Wedding Show Sunday!

Well, I'm about to take a dive into the wonderful world of Bridal Shows -- this Sunday, August 26th, I'll have a table at the Central Florida Bridal Association show, "A Bridal Show to Remember -- Something Blue."  The show is being held at the Rosen Centre Hotel, 9840 International Drive, Orlando, Florida, from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m.

Although I've been officiating weddings for over 35 years, having a table at a bridal show is a first for me!  I've been working diligently on table decor, a slideshow for brides to view, and a door prize.  My wonderful friends Teena & Cyd showed me how to make a gift basket, and it's a beauty!

www.lovelyceremony.com

The basket is filled with goodies, and has the cutest verse card that explains its contents:

"The towels represent the warmth you feel, wrapped in each other's embrace,

The candle represents the glow of love, which shows by the look on your face,

The music represents harmony, though problems may sometimes arise,

The drink and the glasses represent your love, that improves as time goes by,

There's one more thing, most important of all, so keep these silver goods handy,

For most of all, any problems seem minor when you're sharing some kisses and candy!"

Come by and see me -- it's going to be a great show!

 

Lovely Weekend Weddings!

This weekend should be called "Short-Notice Wedding Weekend!"
For the most part, the couples I marry book me well in advance, but this weekend brought me two weddings with only a few days' notice for each.  Of course, even with short notice, I spoke with each couple to get to know them, so that I could add personal touches to their ceremonies. 

Rita & Mike had originally planned to marry this past December, but due to a death in Mike's family, their plans had to be postponed.  When Rita re-contacted me, and asked me if I was available in just a few days, I was happy to accomodate her.  She and Mike were married in the early morning at beautiful Gemini Springs -- just me and the two of them -- and their wedding was one of the most touching I've ever done!  They were both so thrilled to finally get married -- and as she put his ring on his finger, she leaned down and kissed his ring and his hand.  I must say, I got a little misty-eyed! 



Ampai and Jacob got married in the afternoon, and thankfully had an indoor wedding.  It was small and intimate -- a few friends and family -- who had decorated their home beautifully for the ceremony.  Their radiant faces were a joy to behold!

My thoughts for this post?  Whether you're having a well-planned-in-advance wedding, or something small and simple, what's most important is that you're getting married to someone you truly love, and who loves you.  One size wedding and ceremony does NOT fit all!



A Rock 'n Rollin' Ceremony!

I'm working on an amazing, one-of-a-kind wedding ceremony that's going to take place at Disney's Grand Floridian in October.  The bride and groom are self-professed "roller coaster nuts," and want to include references to roller coasters in their ceremony!  My creative juices are having a ball!

I've found several roller coaster verses that fit very well into the "love is like a roller coaster" theme -- I wonder how many other couples have had these kinds of references in their ceremonies?  I imagine that between Disney, Universal, and Sea World, each with their own roller coasters, that I won't be the first officiant in the Orlando area to do this -- or will I?

 

The Importance of the Interview/Consultation

This evening, I met with a wonderful couple who are getting married in November.  One of the first things I do when I speak with a couple is to get to know them, to see what they are like together, hear their "story," and let them tell me about what they would like to have in their wedding ceremony.

As an officiant, I feel that my first priority, and obligation, is to the bride and groom.  I want them to be happy with their ceremony -- to feel it's something that's been specially tailored to the two of them, and says what they want to have said as they become husband and wife.

I realize that not all couples feel this way -- some couples prefer the "tried-and-true" route, with wording that is traditional -- and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!  However, most of the couples who I have the honor of working with want to work with me on a ceremony that's as individual as they are -- and that's the couples that I really love working with the most!

What is important, no matter what, is that a couple who are being married have a consultation with the officiant who is going to be conducting their ceremony, to be sure that they are going to be happy with the person they choose.  The wedding ceremony is the heart and soul of the wedding day -- having a consultation and/or interview with your officiant is something that should be at the top of the list!

 

A Short & Sweet Post -- for a Lovely Review!

I officiated at a wonderful, intimate ceremony at the Walt Disney World Polynesian Resort a little over a week ago, for a wonderful couple from North Dakota who searched through many officiants before finding me.  One of the things that I feel makes my services as an officiant a bit different from the "average" is that I spend a lot of time with the couples I marry, to get to know them as people and to work with them to make their wedding ceremony something truly suited to the two of them. 

Without further fanfare, here's their review from Wedding Wire:

My husband and I recently married at Disney's Polynesian Resort through Disney's Fairytale Weddings. Being from North Dakota, we planned an intimate destination wedding. Disney provided us with a list of vendors, but we were unsatisfied with the selection of officiants. We were blessed to come across Renee and her services through weddingwire.com, A Lovely Ceremony, and she provided just that! She was always available for long distance planning via email, cell phone, and Skype. She was kind and was willing to travel over 2 hours to pick up our wedding license when ours failed to be delivered on time in ND. She really personalized our ceremony and helped coordinate our events. Renee's kindness and dedication to providing a truly unique ceremony for a couple is what makes her an excellent officiant. She is just an outstanding lady to work with and recommend her for anyone who is interested in having a beautiful, "lovely ceremony."

Photos will follow in another blog post, but I was so honored by this review that I had to share it immediately!  This is why I LOVE what I do!  

 

 

Slacking on the blog...

Okay, I admit it -- I haven't been keeping up with blogging, and there's no one to blame for it but ME!  The days just seem to go by so quickly, and before I know it, I realize it's been a long time since my last post.  

I've got so many weddings to blog about -- each one different, and each one joyful in its own way -- let me start with a wedding ceremony that was traditional-looking on the outside, but had wonderful humor all the way through!

Here I am, coming down the aisle -- I'm smiling because I know what's going to be coming!

 Ted and Patricia were married in the Rose Garden at Leu Gardens, a wonderfully beautiful botanical park in Orlando.  Their wedding was on April 15th, which fell during a weekend -- Ted works for the IRS, so of course, we included a line or two about why they chose this particular date for their wedding!

But what made their ceremony really humorous were references to Sponge Bob!  On their first date, after a movie, they stopped in at a toy store near the theater, and both of them immediately headed to the Sponge Bob toys.  They knew then that they were meant to be together! 

Besides being so in love, what's wonderful about Ted & Patricia is that they are also best friends -- an important factor in any marriage!  Their ceremony included lots of references to friendship, and also included a Sand Ceremony with their mothers forming the base of the sand in their vase.

Ted was so happy to be marrying Patricia that he answered each one of my questions with an "I Do" without even waiting for me to finish!  He was so thrilled, he just couldn't wait!

The part of the ceremony that was the most fun, by far, was when Patricia put the ring on Ted's finger -- on his right hand!  After a small whisper from me, some laughs from the guests, and Ted putting his left hand out (I referenced it as "the other right hand"), Patricia successfully placed the ring on his finger.

 As I pronounced them husband and wife, the kiss they shared was so sweet and wonderful -- I don't think there was a dry eye in the house!

Thank you, Ted and Patricia, for choosing me to be a part of your joyful day -- may you never stop playing with Sponge Bob toys!