In Irish mythology, there is an ancient tale that when two people fall in love and decide to commit their lives to each other, they meet at sunrise on either side of a hill. They then walk up that hill separately, considering everything that makes them who they are. They think about their hopes and their dreams, their challenges and their fears. When they get to the top, they come together and share what they have discovered. They then talk about what their life will look like together, what they both want for their future and what obstacles they may encounter. As the sun sets, they walk down the hill together, hand in hand, as a sign of their commitment to both themselves as individuals and to each other as a couple. They then celebrate this commitment with those they love. From then on, every year on the same day they walk the hill as a symbol of their commitment.
This myth is particularly important to me and Johan because it symbolizes a marriage that allows both people to hold true to their individual spirit, while encouraging the other to pursue their dreams. On April 26th, this story was told during our wedding vows as our rings were passed from person to person in a beautiful Ring Warming ceremony. Our rings were created by our friends Gen and Kevin of Hume Atelier with this Irish myth in mind.
Mine is a puzzle ring, two rings in one. The interior ring holds two points that represent each of us, the exterior ring holds a cross that for us symbolizes the hill we walked up and the hill we walked down. The centre part of the ring is where our commitment took place. It is an amazing thing to have a ring made just for you. It is even more powerful when it holds the spirit of a story told for hundreds of years and one that is so meaningful to us.
When Johan and I decided to get married, we knew that we wanted the event to bring our families together. Half of our guests were travelling from Sweden and so we wanted to invite them to experience the local culture. Tofino was the perfect setting to reflect our passion for local business – from seasonal food to micro brew, we incorporated the local community into every part of our weekend.
First, we hired Sheila and Shannon from Rare Earth to help us bring our vision to life. We indulged in amazing farm-to-table food and drinks from Red Can, Tofino Coffee and Tofino Brewing. We took to the seas with Ocean Outfitters, and we rested our heads at the magical Pacific Sands. We hired Sol Maya, a local glass artist, to create glass starfish for our guests, acting as both table decor and a gift to remember the weekend. And we had the most amazing photographers, The Nickersons, capturing the beautiful moments of our day. Every decision we made was intentional and echoed our passion for building community and sharing story.
What you get when you support local business is so much more than a transaction – you build friendships, share laughs, receive advice and connect with people on an emotional level. We are so grateful for everyone that came together to make our wedding so special.
There are many versions of marriage, and many ways to throw a wedding. We are all telling our own story and that is what makes it all so unbelievably special. Surrounding yourself with a community that supports you gives you the strength you need to create the story you have always wanted to live.
