A Lovely Wedding Show!

Last night I attended a smaller bridal show -- The Bridal Ball, at the beautiful Lake Mary Events Center.  I must say that this show was VASTLY different from the huge show I attended in January, and was much more to my liking.  To me, a wedding is a very personal event -- not a production -- and the "vibe" at this show was very much in that vein.  I spoke with some wonderful vendors, enjoyed the ambiance, and made the decision that I will definitely display at shows like these.  To me, it's about "quality," not "quantity," and the ability to connect with brides and grooms on a more personal level at a smaller event is worth it!

Wedding Show Wow!

I must admit, in spite of my 34 years experience in officiating at weddings, I've never attended a bridal show.  Yesterday was my first experience -- I attended the largest bridal show in Central Florida.  All I can say is wow -- what a turnout!  The venue was packed with people, all looking around for what I assume were the best vendors for their wedding.
It was a learning experience for me, which was wonderful, and I met some great folks.  I'm looking forward to attending some smaller shows, to see if it's more in line with my philosophy of being able to speak with couples on a more personal level.
I'd be interested to hear from other wedding people out there about their opinions of bridal shows -- the good, the bad, and the ugly!

A Wonderful Surprise!

This evening, I booked a wedding with a wonderful young couple, based on just our phone conversation.  When it's a "good match," you can feel it just by speaking -- and this was one of those times!  They're getting married at the Lake Mary Events Center on April 6, 2011.

One of the things I always ask couples is how they found me.  This bride mentioned that she had Googled "Intimate, Personalized Ceremonies," and my information had come up.  After we hung up, intrigued, I Googled the same, and came to a wedding website where I have a listing.

I was amazed to see that on the website, there was a review from a bride I had served back in November, also at the Lake Mary Events Center.  Not only was I happy to see a review, but when I read it, her kind words just blew me away!

My husband and I were married on November 6th 2010 at the Lake Mary Event Center. The best decision we made throughout the entire process was having Renee Silverman from A Lovely Ceremony perform the marriage. She is truly amazing! She was so attentive to Kyle and I and she cared about what we wanted for our ceremony. She took the time to get to know us which made the wedding that much more special. You can really tell she loves what she does. All of our guests made numerous comments on how beautiful the ceremony was and how genuine Renee is. We could not be happier with how it turned out and are very grateful! So if you are getting married or want to renew your vows go to Renee Silverman and you will not be sorry! Thank you Renee!

Wow!  Thank YOU, Natalie and Kyle!  I always say -- I LOVE what I do!

 
  
 



 

I LOVE what I do!

Yesterday, I received a surprise package from the UPS man!  I opened it up, and when I saw what was inside, it brought happy tears to my eyes -- it was a beautiful, stained/cut/pearlized glass jewelry box, from a couple I married on August 25th.  What made it even more incredible was the engraving on the top -- and the emotion behind it.

I truly love what I do -- and to receive this kind of acknowledgment is so very special.  Not to sound idealistic or flowery, but I truly do want to make every couple's wedding ceremony something that is uniquely theirs, and for them to be happy with what is being said as they are being married.  

It's wonderful that there are so many different types of weddings, so that each couple can have what they desire the most.  Each couple is different -- and what is most important to me as an officiant is their joy as they are married.  After all, the ceremony is the very beginning of their married life together -- so getting it off to a great start is top priority for me!

Busy, and loving it!

Yesterday was a very busy day -- at the end of the day, I was both pooped and pumped!  The day started off with the beautiful beachside wedding of Floyd and JoAnne.  They're from Minnesota, and had rented a house right on Flagler Beach.  The weather was "iffy," and since they had a beautiful deck facing the sea oats, beach and ocean, along with a decorated arch, they decided to have their ceremony on the deck.  Their ceremony included many verses, along with their own written vows -- and was a bit on the long side.  Well, halfway through the ceremony, Floyd asked if we could stop for a moment so that he could wipe his face -- that ol' Florida heat and humidity, along with normal nervousness, mandated a break!  Of course, we paused the ceremony until he was able to use a washcloth to wipe his face -- and then we went on!  It was a wonderful, heartfelt ceremony, attended by his son and her son -- intimate and wonderful!
The afternoon found me meeting with Sarah and Don, who are getting married on October 14th in DeLand.  Not only are THEY being married on that date, but her brother and his fiancee are coming in from Alaska, and after Sarah and Don's ceremony, they will be married as well!  It's going to be a wonderful occasion.  I really enjoyed speaking with Sarah and Don -- in fact, our original one-hour meeting turned into 2 1/2 hours before we knew it.  They're a wonderful, down-to-earth couple who have an obvious love and respect for each other, and I'm really looking forward to working with them.
So -- today I'm enjoying a day off, getting errands run and catching up on some other work.  But boy, do I love being busy with officiating work -- making couples happy makes ME happy!

Jumping Into the Blogosphere!

Well, here goes -- my first foray into the world of blogging!  Although you can learn a lot about my passion of Wedding Officiating from my website, www.lovelyceremony.com, my hope is that by blogging, brides and grooms can learn from what I write, and realize the importance of having an individualized wedding ceremony as opposed to a "cookie-cutter" one.  My philosophy is that each couple has their own story, and that no two couples are alike -- therefore, a wedding ceremony should reflect a couple's special, unique relationship, and should have elements that are pertinent and personal to them.  One size does NOT fit all!
Okay, before I get up on my soapbox, I'll close this first posting.  Please stay tuned for more op-ed views from the officiant's point of view!  Enjoy!