African, Jewish, Fall Equinox Wedding Ceremony In The Redwoods
African, Jewish, Fall Equinox Wedding Ceremony In The Redwoods
Nathan and Alisha hired me to write and lead their African, Jewish, fall equinox wedding ceremony in the redwoods. But they didn’t just want a wedding ceremony, they wanted a rite of passage. They chose the fall equinox as their wedding day. The fall equinox is a harvest festival, a time to acknowledge the abundance in our lives, and offer gratitude for what we have. The theme of gratitude was woven throughout their entire wedding ceremony. We offered gratitude for the amazing redwoods, for their families and ancestors, for the groom’s grandfather who survived the holocaust and lived to see his grandson get married, for the fact that a Jewish man and a black woman of African descent could freely get married, and for the fact that Alisha’s date thankfully stood her up on the night she and Nathan met!
Their multi-cultural, multi-faith, African, Jewish, fall equinox wedding ceremony in the redwoods was rich in ritual, symbolism, and old and reimagined traditions. There was a chuppah (marriage canopy) made from materials that were collected from around the world, and woven with love and prayers. There was a tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) , which Nathan first wore at his Bar Mitzvah (a ceremony that marks a boys transition from childhood to young adulthood). There was an ancestor alar with photos of loved ones passed, candle holders that were handed down by a family member, and seasonal decorations like squash and leaves in honor of the fall equinox. There were Sheva Brachot (seven blessings), which resounded powerfully through the redwood grove. There was a glass that got broken, a mazal tov that got exclaimed, and a broom that got jumped!
The jumping of the broom is a tradition that originated in Ghana, West Africa. One of the reasons that brooms were employed in wedding ceremonies was to sweep away the aspects of a couple’s past that that didn’t serve their marriage, as well as any harmful spirits or ill will towards the couple. The couple chose to include the ritual in their ceremony as a way of honoring Alisha’s somewhat nebulous African heritage. The particular broom they jumped was handmade with branches collected by both of their families, then bound together as a way of uniting them and their families. After the ceremony their guests were encouraged to write little notes of blessing and support to add to the broom.
I also told Nathan and Alisha’s love story, which was full of dancing, gummy bears, a Cabo San Lucas marriage proposal, and many other moments of outrageous love and laughter! Kudos to Vanessa Lain Photography for generously sharing these amazing photos with me. Alisha and Nathan chose a stellar group of local wedding vendors to help create their perfect wedding, including Weddings By Aimee, A Bit Of Earth Flowers, and Sequoia Retreat Center.
“Wow, I am reliving the ceremony in my head right now and I hope to never forget it. What Naomi did was truly amazing and words can barely describe the feelings that I had up there. The ceremony was an incredible, momentous occasion that she led and culminated to another level by connecting so much wisdom. Thank you so much! I told my Mom after that it was the most beautiful moment of my life. We feel blessed and as we move forward with our next chapter, we feel so honored and lucky to have Naomi help us along the way. Like seriously, Naomi culminated so much ancient wisdom and modern wisdom it made me feel as if our paths were meant to be connected. She combined my Jewish faith and my wife’s African heritage in a way so romantic and beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. It was a humanistic awe inspiring moment for all in attendance. Naomi truly is a spiritual leader and someone who I will forever be grateful for. Thank you Naomi for bringing so much love and passion and truth into the world and for making our ceremony perfect! Wishing you nothing but the best!”