Photo from Wikipedia

My fiance and I had attended a wedding which began with the playing of a singing bowl – a Tibetan traditional meditation instrument, made of metal. The officiant moved a wooden wand around its rim to create a beautiful and rich ringing tone, similar to what you can do with a wine glass, but much deeper and louder. After hearing this magical sound, we decided to use one in our own wedding.

We looked online, but decided it would best to buy one in person. So we went to a shop a friend recommended called Mandala Tibetan Store in the East Village . They have a whole collection of these wonderful bowls, all different sizes. When we began trying them out, the store owner came over. With the competence of an expert, he began to explain the differences between the bowls and demonstrated the sounds they made. Each had its own unique tone. Extremely helpful, the store owner explained which bowls were good for beginners, which made the deeper sounds, and why the handmade bowls made a richer sound.

We chose a small and simple, handmade bowl with a wooden wand that makes a rich, pure sound.  It should be a lovely way to begin our ceremony.