Carla & Steve - Gamers Get Married!

Carla and Steve's wedding ceremony at European Crystal was everything a ceremony should be - sweet, fun, and completely "them."

They met in college at anime club, so it goes without saying that their ceremony would have lots of nerdy references. Their unique touches included music from favorite movies. It began with their parents and the wedding party walking in to "Storybook Love" from The Princess Bride and ended with them exiting to Harry Belafonte's "Jump the Line," popularized by the movie, Beetlejuice. 

The ceremony itself included quotes from Doctor Who, as well as mention of their favorite character from Dragonball Z - none other than Vegeta. They exchanged rings inspired by The Legend of Zelda, and even included the three elements of the Triforce - power, wisdom, and courage - in their vows.

After the vows, guests made wishes on blessing stones, which were then collected and poured into a vase. Carla and Steve then made their own wishes on heart-shaped stones and placed them on top. The blessing stone collection will be a keepsake for them - and a reminder of their special day and all those who shared it with them.

The wonderful Genevieve Lee of TrueLee Photography captured it all on film. You can see more photos of Carla & Steve's wedding by visiting their album on the TrueLee Facebook page.  

Congratulations, Carla & Steve!

Sonny & Sam's Gorgeous Outdoor Ceremony

Samantha & Sonny were married this past July at the lovely Royal Melbourne Country Club. The ceremony took place outside, under a wedding canopy adorned with a chandelier. It was exquisite! 

Their ceremony was a lovely blend of traditional and contemporary, and included a sand ceremony as well as a tea sharing ritual, in honor of Sonny's Chinese heritage. 


This beautiful wedding was featured on the Angel Eyes Photography blog, which you can see HERE! 

Laurie & Billy's Greenhouse Loft Wedding

Laurie & Billy's June wedding was featured on the Greenhouse Loft blog! See all the warm, wonderful wedding goodness HERE. 

Photo by Greenhouse Loft Photography

See You at Indie Wed - This Saturday!

Who's going to Indie Wed at the Ravenswood Event Center on Saturday? I AM!!! And if you're getting married, you should, too. 

While I won't be a vendor this year, I will be there visiting my pals and checking out all the amazing wedding goodness! Click HERE to see all the fantastic artists you'll get to see - and meet. 

Click HERE to get your tickets online.

See you there....

Erica & Brook's Greenhouse Loft Wedding

I had the honor of creating Erica and Brook's ceremony last October, which took place at the beautiful Greenhouse Loft. 

The couple met when they were both living in North Carolina, and eventually Erica's work brought them here to Chicago. They are such a great couple, who love to travel and and enjoy sharing many adventures. They have an incredible and exciting life ahead of them and I know it will be filled with laughter and love. 

Erica and Brook, I wish you all the best! In the words of Carl Sandburg, "Not always shall you be what you are now. You are going forward toward something great."

Take a look at their lovely wedding HERE, which included gorgeous flowers by Pollen. 

Photo by Greenhouse Photography

Katrina & Amanda's Vow Renewal

The rain may have dampened the garden, but we hardly noticed - there was too much love and laughter surrounding us! 

On July 1st, I had the joy and honor of doing a vow renewal ceremony for one of my favorite couples and sweet friends, Katrina & Amanda. They were a part of the Under a New Moon civil union wedding three years ago. This summer, on their anniversary, their civil union became a legal marriage! We celebrated with a ceremony - and their sweet little boy was there to make it that much more special.

Visit the Amanda Megan Miller Photography blog for more beautiful photos by Julia Franzosa. 

Photo by Julia Franzosa Photography

Congratulations, Millers! I am so happy to have been a part of your special day - and to be a part of your lives!

Missy & Sara's "Big Love Party!"

Photographer Rebecca Marie posted a lovely write-up about Sara & Missy's wedding earlier this month at Columbus Park Refectory. I was really looking forward to seeing this post, because I knew the pictures would be amazing. 

I was right! The photos are just breathtaking - especially the First Look shots.

Not only were Missy and Sara both gorgeous brides, their wedding was such an incredible celebration of love and support. They have a wonderful community and dubbed their wedding "The Big Love Party." 

I may be biased, but I just love this picture from the ceremony. That smile on Missy's face is just perfect!

Be sure to check out Rebecca Marie's blog for more photos!

Modern Family Wedding Photo Shoot!

So excited to see our Modern Family wedding photo shoot featured on the Sassy Chicago Weddings blog! Be sure to CLICK HERE to see all the shots of this incredibly happy and colorful event.

