Why Not a Public Wedding at the Library?

I didn’t need much convincing when Julia Berg, head of programs, partnerships and outreach for Arlington Public Library, first came to me with the idea of holding a wedding in the library that would be a “program” open to the community. She said, “Nothing brings a community together like a wedding.” I didn’t know how we were going to plan an event some people spend their entire lives thinking about, but I did know it made sense for us as a library.

Once I met Katie and Vincent, it was clear they were what this wedding needed to fall in place with the library’s mission and purpose. Their intertwined stories served as the heart of the operation.

It was Katie’s idea to address the entire body of attendees at the ceremony, not just the wedding party. She looked out at their invited family and friends and up to the hundreds of community members who gathered for them. That aspect of the wedding perfectly conveyed the library’s message of inclusivity. Even when there’s a wedding in the lobby, you can join the celebration. When you step through the library’s doors, you belong.

The collaboration that went into the wedding was the culmination of everything the library stands for. It is an example of what happens when the community invests in itself. The buildup of community participation is how we were able to transform our lobby into an intimate, ceremonial setting for two people to make a lifelong commitment to each other.

There is a long list of names who created this wedding through a year of planning and hard work, of which I am very proud. Volunteers, local businesses, the library’s staff and patrons worked together in a beautifully human way to make this happen. The Arlington community came together as a family.

When I looked over the audience of 300+ people, I recognized faces I never thought I would see at an event like this. That signified to me that our message got across to everyone in the building that day. It was a moment of reflection. Also, being my first time officiating a wedding, I knew I must show up for everyone else, as they had done so well for the library.

Marriage, a declaration of unconditional love and acceptance, unequivocally mirrors what public libraries do for the community. Not only do they provide joy, but people to share it with. Both institutions offer companionship, connection, and opportunities to better ourselves. Through these partnerships, we are given a chance to be part of something greater than us.

As Arlington Public Library’s programs (i.e., the wedding) come and go, our goal remains: shared joy in community. Always free. Always open. Always committed to serving.

–Diane Kresh, Director, Arlington Public Library