Emily and Jeremy are living in Alaska right now (hence the obligatory gorgeous Husky), but got married in Vermont because it’s her home state. Hence the state-specific cake topper:

Their ceremony took place at a farm in Ira, Vermont, just outside of West Rutland. The first weekend in October is generally high leaf season across the state, and October 5, 2013 was no different. Cloudy, to be sure, but no less fabulous in sexy, brilliant leafyosity.

Their ceremony was such an exquisite example of how simple a ceremony can be. You get the right location, a tent, some hay bales to sit on, and some talented caterers, and you’ve got yourself an occasion to remember.

For anyone stressing about the cost of getting married, and the fear that they have to have an overwhelming blowout extravaganza to make their Big Day memorable, Emily and Jeremy offered up a perfect example of how basic elements can lead to utter perfection.

Lorianna and Scott came up from Oklahoma to get married at the Birch Ridge Inn in Killington (very, very close to where the Elf Princess and the Marlboro Man got hitched). When I asked them why Vermont, they said, basically, because they’d never been here before and wanted an adventure!

They told me they’d been together over 11 years, and that they’d first met at work. Lorianna thought Scott was pretty cute, but wanted a “legitimate” way to get to know him. So she started a Film Club, just so that there’d be a way to suss him out in a non-suspicious manner. Very clever.

When I asked why it took them over 11 years to get married, they said that they’re both pretty independent people and that they were just waiting for the right time. Which says to me that when it comes to relationships, nothing HAS to be any way. We should all get exactly the relationship we want, according to our nature and needs.

And, oh, by the way, I know this isn’t at all about my sartorial choices, but check out these awesome red shoes I found! SCORE!

Rebekah and Alex contacted me to perform their wedding ceremony on a giant block of granite overlooking Route 4 in Killington.

They’d hiked up to this promontory on their very first date, and were now coming back up the trail with her brother Matt, his fiancee Grace, and me to solemnize their vows. Barefoot – I might add.

Still snow on the ground?  No problem!  As Matt put it, “She’s an Elf Princess.  He’s the Marlboro Man.  They don’t need shoes!”

We got to the top in about 30 minutes.  It was a gorgeous, bright, breezy, early spring day. The kind of day which makes you believe anything is possible.  A perfect day to get married.  Alex and Rebekah kept climbing.

And decided they’d found the exact spot where they wanted to speak their vows.

We followed them up, and performed the ceremony. Grace had a surprise reading, a poem she said made her first believe in the power and possibility of love.  It was the last part of “Little Gidding” from T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets.  Which, by the way, always makes me cry:

All photos by http://www.joshlarkinphotography.com

Kolleen and Bobby met at clown school.  They’re teachers, wedding photographers, physical comedians, and extremely nice people.  Their wedding was at Kolleen’s family’s vacation home in Waitsfield amidst a profusion of beautifully-souled, brightly-dressed friends and family.

Bobby, by the way, was much admired by all the little girls in attendance.  If Kolleen wasn’t such a powerhouse, she’d have had to put up a big fight to keep him!

I had a blast working with them, and the only real drawback for the day was that I managed to lock my keys in the car.  But it was so beautiful out, and the party full of such nice people, that I really couldn’t complain.

And I was so moved by what Kolleen wrote me afterwards:

“Bobby and I wanted to thank you so much for creating our beautiful ceremony. So honest and free-spirited. A perfect reflection of us. And you delivered it so eloquently, and with love. People constantly tell us it was the most touching ceremony they’ve ever seen!”