Ariel & Jon: A Merging of Creativity and Tradition
Shot by Our Wedding Story

In many weddings, couples find themselves faced with the decision of whether to have a culturally traditional wedding or a wedding that’s reflective of their own personalities and unique relationships. For Ariel and Jon, however, it was not a question of either or. Their wedding was destined to be a magical affair where culture and tradition blended with the eccentric and artistic community that the couple has surrounded themselves in.

Music has shaped the lives of both Ariel and Jon individually – and as a couple, they have found that music is at the heart of their relationship. Ariel is a singer and songwriter who focuses her music around empowerment, healing, and the strength of community. She uses her music to bring people together and to open hearts in spiritual sound. Jon is a musician and songwriter as well. His music is highly acknowledged within the Burning Man community. In addition, he and his band also travel throughout California performing.

Ariel and Jon are both heavily involved in the Jewish community, so having a traditional Jewish ceremony was extremely important to the couple. During the time of the ceremony, Ariel was a rabbi in the makings. After the wedding, she continued on to Israel to continue her training as a Rabbi.

Throughout the ceremony, you could catch glimpses of the couple’s spirituality and the Jewish tradition. The ceremony started off with the loving and celebratory tish circles for both the bride and groom before the ceremony, where family and friends gave their blessings, laughed, and told stories. Tradition holds that, on the day of their wedding, the bride and groom hold a certain kind of magic and spiritual strength; both shared this with their guests through special intimate moments with individual friends and family members where they gave out their blessings. The ceremony was concluded with the signing of the beautifully designed Jewish Ketubah scrolls, a special agreement between the bride and groom.

The bride and groom put a unique twist on the traditional wedding by encouraging their assortment of friends to display all of their creativity and eccentricity- through music, performances, and fashion. The dress code was described as “outrageous casual”, and their guests showed up dressed to impress, giving the wooded wedding an intriguing, magical feel.

Ariel and Jon's day was filled with music, tradition, love, and laughter. It was an incredible reflection of who they are and the powerful loving communities that they have chosen to surround themselves and dedicate their lives to.