When Rich and I first got engaged in Vernazza — after I stopped choking and got over my panic attack about planning a wedding and drafting the dreaded “guest list,” that is — I thought to myself, “Hmm, finding an officiant might be a bit of a challenge.” You see, I don’t associate myself with any kind of organized religion and was never even baptized as a child, whereas Rich is Roman Catholic. I knew that having a religious ceremony would be difficult, but I’ve also known since I was an undergraduate that I wanted to be married at Harkness Chapel. Connecticut College’s Office of Religious and Spiritual Life requires that all wedding ceremonies held at the chapel be religious ceremonies, so I didn’t really have a choice. Also, I thought it would be nice to keep things as traditional as possible when it came to the ceremony itsel, which I woud prefer to have a sense of gravity in proportion to the seriousness of the commitment involved. Having a justice of the peace seemed to me a bit sterile. After searching for over a year for an option that both the College and I would find acceptable, Laurie McGrath of the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life suggested that I get in touch with Rev. Carolyn Patierno.