Below are photos, courtesy of Ocken Photography, of rituals that were included in the ceremony part of the stylized shoot. 

First, the couple participated in an adaptation of a food sharing ritual known as the Tasting of the Elements. In this ritual, various foods represent the "for better or for worse" of married life. In our version, the couple shared a variety of candies - including Hot Tamales to represent the heat of an argument 

As you can guess, the candy was a big hit with the kids!

We ended with a family sand ceremony. The dads and each of the kids picked a color to be layered in a tall vase. Not only was this fun for all the participants, the results yielded a bright and beautiful keepsake.

It was so much fun working with this couple and their adorable kids. And it didn't hurt that I had the opportunity to be back at Catalyst Ranch.

Thank you to Kerrie of Citygirl Weddings and Lauren from the Ranch for including me in this wonderful celebration of marriage equality! 

And a huge thank you to Ocken Photography for the wonderful photos!

Gorgeous Interfaith Wedding

This spectacular wedding was featured on the BRIDES website. The couple combined elements from their Jewish and Hindu backgrounds in the ceremony, which was officiated by a rabbi and a Hindu priest. A lovely example of how different cultures can be combined to create a beautiful and meaningful ceremony.

The gorgeous photos are by one of my favorite photographers, the awesomely talented Oriana Koren of Okrfoto. Click HERE to see more.

Photo by Okrfoto

Shannon & Steve's Geeky, Sweet, Whale of a Wedding!

When I met Shannon & Steve for our initial consultation, we hit it off immediately. By the end of our conversation, I knew I just had to be their Celebrant! We talked about their wedding - and just about everything else, ranging from comic books, Harry Potter, to pet cats. 

Their ceremony included many personal elements, including a handfasting. I also shares they story of Steve's proposal. He surprised Shannon with a Beluga Encounter at the Shedd Aquarium, which was something she had always wanted. What she didn't expect was that one of the belugas would play an important role in presenting the ring. 

All along the wedding planning process, I knew Steve wanted to add a secret element to the ceremony. This wound up being a helium shark (as a whale stand-in) to deliver the rings. And naturally, the shark's entrance was accompanied by the Jaws theme song, thanks to the always fantastic DJ Harsh.

In a addition to this fun surprise, the ceremony also included quotes from The Princess Bride, Harry Potter, and author Neil Gaiman. Can you tell why they became one of my favorite couples?!

Their gorgeous wedding, which took place at the lovely Hotel Arista in Naperville, is featured on the Angel Eyes Photography blog. Click HERE to check out the amazing pictures!

Steam Punk Wedding Goodness!

Do you appreciate architecture? Vintage settings? A turn-of-the-century vibe? 

Check out this photo from a recent steam punk-themed event hosted by Pleasant Home in Oak Park. Isn't this place gorgeous?! The 30-room Prairie Style house is available for weddings, and offers many options for your big day. The expansive front porch, which opens to a tree-filled park, is a great spot for your ceremony. The lovely, warm interior is an incredible choice for your wedding - in any season!

Now head on over to the Angel Eyes Photography blog to see the rest of the pictures! 

Getting Married? Here's What People Won't Tell You....

Thanks to my Celebrant colleague, Celia Milton, I just read a great article about weddings. I highly recommend that you read it, too.


25 Things Wedding Photographers Wish You Knew has some excellent advice. And these are things all wedding professionals wish you knew, but likely won't say so. 


Some of my favorites? 

#14 - Slow Down  

Yes! Relax. Have fun. Breathe. Things may go wrong. So what? The things that matter will be fine. The little things are not that big of a deal. Stop worrying. And slow down. Literally! You don't need to run down the aisle. 

#16 - Control Your Uncle Bob 

This one can't be stressed enough. I've seen an over-zealous uncle almost knock over a person from the wedding party - the GROOM! This poor groom was bumped into by the uncle, who remained oblivious behind his camera & just kept snapping those pix. 

And yes, the couple had a professional photographer. The uncle got in his way, too.

I have become a big fan of un-plugged weddings. I often recommend that we include a statement at the beginning of the ceremony, asking guests to put away phones & cameras and "be fully present."  

Thanks to Type A Images for writing this post. Now go read it, people! 

The Chicago History Museum Celebrates Marriage Equality With ONE LOVE!

Join me on April 10th at The Chicago History Museum for a wonderful evening dedicated to marriage equality! And don't forget to stop by and say hi to me! 

Getting Married? Get Committed!

