An Evening In The Mountains

Weddings are grand! There are two things that always make me cry and a wedding is one of them (childbirth is the other... in case you were wondering). Especially a wedding that has been carefully and thoughtfully coordinated. Ruth and Alex did just that.

Last night Matt and I had the pleasure of witnessing Ruth and Alex's nuptials. Ruth comes from a Mormon background and though she no longer claims that as her own faith, her loyalty to family and tradition still hold true. Alex is Jewish and his faith clearly defines who he is and what his family will look like. With the joining of two families with two very different backgrounds, these individuals did a beautiful job of enveloping community and Jewish customs in a non-traditional ceremony. Poetry, words of wisdom and symbolic elements (their rings were etched with personal symbols too!) were used to show significant meaning for these two individuals and their families. And yes, I cried a little.

Ruth was beaming... and her dress! Oh her dress. It was stunning. From the buttons down the back to the dainty little train, it was incredible; elegant. She handmade the dress and it fit her beautifully. It fit her perfectly... personality and all.

Matt and I were fortunate to spend an evening with our friends from the theater. Alex is the electrician for Pioneer Theater and has an office nextdoor to Matt's. Ruth is a costume designer and seamstress (hence the dress). I would say, they're probably two of our favorite people at the theater... due to their authenticity, honesty and kind nature. It's tough to find "real" people these days and we feel like we hit a jackpot with these two.

The wedding was held in the mountains about 45 minutes outside of Salt Lake City. The weather was cool, compared to the 101 degrees down in the valley. It was a breath of fresh air to be up in the green, lush areas of this countryside and we welcomed the brisk breeze that caused goosebumps after the sun dipped behind the mountain rocks. Alex and Ruth did a beautiful job of including their friends and family on this special day in a place that they themselves often seek refuge for rest and relaxation. 

We wish the two of them and their families nothing but joy, love and tenderness in their years to come. Congratulations Alex and Ruth!