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Offbeat partner: Kalisto, Visitor Service Manager, Wharf and Moorage Manager, and Field Trip Coordinator at the Center for Wooden Boats
Offbeat partner: Ohanesian, Onboarding Specialist at Microsoft
Date and location of wedding: Ceremony at The Fireside Courtyard and Riverside Terrace at Willows Lodge, Woodinville Washington. Reception at The Center for Wooden Boats, South Lake Union, Seattle, Washington — October 21, 2017
Our offbeat wedding at a glance:
The theme of the wedding was Egyptian Gothic & Frog and Toad are Friends.
Tell us about the ceremony:
We had a number of ceremonial and spiritual elements in the ceremony. Here was the order of events:
Prelude: “Valse De Frontenac” by George Winston from Montana a Love Story
Seating of Guests of Honor
Ohanesian's Entrance: “Joy” by George Winston
Kalisto and parents’ Entrance: “Variations on Pachelbel’s Canon” by George Winston
Greeting
Grooms smudged with sage by the officiant
Invocation and Calling of the Quarters (the grooms called to African Yoruban Gods, Egyptian Gods and Native American Gods; and used a Pagan Call of Elements — Earth, Air, Fire and Water)
“Love is a Mystery (abridged)” by Ludovico Einaudi
Reflections on Marriage
Intro to Vows (The grooms will be reading their own vows)
Marriage Vows
Handfasting
Intro to Rings
Exchange of Rings
Jumping Broom
Blessings and Well Wishes for the Future Couple
Pronouncement of Marriage
Kiss
Presentation of Grooms
Recessional: “All of Me (Instrumental)”
Tell us about your reception:
The reception included the grooms being delivered to The Museum of History and Industry in a 1960s Rolls Royce Silver Cloud. The grooms holed themselves in the upstairs of The Center for Wooden Boats and then entered the reception to “Love Never Dies” by Apoptygma Berserk.
The dinner was entirely vegan and catered by Seattle's Plum Bistro, owned by Makini Howell, Stevie Wonder's personal chef. The cake was marble with lemon lavender frosting and looked like a birch tree.
Kalisto danced with both his mother and father. The grooms' table was decorated with a stone frog and toad and a unity bouquet. Five speeches were made, one by the maid of honor, Kalisto's sister, one by Kalisto's mother, one by Kalisto's cousin April May McClelland, one by mutual friend of grooms, Aimee Twazirumukiza, and one by mutual friend Elaine Simons. Elaine Simons speech paid homage to Kalisto liking too many posts on her social media and them becoming close friends after that. The sisters speech payed homage to growing up with Kalisto and seeing him find someone perfect like Ohanesian.
The father and grooms' first dance was to “When Your Minds Made Up” from Once, and because both were too shy to slow dance, started with a casual stroll around the room.
What was your most important lesson learned?
The biggest challenge was the budget and sticking to a schedule. All of us ran a little behind, but made it work in our favor. We also delayed the honeymoon until February and are now back at work. We're still kind of soaking in the fact that we're now married.
Vendors
- Photographer: Sony Alpha a6000 attached to an iPhone 6 timer. Canon XF305 HD Camcorder from Glazer's Camera Rental — Our photographs were taken by ourselves as well as our friends and family, Alvaro Lillo Sepulveda (best man and brother), Olegivan Kalubi Bublaskea (close friend and amateur photographer)
- Sherwanis: Ohanesian's Sherwani is by INMONARCH, Ohanesian's Elephant Silver Cuffs are by Q&Q Fashion Egypt Kalisto's Sherwani is by FourCorners. Both grooms shoes were purchased at Drizzle & Shine Ethical Clothing store in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood from Wills London Vegan Shoes.
- Ceremony Venue: Riverside Terrace & Fireside Garden, Willows Lodge, Woodinville, Washington
- Getaway Car: 1960 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud from British Motor Coach
- Driver: Gustavo Frias
- Reception Venue: The Center for Wooden Boats, Seattle, Washington
- Caterer & Cake: Plum Restaurants
Gallery
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I’m loving the hairstyles. Also the birch cake, what a great idea! Yay for vegan cake!
Thank you! You can’t really see it from the photos, but Ohanesian, on the right in most of the photos had his locs in a heart on the back of the head
Truly inspired and inspiring. I love how much meaningful ritual was incorporated here.
What an amazing wedding! I hope you have a long and happy life together. Everything about this sounded real and profound and good.