, the Rabbi welcomed the guests and asked for the community gathered to give their vocal vows of support.  After the Shehecheyanu blessing, each bride poured her blessing cup wine into a shared unity cup.  

A coin toss to decide who would give their vows first, and then the rings.  A nephew brought around a time capsule for the family and wedding party and friends to add letters to.  The brides will open one letter each year on their anniversary, to remember the love, brilliance and joy of their wedding day.  This wedding would not be complete without breaking the glass.  Specifically breaking the glass with a pair of custom sparkly Yankees sneakers.

outdoor ceremony misselwood wedding

Embraced by their parent, they linked arms and walked down the rest of the aisle themselves. 

outdoor ceremony misselwood wedding

same sex outdoor ceremony misselwood wedding

huppah ceremony misselwood wedding

outdoor ceremony huppah misselwood

The spectacular ocean view was backdrop for the outdoor ceremony at Misselwood.

outdoor wedding ceremony misselwood under huppah?

misselwood waterfront wedding

Each bride brought a blessing cup from her own faith, which were joined symbolically into one unity cup.

misselwood huppah wedding ceremony

same sex wedding at misselwood estate

same sex jewish wedding ceremony new tradition

A coin toss to decide which bride would say her vows first. 

misselwood outdoor wedding ceremony

A new tradition: guests wrote letters which were gathered into a time capsule that they brides would read year by year, letter by letter, on their anniversaries. 

same sex huppah

same sex wedding misselwood estate

misselwood jewish wedding breaking glass

Breaking the glass with her custom pair of glittery Yankees sneakers.

same sex jewish wedding ceremony

TENTED RECEPTION

misselwood wedding reception

misselwood wedding reception first dance

misselwood wedding reception first dance band

misselwood wedding reception search party band

search party wedding band misselwood

challah breaking misselwood

blessing misselwood wedding reception

HORAH AND TARENTELLA

The band was FANTASTIC!  To kick off the dance party, they did a Horah and Tarantella mash up which got everyone on the dance floor.  Both involve circles, hand holding, spinning and exuberance – so everyone jumped right in.  

search party band misselwood wedding

search party band horah misselwood wedding

search party band horah misselwood wedding

search party band horah misselwood wedding

search party band horah misselwood wedding

search party band horah misselwood wedding

search party band misselwood wedding

SUNSET ON THE WATER

As the sun was setting and the temperature cooled off, we pulled the brides out for a few images by the water.  They remembered the pathway to get out onto the rocks.   It looked more precarious that it actually was.  

Disappearing into the trees, before stepping out onto the rocks at Misselwood.
Disappearing into the trees, before stepping out onto the rocks at Misselwood.
The amazing photographer/climber Maureen got this image. ?See her getting the shot below!?
The amazing photographer/climber Maureen got this image. ?See her getting the shot below!?

Congratulations! It was a beautiful day to spend joyfully with friends and families.  And all the more meaningful to incorporate so many thoughtful gestures of love throughout the ceremonies and the celebrations.  When you can make up your own wedding rules, this is the way to do it.  


The kick-ass team that made this happen:

Misselwood Estate at Endicott College

Moonlight Planners

Search Party Band

Chris Portal Video

Off The Vine Catering

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