Le Nozze

Photos above and below by Steve Double

It turns out that a wedding is, at its core, the act of publicly declaring your love and commitment to another human being. It makes sense that such a declaration would involve spirituality, that you would invite the important people in your life to participate, and that you might want to wear a cute outfit. But whether the pocket squares on the groomsmen are perfectly matching or the seating arrangements get shuffled actually has no effect on that declaration. In fact, at the end of the day, there isn’t really anything that can touch it. Even serious things, like if your sister can’t come because she just had a baby or your father because he passed away, still the message is heard and the transformation takes place. People say that no matter how well you plan something will go wrong on your wedding day. I say, no matter what goes wrong, everything will be exactly perfect.

Photo by the CatWhisperer

Photo by the CatWhisperer

Photo by the CatWhisperer

video by KittyKat

I love that Mystophur guy something fierce. Fiercely enough to ask my friends and my family to come all the way to Italy to listen to me say it officially. I’ve got a friend who says that marriage is one of the truest things– that whether or not there’s a legal contract or a priest presiding that when two people turn to face each other in front of their communities and make vows real magic happens.

I think he’s right.

Photo by Steve Double

Photo by the CatWhisperer

This particular wedding, Mystophur’s and mine, is all wrapped up in the Art Monastery. When we got engaged (there was a significant shift when that happened too), the first thing I said was, “Our wedding could be the opening ceremony for the Art Monastery.” We spent the next 12 hours (literally) talking about whether or not we should or could change the Art Monastery from a thing that we daydreamed about together into a living breathing project, an actuality, our baby that would possible so much in ours and other people’s lives. We decided yes. That was three years ago.
So this was more than the banding together of two people in a love partnership– it was the opening of an arts institution. And what is a marriage if not an opening?

Photo by KittyKat

Photo by the CatWhisperer

So we spent some time developing a ceremony that meant something to us and meant something to the Art Monastery. We asked our friends, a veritable army of professional musicians, photographers, costume designers, graphic designers, letterpress artists, religious leaders, and party planners, to help us. They did.

Photo by the CatWhisperer

We had not one but four officiants. Representing the traditions of Catholics, Presbyterians, Jews, and Christian Scientists, we asked PadreMartini (Catholic priest who sits on the Board of Advisers to the Art Monastery), Maurice van der Putt (former Catholic priest who now designs funeral services for families of multiple faiths), UncleFreeman (my father’s brother, a retired Presbyterian Reverend), and Herwitz (musical director on Broadway who might as well be a rabbi). They each brought a different essential perspective to the ceremony.

Photo by Steve Double

Photos by the CatWhisperer

Our dear friends, collaborator, and frequent blog subject, JuliaCesare, did us the great honor of performing Isadora Duncan-inspired repertoire, embodying the spirit of marriage, calling in those divine forces.

Video and photos by KittyKat

Unfortunately we don’t have a high quality recording of the ceremony, but here are two samples: Vidi Speciosam and Adiuro Vos.

Photo by the CatWhisperer

Video and photos by KittyKat

Photo by the CatWhisperer

Photo by KittyKat

Photos by Steve Double

I will never forget those who stepped outside of the experience in order to record it. Thank you so much to those fantastic individuals who so generously gave their photographic services.

Photo by the CatWhispererPhotos above and below by Steve Double

It turns out that a wedding is, at its core, the act of publicly declaring your love and commitment to another human being. It makes sense that such a declaration would involve spirituality, that you would invite the important people in your life to participate, and that you might want to wear a cute outfit. But whether the pocket squares on the groomsmen are perfectly matching or the seating arrangements get shuffled actually has no effect on that declaration. In fact, at the end of the day, there isn’t really anything that can touch it. Even serious things, like if your sister can’t come because she just had a baby or your father because he passed away, still the message is heard and the transformation takes place. People say that no matter how well you plan something will go wrong on your wedding day. I say, no matter what goes wrong, everything will be exactly perfect.

Photo by the CatWhisperer

Photo by the CatWhisperer

Photo by the CatWhisperer

video by KittyKat

I love that Mystophur guy something fierce. Fiercely enough to ask my friends and my family to come all the way to Italy to listen to me say it officially. I’ve got a friend who says that marriage is one of the truest things– that whether or not there’s a legal contract or a priest presiding that when two people turn to face each other in front of their communities and make vows real magic happens.

I think he’s right.

Photo by Steve Double

Photo by the CatWhisperer

This particular wedding, Mystophur’s and mine, is all wrapped up in the Art Monastery. When we got engaged (there was a significant shift when that happened too), the first thing I said was, “Our wedding could be the opening ceremony for the Art Monastery.” We spent the next 12 hours (literally) talking about whether or not we should or could change the Art Monastery from a thing that we daydreamed about together into a living breathing project, an actuality, our baby that would possible so much in ours and other people’s lives. We decided yes. That was three years ago.
So this was more than the banding together of two people in a love partnership– it was the opening of an arts institution. And what is a marriage if not an opening?

Photo by KittyKat

Photo by the CatWhisperer

So we spent some time developing a ceremony that meant something to us and meant something to the Art Monastery. We asked our friends, a veritable army of professional musicians, photographers, costume designers, graphic designers, letterpress artists, religious leaders, and party planners, to help us. They did.

Photo by the CatWhisperer

We had not one but four officiants. Representing the traditions of Catholics, Presbyterians, Jews, and Christian Scientists, we asked PadreMartini (Catholic priest who sits on the Board of Advisers to the Art Monastery), Maurice van der Putt (former Catholic priest who now designs funeral services for families of multiple faiths), UncleFreeman (my father’s brother, a retired Presbyterian Reverend), and Herwitz (musical director on Broadway who might as well be a rabbi). They each brought a different essential perspective to the ceremony.

Photo by Steve Double

Photos by the CatWhisperer

Our dear friends, collaborator, and frequent blog subject, JuliaCesare, did us the great honor of performing Isadora Duncan-inspired repertoire, embodying the spirit of marriage, calling in those divine forces.

Video and photos by KittyKat

Unfortunately we don’t have a high quality recording of the ceremony, but here are two samples: Vidi Speciosam and Adiuro Vos.

Photo by the CatWhisperer

Video and photos by KittyKat

Photo by the CatWhisperer

Photo by KittyKat

Photos by Steve Double

I will never forget those who stepped outside of the experience in order to record it. Thank you so much to those fantastic individuals who so generously gave their photographic services.

Photo by the CatWhisperer