The Starfish Wedding
The starfish dreams of heaven at the bottom of the sea. — The Creatures' Choir
There are the beach wedding brides. And then, there are the starfish wedding brides. The two are slightly different.
The sun, the sea, the waves, the wind. All these make for a dramatic and refreshing affair. But the starfish is something more specific.
Since time began, we humans have seen certain qualities in the starfish. After all, they're democratic creatures, with all those arms that work together. They're romantic — the French call them "stars of the sea." And by legend, starfish are ocean floor reflections of the starry sky.
Starfish are one of the most fitting of all symbols for marriage, with their regenerative powers. Like the Jordan almonds and their promise of both the bitter and the sweet to come, starfish reminds us that obstacles surely lie ahead, but that through them, we'll experience one or more rebirths.
And finally, starfish are vulnerable in a way that seems downright human, with their tendency to get stranded on the shore, and their occasional need for rescue by what seems like a higher power. It's exactly this human predicament that led so many service organizations to name themselves for the starfish, and this oft-repeated legend:
A LITTLE GIRL STROLLS DOWN A SHORELINE littered with hundreds of stranded starfish. Here and there, she picks one up and tosses it back in the sea.
A vacationing businessman looks on until he can no longer hold his tongue. He says, "there are hundreds of starfish on this beach alone, and hundreds of beaches just like it, filled with hundreds more.
"You mean well," he continues, "but do you think what you're doing really makes a difference?"
She tosses in another. "It makes a difference to this one," she says.
It's fun to remember that Minoans — one of the earliest, most playful and beloved of Mediterranean civilizations — adored the starfish, along with leaping dolphins and fluttering butterflies. They loved to turn all three into whimsical outdoor frescoes and beautiful jewelry. The Minoans dismissed doors and walls in favor of open-air pavilions. They understood the charm of seaside weddings.
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
It's a simple matter to start crafting your own starfish wedding. There's nothing pretentious about the starfish; you can give your sense of whimsy full rein.
Guide your guests to their seats with a sand-filled metal tray of pencil starfish, tied to placecards with grosgrain ribbon in your wedding colors. Use the same starfish/ribbon combo to dress up your dinner napkins.
Try a daring, colorful cake that bristles with starfish and reaches for the sky. Gussy up your guests' plates with shiny pails ornamented with a starfish and ribbon and piled high with taffy.
Echo the astral theme in your floral arrangements with white, star-shaped lilies, or set them against a feminine cloud of traditional beach-theme blooms: orchids or hydrangeas. Honor the head chairs with starfish dangling from glossy satin ribbons in your wedding colors. Fold organza ribbons around the starfish and tie in a bow. Glue faux pearls along the arms.
Set white or blue pillar candles inside beautiful hurricane sheaths studded with glued-on sea glass. Accent here and there with starfish.
Donning an ornate dress? Bustle the back with a starfish brooch when it's time to hit the dance floor. Other options for seaside bling: a starfish garter, starfish hair pins, a Tiffany-style starfish necklace, starfish-studded sandals.
Hang star-shaped paper lanterns from the roof of your outdoor marquee, or string them along overhead wires.
Treat your bridesmaids to a sparkling starfish brooch for the sashes around their waists, ephemeral blue pashminas to wrap around their shoulders, and for a subtle but whimsical touch, a starfish toe ring.
Stylize the guys with a small boutonniere featuring a blue satin ribbon, pencil starfish, orchid and a pearl pin.
Finish off a simple hand-tied bouquet with a satin ribbon wrap and a starfish brooch.
Use seashells to edge a romantic aisle to the alter.
Create a glorious wedding arch with a curtain of silk ribbons you've studded with oversized starfish.
Scatter a few more starfish accents here and there throughout the ceremony and reception. We like these:
- Starfish ring bearer pillow
- Starfish guestbook and pen set
- PlumParty's centerpiece starfish candles
- Starfish collection wedding garter
- Starfish collection champagne flutes
- Tiffany style sterling silver starfish necklace
- Swarovski crystal bouquets with pearls and seashells
- Romantic 14K gold starfish bracelet
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
Tags: 
