about our wedding ceremony

general information

The wedding ceremony and reception will be held at Sunnybrook Farms in Walland, Tennessee, which is located in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. Driving directions can be found at Google or Yahoo.

We ask that you give ample time to arrive at the ceremony.

The dress code is semi-formal; jacket and tie for men, "Sunday school clothes" (to use a Southern phrase!) for women.

(linda suggests for women: you may also want to bring more comfortable clothes to change into later in the evening!)

about the ceremony

We have chosen to have a Quaker-style wedding ceremony. Since this is unique, we hope this explanation will help you understand and participate as fully as you wish.

From its beginning the Religious Society of Friends has stressed the conviction that marriage is a binding relationship entered into in the presence of God and of the witnessing family and friends. No third person pronounces us husband and wife because Friends believe that God alone can create such a union and give it significance. There will be no minister or officiant.

A Quaker wedding ceremony is similar to any Meeting for Worship (the Quaker term for "services"). The attendees gather for silent worship; at the start of the ceremony, we will take our places in front of our family and friends. After a period of silent meditation and worship, we will stand and exchange our wedding vows and rings. After that, we will then sign the Marriage Certificate and it will be read aloud. There will then be another period of silence, where our family and friends may, as they feel inspired, to give their own messages and thoughts to the couple and the rest of the group.

At the close of the ceremony, you will shake hands with your neighbors, signalling that the Meaning for Worship has concluded. As you exit, you will be invited to sign the Marriage Certificate as a witness to the wedding vows. Those who come together for a Quaker wedding do so not only to celebrate but also to witness the union of the bride and groom. As witnesses, those in attendance at the wedding undertake a commitment of their own, to support the bride and groom through times of hardship as well as joy; and when necessary, to hold them accountable for the promises they have made to each other. The Marriage Certificate documents the vows of the marrying couple and signatures of witnesses thereunto. The Marriage Certificate will be framed and displayed as a cherished possession, recalling the company of loving family and friends who took part in it.

For more information about Quaker weddings, please check out these links: