In the world of weddings, there is symbolism in almost everything. The date, the dress, the location, the flowers, the décor. I will be delving into each of these categories, and more, over time, but for now, I wanted to explain the symbolism behind, and why I chose the logo I did for my business. To begin, I need to go back to when I was five years old.
My parents were unable to have children of their own. And, after nine years of marriage, they were able to adopt, not one, but FOUR children at once. There are several factors that make the adoption of these four truly amazing. First, all four of us are blood brothers and sisters, meaning we all had the same birth mother and biological father. Secondly, we were adopted Father’s Day weekend 1986. So, my parents were married for 9 years, and then BAM! They became the parents of four, very needy children all at once. To make things even more amazing, a year and half later, my parents were able to adopt a fifth child. And although, not blood related like the rest of us, still as much as my brother as the other two I have.
When my parents brought us home that first weekend, there were “welcome home” banners hanging up with each of our names on it. Before and after our names were pictures. The pictures on my banner just happened to be butterflies. I am too young to remember the actual banner, but my parents have told us about it, and I believe we still have the banners in a memory book. But I think it was probably then that began my love and fascination of butterflies.
So, what do butterflies mean?
Everyone knows the life cycle of a butterfly. The butterfly lays the eggs on leaves, the eggs hatch as larvae and eat the leaves, the larvae become caterpillars as they grow, the caterpillars build a cocoon, and when they emerge, they become beautiful butterflies. With all of this changing, is it any wonder that one of the things butterflies represent is change? Along with change, butterflies also represent hope, endurance, color, and life. Butterflies have several characteristics which correlates with the symbolisms mentioned above. These include:
Wings – allowing them to spread and fly.
Adaptability – allowing them to adapt to the changing climates and the different environments.
External Skeleton – allowing them to be protected.
Small sizes – allowing them to not need a lot to survive.
Delaying Fertilization – allowing them to lay eggs only when the conditions are right, which then ensures the species survival.
Metamorphosis – allowing them to carry on with their lives.
I believe the last one, metamorphosis, is the most powerful symbol. It shows us that in order to grow, we need to change. And, not only do we continually change, those changes within us do not have to be necessarily traumatic.
In the wedding industry, being able to be adaptable to change is essential. Changes in styles and popularity of certain things happen on an almost daily basis. Things can also change very quickly on the day of an event, and as a planner, we need to be able to adapt to those changes and be able to still bring joy to the day.
Now that I have explained the symbolism of butterflies, why the lily?
Flowers in general have rich symbolism in all cultures. The symbolism goes further than just the type of flower, but to the color of the flower as well. (I will delve deeper into the meanings of colors at a later date, as well.) But for my purpose, white has always had the symbolism of purity and innocence, and has been associated with weddings for centuries. Specifically, though, the white lily has symbolism in the following:
Transience – change, as with the butterfly. When two people get married, their lives become one of transience, change. They are two lives, two cultures, two different backgrounds, which will be constantly changing and adjusting as they learn to live life together.
Unity – As they come together for the marriage, they are becoming unified as a couple. Yes, still very different people, but becoming one in ideas and goals and what they want out of life, moving forward.
Femininity – The shapes, the colors, the sweet smell are all linked to the attributes of being feminine. A bouquet of white lilies is symbolic of hope for the future and the ability to bring forth children.
Purity – As stated above, white has symbolized purity and innocence for ages, and is often representative of the Virgin Mary in Christian cultures.
As a wedding planner, I feel that by using a butterfly and a lily for my logo, I am showing that I am friendly, have the ability to adapt, bring people together, and help provide joy for anyone I have the privilege of being able to work with.
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