Getting married? Looking for ways to keep it eco-friendly? Then you need to come check out Committed! 

This is a fantastic wedding show featuring wedding vendors who are all members of the Chicago Green Wedding Alliance. (Like me!) Not only will you get to meet some great like-minded wedding folks, there will be plenty of food to nibble on, drinks to sip, and more! 

While you're there, be sure to visit to the Rumpus Room, where there will be fun, hands-on activities. That's here I'll be hanging out as a volunteer for the event, so be sure to stop by and say HI! 

For tickets, click HERE

A Case for Unplugged Weddings

This past year, I have added language in my ceremonies asking guests to put away their phones & cameras. Now, I should explain that this is put into the 1st draft, which I send to the couple, and they have the option of removing it. I find that most people leave it in. They've heard the  stories. And I can vouch for it - the stories are TRUE.

Of course, not everyone with a smart phone or an iPad is rude. And yet, many people seem to forget their manners when they're at a wedding and they want to get that one "perfect shot." I've seen a camera-happy relative almost bump into the groom as the groom was pouring a glass of wine. I've seen a bride barely able to walk up the aisle because guests were stepping in front of her to take pictures. And I hear the clicking and snapping throughout the ceremony.

 So, my friends, please watch the video below. And don't be that guy.

Thanks to my colleague, Life Cycle Celebrant Cindie Wilding of Bird and Nest Ceremonies, for sharing this video!

Casey & Andi's Beautiful Downtown Chicago Wedding

I had the honor of being a part of Andi & Casey's gorgeous wedding this past June. The ceremony and reception too place at the Hotel Intercontinental and everything was absolutely stunning due to the creative touches of Engaging Events by Ali.

Casey and Andi are truly two of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet, and their wedding day was filled with so much love and happiness. It was such a joy to be able to celebrate with them.

They were kind enough to share their beautiful video, created by Highway 61 Films.


Casey + Andi - Feature Film - Intercontinental Chicago from Highway 61 Films on Vimeo.

Love This Photo!

I saw this on A Practical Wedding's Facebook page today and I just had to share. I am in love with this photo by Sarah Gormley Photography!! 

Photo by Sarah Gormley Photography

This is such a great way to use that old vinyl that's sitting in a box in your basement. 

Hmm ....I need to go dig out my old records.

Luis & Dan's Incredible Wedding Photos - with Bacon and Eggs Socks!

This past fall I officiated Luis and Dan's wedding ceremony at Uncommon Ground (known as the "Greenest Restaurant in America.")

They were lucky enough to hire the amazing Hilda of Angel Eyes Photography. Not only is she always fun to work with, I knew there would be amazing photos. Boy, was I right! 

Be sure to check out her blog post about the wedding. Don't you just love those bacon and egg socks? 

Here are a few photos in the meantime, but be sure to go to the blog for more!

Breakfast footwear

Handfasting during the ceremony

Luis and Dan light up the night!

If you need a photographer for your wedding, Hilda is fantastic. But you can already see that from her work. And did I mention how much fun she is??

Amy & Anthony's Summer Wedding at the Shedd

This summer I had the joy of marrying two lovely people, Amy and Anthony. We met when they were checking out the Shedd Aquarium as a potential venue and I was getting ready to officiate a ceremony. 

Anthony and Amy were so great to work with - sweet, thoughtful, and really fun! 

The photos of their wedding are featured on the Angel Eyes Photography blog, so be sure to check them out HERE. Hilda knows how to get people to relax and have fun and you can see it in her beautiful pictures.

Here are a few that you just have to see:

And did you notice the gorgeous flowers? Can you believe they were silk?? Neither could I - as you can see by my reaction. 

Congratulations, Amy & Anthony. I wish you a lifetime of love and laughter!

Hope to run into you at Panera some time! 

Eleven Eleven Giveaway - Connie and Jessie's Big Day!

Woo hoo!! Connie and Jessie are married!!

 I think I was just as excited as they were about their big day! I am happy to report that we made it through the ceremony without any crying or other disasters (see, Jessie, I told you so!) and had a great time. 

Here we are right after the ceremony at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. They were absolutely gorgeous in their custom-made dresses by Mignonette Bridal. 

They walked down the aisle to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."

See more of the gorgeous pix by Amanda Hein Photography on the Eleven Eleven Wedding Giveaway's page by clicking HERE.

Congratulations, Connie and Jessie. So glad to have been a part of your day - and to have you both in my life. I wish you a lifetime of joy, laughter and being right. And I will be around to make sure you're BOTH right sometimes.