In The Presence Of TRUE LOVE

Siobhan and Evan’s “True Love” Celebration Beach Wedding in San Francisco 

“It’s an everyday choice to be with each other. Challenges in the past have made us fight for each other every day and with more intention… this wedding is our celebration of that. 

Coming together in front of friends and family and saying, ‘We choose this path together every day.’ This is a celebration of us and our magical love. This ceremony will show our unique style and how we celebrate life together.”

In July 2017, OneMama founder and CEO, Siobhan Neilland, married her partner Evan, in a traditional African ceremony in the yard of the OneMama Clinic in Uganda.

This weekend, they will celebrate their unity stateside with all their friends and family at a beachside wedding.

Everything from the flowers to the location echo out the uniqueness of Siobhan and Evan’s powerful love and commitment to each other – “It will be very boho beach chic” Siobhan gushes. If you know Siobhan this is everything that she is. Wild and Free. Just like their love.

The beach they will marry at is a second home to them both. “China Beach has been almost like a family member to me. Like the waves, it’s been there for me through the ups and downs of life.” Siobhan says.

The flowers are being done by a close friend; the ceremony led by another sister in their tribe. “We are customizing everything to represent the love and respect and commitment we have to each other.”

As their first wedding was spontaneous and shared with their Ugandan family, this wedding will be shared by the friends and family that have been on their journey with them as a couple and as singles. “This ceremony is two years later, and I like that this represents how we are recommitting to choosing each other every day, honoring and bringing gratitude by bringing community in to celebrate with us.”

Community carries a heavy influence through the whole ceremony. The guest will be seated in a half circle around the bride and groom, pot-luck style food will brought by the guest to share, and their close group of friends all chipping in to bring their vision to life.  As it should be – a tribe coming together to celebrate each other.

“I love the idea of our community mirroring back to us and celebrating our life together. It brings people I’ve not seen in a long time and brings together old and new friends.” Siobhan adds.

As ceremonies are magical ways to share with your friends and family, Siobhan reiterates that they, as a couple, are not changing. “We are not really changing. We are the same.  Saturdays remain date days. Sunday, we spend it away from each other to nurture ourselves apart . We both have our own businesses. The rhythms have consistently been there, but this is a big party to celebrate all that – that we are committed through the fun and the mundane; the challenge and the easy.”

As the wedding is just around the corner, I think back to 2016 when I spent 10 days with Siobhan in New York City at the United Nations. I remember the joy radiating from Evan and Siobhan’s nightly calls. I remember the laughs and the comfort as she shared stories of their love. This stands to remind me how grateful we should feel every time we find ourselves in the presence of true love. Wedding guest will luckily to be in the presence of that love this weekend.

Congratulations to you both. <3