| Trees are a wonderful metaphor for marriage; | | | | includes the role of one tree/one marriage in the |
| and therefore a great image to include in your | | | | community, trees improve our lives. The earth |
| wedding ceremony. The more metaphors; the | | | | needs more trees. Your community needs more |
| more relevant poetry in a wedding ceremony, the | | | | stable marriages. |
| more beautiful, memorable and effective it will be. | | | | 5. For the memories: a growing tree is a growing |
| And by effective, I mean that it can support the | | | | reminder of your wedding day and the love you |
| marriage. Any or all of these themes can be | | | | share. As your marriage, it must be carefully |
| developed to enrich the ceremony. | | | | tended, as your marriage it will yield unbelievable |
| | | | beauty and pleasure. |
| 1. For their symmetry: The root system of a | | | | Once you've found the metaphors that please |
| healthy tree is as large and beautiful as the | | | | you, match it with a ritual activity. Ritual activities |
| canopy. Marriage requires careful cultivation at | | | | make things concrete and help us make the |
| home to provide comfort in the world. | | | | connection between the metaphor and the feeling |
| 2. For the work they do: Our trees breathe new | | | | at a subliminal level -- but one that keeps the ritual |
| life into the atmosphere; strong marriages renew | | | | renewing your feelings for one another and your |
| community. | | | | marriage. |
| 3. For their strength: Year after year trees add to | | | | - Get married under a tree |
| their strength. Some years they grow more than | | | | - Use trees as centerpieces |
| others. So it is with marriage. As they endure, | | | | - Give saplings to guests |
| through the hard times, they become a both a | | | | - Plant trees in a forest for favors |
| symbol of strength and something to lean against | | | | - Tie wedding wishes to a tree |
| when you're weary. | | | | - Use trees instead of flowers for decoration |
| 4. For their context: If trees are carefully chosen, | | | | - After the wedding plant the trees used at the |
| planted where they will thrive and tended to, they | | | | weddings on land where you can watch it flourish. |
| will flourish. Whether planted for shade in a back | | | | Use trees to enrich your ceremony, your |
| yard, or on family property as a symbol of | | | | marriage, your life and the life of your community. |
| continuity, or in a grove where the symbolism | | | | You won't be sorry and neither will the Earth! |