Grant Pike

          Rites of Passage are forms of transition and change marked with ceremony and ritual.  Breaking down the words we see that 'rite' refers to a prescribed religious ceremony (coming from the latin 'ritus') and passage refers to a channel or opening.  Cultural significance marks these 'rites of passage' in many forms and holds great value for all involved.  

          The importance that ceremony plays in our lives is an ingrained part of what it means to be human.  Celebrating life and death are the ways that humans commune with one another and seek to ascend and transcend beyond the five senses.  To feel within ones heart and mind create the connections that surpass the boundaries of our lives.  We incorporate that which is around us to help make sense of our journey and to make sense of the directions we are heading. 

          In essence, a rite of passage acts as a place marker for these journeys in life, a way to signify through ceremony or ritual the changes in our lives.  The most beloved in modern societies, save that of a new child, are the nuptials.  In every culture and spiritual tradition the wedding is a sacred and important event.  Whether it be an intimate occasion or one in which family and friends are witnessing your day.  Your day deserves to be the best!