Ring Bearer- Pillow Alternatives

Dear FH has an 8 year old son that is very much a part of our family and we want to have play a big role in our wedding. We thought that he would be an usher and stand alongside the bestmen (yes I said men, there are two) but when we told him about the wedding he said, "Cool, can I be the ring dude?"

LOL, sure, you can be whatever you want. I think when we get to the rehearsal though, he'll want to stand with all of the guys. He's a guys's guy, and he's 8. There's no question he is a rough and tumble sports fanatic (his father's son.)

Here's the dilemma. While doing all of this wedding obsessed Internet surfing I kept finding the most gorgeous ring bearer pillows.

Like these from blogger extraordinaire, Brooklyn Bride who started Brooklyn Pillow:


I mean, can't you totally see throwing this on a chair to funky it up after the wedding?

Or I love the elegance in a pillow like this from Etsy seller Emici Bridal:



Well, everytime I almost bought them I thought of the face I would get when I told future stepson he had to walk down a church aisle carrying a pillow. It just seems wrong to make this boy's boy carry a dainty pillow.

I started wondering if there were alternatives to pillow carrying. Here are some cute things I found:

Maybe carry a banner like WeddingBee Mrs. Radish did?


HOw about a bell ringer? I had a cousin do this and it was adorable. Although, I'm not sure he would go for this either. If he did, I can assure you it will be quite the ringing. Here's a cute pic from Bridal Party Tees Blog. She also has a nice post on this option.



Do you have any ideas? PLEASE share!

Poem, By the Seaside

I was looking around for some classic poems or passages to put in our program (looooong Catholic ceremony, I'd like to give people something to read :)) and came across this beautiful poem. I think it is perfect since our church is across the street from the beach. We're not getting married on the sand (this is PERFECT for anyone who is) but we're close enough and our pics will be on the beach.

By the Seaside
As we stand beside the ocean tide,
may our love always be as constant and unchanging
as these never-ending waves that pour beneath our feet,
flowing endlessly from the depths of the sea;
your love came softly upon my heart,
just as the foam comes softly upon the sand,
and just as there will never be a morning
without the ocean's flow,
so there will never be a day
without my love for you.
I pledge myself to you this day.
Our love will be as unchanging
and dependable as the tide;
as these waters nourish the earth
and sustain life, may my constant devotion
nourish and sustain you
until the end of time.

I'm wondering if there are other uses I can come up with other than in the program. Thoughts?

The Church's Approval

We finally are booked for our pre-cana schtuff. We elected to go to an all day conference instead of committing to a certain night of the week for 6 weeks. With our schedules at work, that would never do. Besides I think we are more of the rip the band-aid off type people. Both FH and I are Catholic and went to Catholic schools our whole lives so we are not strangers to this sort of thing but spending a full day at a Conference for the Engaged sounds like torture. On a positive note, they let us in. I have to say I was a little worried about that (we live together, FH has a son, we're not long time members of the parish and are not even getting married in the diocese) but in good church fashion, when the donation is big enough, your sins are absolved.

I hate to sound so negative. I actually love the priest that is marrying us and it was really important to me to get married in my hometown church. He was the first calming factor after the engagement and the first person who was able to get me to take a breath and realize what the whole thing was about, our marriage, not the big party on the perfect date with the perfect venue and the right colors.

Any one have good experiences at pre-cana? I really have heard only stories of how boring it is and out of touch. Or, has anyone not passed? Whoa, never even thought about that!