Florida Tech Botanical Garden Wedding

Melbourne, Florida

In our very first conversation Sharon mentioned that she has very strong Scottish ancestry and her soon to be hubby had Irish ancestry. Say what??? That’s exactly like me and my love! I knew this was going to be an amazing connection. While I couldn’t convince them to head to the Scottish Highlands to tie the knot (p.s… that is my ultimate bucket list goal!!), I was thrilled to hear about their intimate plans for an early morning wedding at the Florida Tech Botanical Garden.

The Importance of Personalizing Your Ceremony

One of the things that I enjoy most about weddings are being able to witness and document traditions. I love how every couple incorporates something unique or special just to them. As I mentioned.. Sharon and Jeff have deep roots in both the Irish and Scottish ancestry. While, much to my chagrin, they did not marry in either country they did keep some of the traditions alive. They choose to have a hand tying (or handfasting)ceremony which is such a lovely Celtic tradition. The premise is simple…you are binding together as man and wife.

You will notice in the images that Sharon is wearing a beautiful broach. This pin is called the Luckenbooth Brooch. This tradition hails from Scotland staring in the 17th century. Tradition has it that the Groom gives his bride this brooch on their wedding day as a symbol of their love. Sigh….Look closely and you will see that the Brooch is comprised of 2 heart intertwined. I seriously love the symbolism. Then when the time comes to welcome “wee ones” (aka babies) into the world you pin the brooch to the babies blanket. Having it close to baby will protect them. Learn more about this really lovely tradition here.

Remember that all the special touches you decide to include in your wedding ceremony are what makes your day so unique. Don’t be afraid to step out of the box!