As the creator of Ottawa’s Really Really Free Market, I am on the lookout for people with special projects that we can help with. The market is a great venue for supporting members with important projects and what could be more important than a wedding?
The Tiny Budget Wedding theme is ‘circles’. This tugs at my heart because FullCircles is very important to me and I was so touched when I read Lisa, our Tiny Budget Bride’s entry into a photo contest hoping to win free wedding pics for her special day.
Here’s Lisa’s story:
“My fiancee and I met online and moved in together within six months – that was the end of the “quick” in our relationship. We have been together for almost eight years – nine by the time we actually tie the knot. Throughout these years we have withstood three, yes three, attempts to set a wedding date only to be thwarted first by a severe illness and death in the family and then two, yes two, layoffs. We’ve endured mouldy apartments (yes, plural), struggled with my own health issues, moved across the province for school (then eventually work, hopefully), lived with both sets of in-laws on separate occasions and relied on the local food cupboard to make ends meet. By this time the foundation of our relationship is strong but flexible, solid but adaptive, firm but soft. We would like to think we know each other – and what’s important to us.
Therefore, our wedding theme is going to be circles – symbolizing the never-ending love we have for each other, emphasizing the circle of life that we are experiencing and the circles of our family, friends and community that have loved us, nurtured us and supported us.
Our budget is tiny – even so, it is a stretch for us – but it is so important for us to honour and celebrate our amazing family, friends and community who are, once again, stepping up to the plate to make this wedding happen for us. Family members are helping to cater the meal, friends have offered to house out of town relatives, the Full Circles Ottawa (fullcircles.org/fcblog) community is helping us to gather free, reusable items for our decor and party necessities in honour of the health of our environment.
Our wedding will not be an opulent or extravagant affair but it will be special. It will be ours. And it will be about dang time!
One of the items that we are looking for are the Chinese Lanterns. This is the item that Lisa has chosen to represent her circles and if you can help with the donation of lanterns I know you will hold a special place in one of those circles!”
Kelly Wilson
Full Circles Ottawa
