- We hope you'll be able to join us on Sunday, July 15th from 11:00 am for a garden party celebration at our home in Portsmouth.
- + let us know if you can come
After six years, four apartments, three businesses, a dog and a house, we're making it official. On June 21st, we're going to be married by a Native American shaman on a cliff overlooking Sedona, Arizona.
Founded in spiritual harmony between body and spirit, the wedding ritual will begin with an invocation to the elements of Mother Earth, Father Sky, and to the East, South, West and North winds. A drumming signals celebration, as we will come forth to have our wedding rings purified with sage and prayer. The shaman Uqualla will bless the union of husband and wife, making the traditional offering chant to the heart beat of the drum and sealing our union.
The wedding ceremony will be performed by Native American shaman Uqualla of the Havasupai nation ("people of the Blue-Green Waters"). Raised in the traditional ways by his family on the rim of the Grand Canyon, Uqualla has led his people as tribal chief, a ceremonial dresser, traditional advisor, and steward of cultural events.
Talented Sedona, Arizona wedding photographer Andrew Holman will be capturing the ceremony on film. An avid outdoorsman, Andrew has traveled the country as a photojournalist for the editorial, fashion and sports industries. His photos have appeared in The Village Voice, People Magazine, Ski Magazine, and Mother Jones Magazine.
We've chosen to get married at Merry Go Round Rock, one of Sedona's most memorable red rock formations. Located along Schnebly Hill Road, Merry Go Round Rock offers impressive views of Sedona in a beautiful setting of red rocks and lush juniper and pine trees. We're not alone in thinking it's a special place: the films Angel and the Badman with John Wayne and Johnny Guitar with Joan Crawford were filmed here.
While in Sedona, we'll be staying at Enchantment Resort in Boynton Canyon. Nestled deep into the red rocks, Enchantment Resort combines luxury with rugged grandeur inspired by the Native American culture.
The private 70-acre resort is one of Fodor's Top 20 Hotels in the World and is home to Mii Amo spa, voted America's #1 destination spa by Travel & Leisure readers in 2006. We chose the resort based on it's beauty and the symbolism: Mii Amo takes its name from the Native American word for "Journey".
We'd like to thank our parents and friends for their love and support over the years, and for giving us their blessing to elope. We look forward to celebrating with all of you when we return!
Thanks also go out to Sedona wedding planners Weddings in Sedona for helping us to plan and coordinate our wedding day.
We'd also like honour those who could not be with us, especially Cheri's father, Don Haley, who recently passed away and is greatly missed.