Thursday, September 29, 2016

The First Look

While many couples opt to do their first look before the ceremony, I still have the occasional wedding where they go the traditional route. Tony and Angela decided not to see each other before the ceremony on their wedding day. The look on Tony's face when he sees his bride is absolutely perfect, 




Thanks to Mantas Ivanauskas Photography for sharing what I think is one of my all-time favorite photos. This could also be attributed to the fact that Tony happens to be one of my favorite people. But either way. this picture is great. 

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

I'm a Guest Blogger! - Tips for Personalizing Your Wedding Ceremony

I was invited by the wonderful Greatest Expectations to write a blog post about personalizing your wedding ceremony. So, of course, I did!

The article covers several ways to make your ceremony a reflection of the two of you, including music, readings, and unique rituals. 

Photo by Julia Franzosa Photography
So, what are you waiting for?

Head on over and read my article, The Perfect “I Do” for You- How to Personalize Your Wedding Ceremony 

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

20 Questions to Ask a Wedding Officiant - and a Few to Ask Yourself

You've picked the date and secured the perfect venue. You know exactly what kind of cake you'll have. You're narrowing down your choices for a DJ. So, what are you missing? 

Oh, yeah..... someone has to officiate your wedding ceremony!


There are so many choices for officiants, so 
how do you know if you've found the right person? They key to this is asking the right questions. 

When you sit down with a potential officiant, you are meeting this person to see whether you're a good match. Be sure to use the consultation as an opportunity to ask questions. Learn as much as you can about the person who will be responsible for one of the most important moments in your life. 


Here is a list of questions that should help you pick the right officiant:

 
1.    Did you go through any formal training in order to officiate ceremonies?
 
2.    Are your ceremonies any different from those of other officiants?
 
3.    Do you officiate other ceremonies besides weddings?
 
4.    What was one of your favorite wedding ceremonies?
 
5.    Would you ever turn down a couple's invitation to perform their ceremony? If so, for what reason?
 
6.    How would you describe your ideal couple?

7.    Have you ever had things go wrong during a ceremony? How did you handle it?
 
8.    What do you think is your main responsibility as an officiant?
 
9.    What's the best compliment a wedding guest ever gave you?
 
10. What was the funniest or oddest moment in a wedding you celebrated?
 
11. How much control (or input) do we have over the final ceremony?

12. What are your thoughts on a rehearsal? Do you charge extra for running a rehearsal?

13. Do you need a microphone on the wedding day?

14. Will you be staying for the rehearsal dinner and/or reception?

15. Have you ever been late or missed a wedding? If so, what happened?

16. How many weddings do you officiate in a day?

17. Have you ever co-officiated a ceremony with another officiant? If not, would you be willing to do so?

18. Do have any restrictions for us or any of our wedding professionals? (Ex: No flash photography.)

19. What is your fee and what does the fee include?

20. Would you tell us a bit about yourself? 


After the consultation, be sure to take some time to sit down and talk about your meeting. Compare notes and be sure you and your future spouse are on the same page. 


You may want to ask yourselves a few questions. Such as...


Does this person’s personality and approach match ours?

Will this person make us feel comfortable on our wedding day?
  
Does he/she seem prepared and professional?

Is he/she enthusiastic about our wedding?

Does he/she seem interested in us as a couple and in making our ceremony special?

Can we trust this person to make our ceremony run smoothly?

I hope this list comes in handy. Good luck with your search! (And if you would be kind enough to excuse a professional plug - be sure you speak to a Life-Cycle Celebrant!)

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Couples' Choice Award 2016

Thank you to my wonderful couples for this honor!
So excited to have received this award for the 7th year in a row.