This is, for lack of a better way to describe it, a "backyard wedding" ! We will be in a meadow by the home where Aiyana and her siblings grew up, and where Aiyana's parents still live. It is very rural, with at least 3 apple orchards on Apple Valley road. The town of so-called Ashfield, which is Nipmuc and Pocumtuc unceded territory, has a total of aprox. 1,700 people living there, many of whom are farmers or artists. We will be under a tent for much of the celebration. Please consider that while you are encouraged to DRESS up/big, please dress to be outside! The ground will be soft or uneven, and you may want sun/rain protection, layers, etc. May is known to be chilly by evening time. Please dress accordingly so that you can party with us and not get too cold. * NOTE Ashfield does not have the best cell service! If you are following directions off of your phone it would be best to download them ahead of time. Look for balloons on the road as you arrive closer to the wedding location. You will be pulling into a gravel driveway and will go up a small hill. There will be an unusually shaped brown house with yellow trim & a similarly colored barn. Parking will be on your left, in the field before the barn, as you pull up the hill. * ACCESSIBILITY: The hill towns are called the hill towns because they are very hilly! The ground (other than the dance floor) will be uneven, soft, and grassy. The ceremony, weather permitting, will be up a hill, approximately a 5-10 minute walk. Please contact our friend Olivia, who is our access person, oliviajdelgado@gmail.com with any access needs or requests. We will do our best to accommodate everyone!
We will be outside / under a tent all weekend, and we ask that you please rapid test for covid before attending. If you are participating in set up/clean up/are around all weekend, please continue to rapid test before each time we gather as a group. Also, please don't come if you are not feeling well!
That is entirely up to you. We will have no childcare, so please consider how your kids will impact your capacity to be present. If you're bringing your children, please take responsibility for them!
We really invite you to dress up! We will have a little runway as a part of the celebration and your creative LOOKS are highly encouraged! Don’t hold back. Whatever makes you feel truly YOURSELF, fabulous, and free! Be sure to bring layers for chilliness in the evening, and consider the un-predictability of springtime on the east coast when packing!
Ways to be involved if you are coming in person include: ~ bring a pie to the pie-potluck ( if local) ~ Flowers! (if local) ~ contribute vases / jars ahead of time (if local) ~ bring beach chairs / beautiful picnic blankets for seating ~ Bring candles and matches to light our ritual alter ~ Bring a sacred object to add to the alter for the day. You are a part of this ritual! ~ Add a song to the playlist (when you RSVP through this website) ~ Plan a / be a part of a Flashdance ~ Teach or lead a song or a line dance during the dance party ~ Donate towards our new home & our honeymoon via the registry on this website ~ Be a part of a set up team / each team will have a manager ~ There will be an opportunity during the wedding to offer a blessing! If you would like to offer a blessing (which can be a song, a dance, a performance, a toast, a poem, a gesture, a ritual) please text us and we will put you on a list. We will also need: ~ Mc’s for different aspects of the event (is this you!?) LET US KNOW what you'd like to do. Or we may just reach out to you and ask if we haven't already! THANK YOU. This love would not be what it is with out you.
Our friend Olivia is our access person. Please email her at oliviajdelgado@gmail.com with any access needs or requests and we will try to accommodate and include everyone to the best of our capacity.
There will be an opportunity during the wedding to offer a blessing! If you would like to offer a blessing (which can be a song, a dance, a performance, a toast, a poem, a gesture, a ritual) please feel invited. There will be a time for this!
We will miss you and your presence, but sincerely trust each of you to make the right decision for you and for your lives at this time. Given that this is a community created celebration, there are ways you can be included — even if it doesn't make sense for you to be there in person! Here are a few ideas: ~ Donate towards a home for us & our honeymoon adventure! This can be done on this website, through the "registry". It really makes a difference to feel your support in these areas, to feel woven with you in gathering resources for these important next steps. ~ Simple things you could send to us for participation in the event: hankies (ask Aiyana and Soraya about this), beautiful picnic blankets, candles ~ If you can't be there in person, but want to make a blessing or "toast", you can write, video, or voice record an offering and send it to us. Let us know if you want us to wait and play it during the wedding, have someone read something from you during the wedding, or if you want it to be shared just with Aiyana and Soraya!
On Saturday, we will have a vegetarian taco truck for dinner from the lovely (queer run) folks at CRAVE in Holyoke, MA. If you have food allergies, please contact Olivia, our access person by 4/30, so we can do our best to accommodate! If you're joining us Friday for shabbes dinner, please do the same. oliviajdelgado@gmail.com There will also be a pie-potluck for dessert following the ceremony on Saturday — if it is fun and easeful for you, you are invited to contribute a pie! Drinks: BYOB! There will n/a drinks, & coffee/tea with dessert!
Yes! However, another reminder that it will be May on the Northeast, so it may be wet, and will be chilly in the evening. if you plan to camp onsite, be sure to bring sturdy camping gear. Also, please let Aiyana, Soraya, or our access person Olivia know that you plan to camp in Apple Valley! Thank you
Please reach out to Olivia, our access person, or to Aiyana and Soraya directly if Olivia can't answer it! oliviajdelgado@gmail.com