On July 31st, 2010 Petrina and Kevin got married at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary in Woodstock, NY. This was the second vegan wedding I got to photograph at the sanctuary this year, which makes for a good year! I met Petrina a few years back at a Farm Sanctuary Gala in NYC. She was assisting WFAS founders Doug Abel and Jenny Brown in videotaping the event for posterity. Since then we have all become good friends and Petrina has been very helpful volunteering for WFAS in various ways. Somehow she ended up in Great Britain with her future husband Kevin, who she came back here to marry.

A vegan for life handbag hangs off a guest's chair

The timing of the wedding was very auspicious for me, as I got to go take a Jivamukti yoga intensive the next morning right up the road from the sanctuary. It turns out Jivamukti founders Sharon Gannon and David Life live within a short bike ride from Woodstock Sanctuary! Every year they host a month of intensive classes at their Wild Woodstock Ashram home studio. I got to officially meet Sharon and David, which was an honor. I gave them a cd containing the Vegan Radio Podcast I produced featuring Jivamukti yoga in New Orleans.

Upon Sharon’s urging one of her friend’s and advanced yogini named Julie Kirkpatrick took me to visit the Catskill Animal Sanctuary that is a few miles from WFAS. I am slightly embarrassed that I have never been there, since I am known as a photographer of sanctuary animals and it is so close to Woodstock. I guess I feel a fierce devotion to my friends Jenny and Doug and their sanctuary. But as with all love, the more we share the more we find in our reserves. I did not take any photos on this trip but I am now resolved to return in the future and spend some time photographing the critters there.

All in all it was a great weekend, spent with good friends and practicing the yoga that I connect to the most. I feel so lucky, as if the universe arranges itself in a lovely asana just to tickle my fancy. Of course it will slap me down to size every now and again too. Annica, annica! Petrina and Kevin, I wish you all the best as you spread your vegan happiness across the ocean. Just come back to visit us every now and again.

Bride with Annie the goat

Kevin and Petrina being playful by the river