Melanie and Eric's commitment ceremony

So this past weekend I attended my very first Lotus Certified Green commitment ceremony http://livegreenlivesmart.org/default.aspx.  Commitment ceremonies are held by couples who are not legally free to marry and by couples who want to celebrate their devotion without marrying. Melanie and Eric reached a point in their lives where they wanted to make a public statement of their commitment to each other in front of their community of friends and family to show them and future children [I am assuming that includes their super obese cat Dora] that they are committed to each other as a family. The ceremony was held in Chapel Hill in a barn (only about a mile from the barn where I got married!)

{This is Melanie and Eric}

Melanie and I lived together in Mexico and Singapore.  I don’t get to see her often enough, but I consider her a great friend as was so excited to celebrate with them.

Some highlights:
1)      The vows they wrote, were truly lovely, very personal – definitely showed their true voice
2)      Pie!!!! Tons of flavors of pie
3)      Popsicles – my favorite was Mexican chocolate (a spicy cinnamon flavor)
4)      The Awesome Indian food
5)      The Awesome lavender lemonade
6)      The wish lanterns (more to come on this shortly)
7)      Dancing with Melanie’s mom - an unforgettable moment - she kicks my (beep) on the dance floor
8)      Elliot being awesome at corn hole
9)      The party favors – handmade cookie mix in a canning container (see pic)
10)    It was a great opportunity to attempt to use my new camera

Cool aspects from the ceremony/reception:
1)      Vimala’s Curryblossom Café – did catering – great story – go google if you want to learn more
2)      Flowers from Blue Bird Meadows Farm – sustainable methods without fertilizers or pesticides
3)      Clothing from Chrissy Wai-Ching and Rawganique – sweatshop free baby
4)      The pies - Scratch Baking – a local bakery in Durham that uses local ingredients
5)      Beer and Wine from local NC breweries
6)      Local Pops – nuff said – Popsicles made locally.
7)      All sorts of other people involved that Melanie has known throughout the years. I particularly enjoyed sending the the wish lanterns into the night.  Little did Melanie and Eric know I was an expert on wish lanterns...drum roll - because I watch the bachelorette and 2 episodes ago, when they were in Taiwan they went to this festival where you had wish lanterns, and you made a wish, and sent it into the night like a mini hot air balloon.  Now neither Melanie nor Eric watch the show (their loss), but I guess great minds think a like (the producers, the Taiwanese, and Melanie and Eric!!)

{Melanie and Eric}

I love you guys - happy commitment ceremony!!

Here are some other fabulous pics from the commitment ceremony and the reception

{My squirrel}

{The Barn}

 {The favors....don't even ask me how many we took!! - Thanks Mrs. Singer}

{Me and Mel}