When we started our Collaboration Collection, we knew we had to work with Maclaine Capshew (now Maclaine Noah). We’ve always admired Maclaine’s attention to design, her knack for photography, and her way with words – it was an easy decision to collaborate with her on our newest bridal scarf!
On our first brainstorming call, we threw out ideas for bold florals, hidden Catholic details, swirly script, color schemes, and more. With the year being 2022, we’re seeing more brides than ever with so many post-pandemic weddings! We wanted to create a scarf that could accompany brides on their way to the altar.
As we dreamed up the scarf’s purpose, Maclaine noted how easy it is to get caught up in wedding planning – rather than focusing on the sacrament itself: “During the engagement season, I was always focused on what came next in wedding planning. I needed a way to ground myself in the sacrament of marriage.”
We thought, why not create a scarf that puts the focus back on the sacrament of marriage?
We’d like to formally introduce you to our Cana scarf, aptly named after the Wedding Feast at Cana. Our hope is that this scarf will serve as a tool for helping any woman remember the beauty of her vocation, no matter what stage of life she is in. Whether you’re a soon-to-be-bride, a single woman traversing the dating scene, or a wife of many years, the Cana scarf is a way you can incorporate the vocation of marriage into your physical expression of self. It’s a unique, tangible reminder of your vocation, helping you to have reverence for it, and allow you to incorporate your faith into your day-to-day life.
These details were etched into the design of the Cana scarf, with creamy whites and gold coloring inspired by Revelation 21’s ornate and exquisite bride. Maclaine wanted to incorporate the sanctuary lamp in the gold border of the scarf’s design, stating, “The sanctuary lamp in each church is my favorite thing to focus on in engagement, as it’s what points us to where Jesus is in the tabernacle.”
God told Moses that a lamp filled with the pure oil should perpetually burn in the Tabernacle (Ex 27:20-21). This is the precedent for the Catholic Church’s custom of burning a candle (at all times) before the tabernacle – the gold house where the Eucharistic Body of Christ is reserved under lock and key. As the bride walks down the aisle, she will notice the burning candle indicating the presence of the true Bridegroom. In her “yes” to her vocation, she seeks to be a sanctuary candle, eternally burning beckoning the world to draw near to Christ. For the married woman, this is externally expressed in the family which reflects the love of the Trinity (this eternal giving and receiving of love between the Divine Persons).
Next you'll notice blue streams of water coming from the corners of the scarf. This is a reflection of the blood and water which gushed forth from the side of the crucified Christ (as foreshadowed during the Wedding at Cana in which water is turned into wine.) This parallels Christ being the center, pouring out His life for His Bride—the Church— she who is born from the side of her Groom just as Eve was created from the rib of Adam. His abundant mercy pours forth, overflowing our cup of need and desperation. Christ steps into our desperation to provide beyond our expectation.
You will see script around the borders. The text perfectly summarizes the scarf, and comes from “Companions For Eternity,” by A.M. Carre:
“The sacrament of marriage while nourishing our life in grace will direct a power especially to love so that the heart of God may beat in man's heart. Here at Mass the sacramental bond between man and his Savior and the temporal bond between the spouses are closely knit together.”
With any Litany scarf, you can rest assured that gorgeous florals will be involved. The florals in the Cana scarf point to the Heavenly Wedding Feast. The roses are an offering to Christ and the lilies reflect the purity and courage of St. Joseph who guards the family. The delicate baby's breath flowers indicate the promise of eternal life and the breath of the Holy Spirit who sustains us.
Maclaine explains, “This scarf is a way to remember what marriage prep or pre-Cana is all about: getting closer to the Trinity. Engagement is about discerning if this is a lifelong covenant you want to enter into, not about perfecting your wedding day.”
We all start in a family, whatever our state in life – marriage matters to all of us. We are all made to enter into the eternal Wedding Feast of the Lamb. We hope to reclaim the significance of the vocation of marriage through this gorgeous scarf, one-of-a-kind scarf.
Buy the Cana scarf now. Size 22x22. Size 40x40.