A Wedding Tree and Wooden Rings

In July of 2011 we received this lovely (and sad) email from a young couple in Texas.

Dear Nicola and David

My name is Kristin.  My husband Dan and I are admirers of your work.

 We feel in love and planned our future together during hikes in the northern Minnesotan woods.  As we were planning our wedding on my family's farm, we decided to commemorate our day by planting a tree (an Amur Chokecherry, Prunis maackii).

  Each year on our anniversary, we have returned to our tree to plant flowers at its feet and celebrate.  It has been such a beautiful metaphor for our lives.  As our love has continued to deepen and grow through our three years of marriage, our tree has blossomed and matured.  

We looked forward to the day when we could bring our future children to the very place where we pledged to love each other for the rest of our lives.  We also hoped to harvest a limb on our fifth or tenth anniversary and have wooden rings made.

 

There is always a danger in tying so much symbolism into a living thing.  Nature has been unkind to Northern Minnesota this year.  After a very hard winter, we have been overwhelmed with rain all summer.  Unfortunately, the water table has risen to a point where our beloved tree is now struggling to survive.  We are heartbroken.

I realize this may be impossible, but we wanted to ask if it may still be possible to have rings made from our tree.  Our tree is still quite small, with a diameter of 3" at the base and maybe 1.5" at the top.

We could harvest or temper the wood any way you need.  We would be forever grateful if you would consider making our rings.  This tree means so much to us.  

Sincerely,

 Dan and Kristin 

David and I were honored and delighted to work with Dan and Kristin creating a special set of wooden rings from their chokecherry wedding tree.  The small size of their tree was not an issue fortunately.  In fact David has worked with much smaller branches and bits of wood that he has incorporated into a ring  when there was not enough material to craft the whole ring from the clients wood. After some months of conversations and decision making, harvesting and delivering their beloved piece of wood, drying and preparing the chokecherry; David created Kristin and Dan's rings this January. 

And we received this lovely email from Dan and Kristen once they had their rings in hand.

Nicola and David

 

I didn't believe it was possible -- they are even more beautiful in person.  David, you have a truly special gift.  The detail work is just breathtaking.  All of the love and energy you poured into these rings over the past weeks shines through.  Thank you so much for taking the extra effort to incorporate the wood from our beloved wedding tree.

We will cherish these rings for the rest of our lives.

Much love, Dan and Kristen