The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel

Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church

The Club at Longview

Wedding Reception

Our Wedding

Our Story

Photos

Wedding Party

Q + A

Courtyard Charlotte Ballantyne

The Ballantyne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Charlotte

Accommodations

Things to Do

Registry

About the Ceremony

(approximately one hour) Holy Matrimony is a Sacrament of the Orthodox Church in which two become one, vowing to be true to each other for life. God’s grace is imparted to them to live their lives together in His Love, mutually fulfilling and perfecting each other. The beauty and richness of this service is steeped in tradition and symbolism and has remained unchanged through the centuries.&nbsp; Throughout the ceremony, Tyler’s chrismation name, George, is used. Orthodox Christians use the name of their patron saint in liturgical services, who provide both an example of the highest calling of their lives, to become Saints and shine the light of Christ into the world, and who intercede on our behalf through prayer to God. Tyler’s patron saint is St. George of Lydda, the heroic soldier and great-martyr, known for victorious strength and faith in the face of great suffering, healing many and converting hundreds in the early church. The traditional understanding of God is as a great mystery, defined more by what cannot be said about Him, rather than what can. God is better understood not in explicit ideas, but in the profundity of silence. We pray everyone present might get a taste of the close encounter with this mystery during the stillness and beauty found in this ceremony. The service begins with a series of petitions for Peace on Earth, and for the spiritual well-being of Camille and Tyler, asking that they be granted a perfect and peaceful love, and that their lives be blessed with fair children.&nbsp; The RingsThe rings, symbols of eternity, are blessed by the priest who takes them in his hand, and making the sign of the cross over the couple’s heads, declares the two betrothed. The blessing is performed three times, to honor the mystical presence of the Holy Trinity. The priest will start first from the groom to the bride, and then from the bride to the groom. The weaving motion between bride and groom represents their lives being entwined into one. Their marriage sponsor then exchanges the rings three times, taking Camille’s ring and placing it on Tyler’s finger and vice-versa. The rings are placed on the right hand; the right hand being the hand of blessing. The exchange signifies that in married life the weaknesses of one partner will be compensated for by the strength of the other, the imperfections of one by the perfections of the other. The CandlesCamille and Tyler are handed candles which they hold throughout the service. The candles represent the lamps of the five wise maidens of the Bible, which because they contained enough oil, enabled the maidens to light the way for the Bridegroom Christ, when He came in the darkness of night. The candles symbolize the spiritual willingness of the couple to receive Christ, who will bless them through this Sacrament. The Joining of the HandsThree prayers are read, asking God to grant the bride and groom a long and peaceful life, mutual love and help, happiness and health. As the prayer continues, the priest invokes God to “Join these servants, unite them in one mind and flesh.” He then places the right hand of Tyler on the right hand of Camille. At this sacred moment, the couple is joined as husband and wife in the Orthodox Church. The hands remain joined throughout the service to symbolize the “oneness” of their love. The CrowningThe Crowns signify the glory and honor of God given to the couple during the Sacrament. Camille and Tyler are crowned as the Queen and King of their Kingdom, the home, which they will rule with wisdom, justice and integrity. The crowns are joined together with a ribbon symbolizing that the two are now one. The priest places the crowns upon their heads; blessing each partner. The marriage sponsor exchanges the crowns three times over the heads of Tyler and Camille as witness to the sealing of the union. The crowns are also interpreted as being symbols of the crowns of martyrdom, since every true marriage involves immeasurable self-sacrifice. The Common CupThe rite of crowning is followed by the reading of the Epistle and the Gospel. The Gospel reading describes the marriage at Cana of Galilee which was attended and blessed by Christ and for which He reserved His first miracle. There he converted the water into wine and gave it to the newlyweds. In remembrance of this blessing, wine is given to Tyler and Camille. This is the “common cup” of life, denoting the mutual sharing of joy and sorrow, an expression of a life of harmony. The drinking of wine from the common cup serves to impress upon the couple that from that moment on they will share everything in life, joys, as well as sorrows, and that they are to “bear one another’s burdens.” Because they are shared, their joys will be doubled and their sorrows halved. The Ceremonial Walk – The Dance of IsaiahThe priest then takes the arm of Tyler and leads him and Camille around the table as an expression of joy. On the table are placed the Gospel and the Cross, Christ’s symbols of hope and redemption. These first steps as husband and wife are to emphasize the focus of their “life’s walk” together. They are accompanied by their marriage sponsor who will support them throughout their married life. During this ceremonial walk around the table a hymn is sung to the Holy Martyrs reminding the newly married couple of the sacrificial love they are to have for each other in marriage - a love that seeks not its own but is willing to sacrifice its all for the one loved. The BlessingCamille and Tyler return to their places and in a final prayer, the priest blesses and removes the crowns, beseeching to God to grant the newlyweds a long, happy and fruitful life. He then lifts the Holy Gospel and brings it down between the bride and groom, separating the couple’s joined hands, thus symbolizing that only the word of God should come between them.

Tyler & Camille

Tyler & Camille

Accommodations

Courtyard Charlotte Ballantyne

The Ballantyne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Charlotte