Hello All,
Here is a letter from a young lady who is planning to be wed in December. She and her husband to be want an anvil wedding. They are looking for a blacksmith
who is willing to become ordained and can perform weddings. I'll let her letter
tell the story. I have withheld her full name and all contact information to
protect them from possible scammers. If you can help or know someone who can
Fred Holder, Blacksmith's Gazette <http://www.fholder.com
Here is her letter:
Dear Blacksmith's Gazette,
My fiance and I will be getting married in Williamsburg, Virginia on Friday, December 17th of this year. While he is Canadian, and I am a Virginia girl born and raised, we share a strong Scottish and Irish background. Interestingly, both of our families have branches in Syracuse, New York, where Edward's father's mother's uncle, Michael Tighe, ran a blacksmith shop in downtown Syracuse. We actually have one of the postcards advertising his horse shoeing business. We visited downtown Syracuse this spring to find the site. The building is no longer there, but we found the lot.
We both have an interest in metal work. One of my favorite books since I was in junior high is called Trinity, by Leon Uris, and the protagonist in it is an Irishman who crafts gorgeous wrought iron pieces. Edward and I are both fascinated with forges, me from a creative perspective and Edward from a more practical perspective, since he grew up on a farm in Ontario and his father was a professional welder earlier in life. Recently we visited the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, Virginia, where we were very excited to have a conversation with a blacksmith and watch him work in an old-style Irish smithy. We also own a variety of hand-made metal pieces, from beds to candelabra.
Because of our interest in both our heritage and in blacksmiths, we have decided to have an authentic Scottish anvil wedding ceremony! As you probably know, blacksmiths traditionally were very important and respected people in their communities. As a result, in Scotland they were able to perform legally recognized wedding ceremonies, the most famous of which occured in Gretna Green, just over the border from England. Edward has brought down the anvil from his family farm as well as a very old balpeen hammer his dad and grandfather both used around the farm. He has painted them both in the traditional way for use in our wedding. We are hoping that you can help us find a blacksmith in the area willing to get certified on line to perform legal wedding ceremonies. This may seem like a strange request, but there is a strong historical precedent for it, and it would have huge sentimental value to us and to Edward's family. Our ceremony may also make an interesting little article for your readers.
Please let us know if you can do anything to help us locate a willing blacksmith, preferably one of Celtic descent. Thank you so much for any help you can give us.
Yours truly,
Miss Lynnette
Here is a letter from a young lady who is planning to be wed in December. She and her husband to be want an anvil wedding. They are looking for a blacksmith
Fred Holder, Blacksmith's Gazette <http://www.fholder.com
Here is her letter:
Dear Blacksmith's Gazette,
My fiance and I will be getting married in Williamsburg, Virginia on Friday, December 17th of this year. While he is Canadian, and I am a Virginia girl born and raised, we share a strong Scottish and Irish background. Interestingly, both of our families have branches in Syracuse, New York, where Edward's father's mother's uncle, Michael Tighe, ran a blacksmith shop in downtown Syracuse. We actually have one of the postcards advertising his horse shoeing business. We visited downtown Syracuse this spring to find the site. The building is no longer there, but we found the lot.
We both have an interest in metal work. One of my favorite books since I was in junior high is called Trinity, by Leon Uris, and the protagonist in it is an Irishman who crafts gorgeous wrought iron pieces. Edward and I are both fascinated with forges, me from a creative perspective and Edward from a more practical perspective, since he grew up on a farm in Ontario and his father was a professional welder earlier in life. Recently we visited the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, Virginia, where we were very excited to have a conversation with a blacksmith and watch him work in an old-style Irish smithy. We also own a variety of hand-made metal pieces, from beds to candelabra.
Because of our interest in both our heritage and in blacksmiths, we have decided to have an authentic Scottish anvil wedding ceremony! As you probably know, blacksmiths traditionally were very important and respected people in their communities. As a result, in Scotland they were able to perform legally recognized wedding ceremonies, the most famous of which occured in Gretna Green, just over the border from England. Edward has brought down the anvil from his family farm as well as a very old balpeen hammer his dad and grandfather both used around the farm. He has painted them both in the traditional way for use in our wedding. We are hoping that you can help us find a blacksmith in the area willing to get certified on line to perform legal wedding ceremonies. This may seem like a strange request, but there is a strong historical precedent for it, and it would have huge sentimental value to us and to Edward's family. Our ceremony may also make an interesting little article for your readers.
Please let us know if you can do anything to help us locate a willing blacksmith, preferably one of Celtic descent. Thank you so much for any help you can give us.
Yours truly,
Miss Lynnette