Sharing is good!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again (and again, and again, and again...) -- I absolutely love working with creative couples to construct a wedding ceremony that is something truly unique and individualized to them!

Right now I'm working with an amazing couple, Jennie and Tan, who just so happen to live in Australia. They've written a blog post about working with me, how we met, and how much fun we're having, and I just had to share it!  

Here's the link -- enjoy!

http://jenandtanwedding.blogspot.com/2013/10/excuse-me-i-think-word-youre-searching.html?spref=fb

When you read their blog, this will make sense!

Creativity in your wedding ceremony?  Absolutely!
What better way to get your celebration off to a great start?!

Stay tuned for more details!

Until next time....

Good Things Come in Small Packages!

Every couple I have the pleasure of working with has a different wedding in their minds, which is what makes my job so interesting!  Whether it's an elegant affair for a large group -- a medium-size party for special family and friends -- or a small, intimate gathering for just the bride and groom, and maybe a few others, every single wedding deserves to have a wedding ceremony that is perfectly fitted to the couple, and their desires.  

I wanted to blog today about a number of intimate weddings I've performed recently, some of which involved working with couples from out of town, and in some cases, out of the country!  It's so much fun to work with a couple from a long distance, then get the honor to not only meet them in person, but be a part of such an important day in their lives.

For most of the intimate ceremonies I perform, I have the pleasure of working with a great photographer and good friend, Celeste Sheaffer of Celeste's Photography, who specializes in intimate ceremonies. She has a friendly and gentle manner that enables couples to be comfortable, which allows her to get great, personal shots!

Gina & Phil are from New York State, and were looking for a small, personal wedding where they could include their own vows that would express their feelings for each other.  On a warm August day at the beautiful International Palms Resort in Orlando, they shared some of the most heartfelt vows I've ever heard in all my years of officiating!  With only two other family members on hand, they had the wedding of their dreams -- gentle, intimate and joyful!

A few days later, a couple from Liverpool, England, Kacey and Chris, tied the knot at beautiful Gemini Springs Park in DeBary.  I offer a package that includes officiant and photography services, which is exactly what they were looking for!  They enjoyed the natural beauty of the park, and then headed back to the resort area for the rest of their stay.

And a few days later, another couple from the UK, Jennifer and Terry, were married at beautiful Leu Gardens in Orlando, with only her parents and sister in attendance.  Although the day was hot, they enjoyed the gardens and their ceremony, which included a Blending of the Sands in Terry's favorite soccer team colors!

And, last but not least, Carla and Matt had an amazingly beautiful, humor-and-pun filled, joyful ceremony at Kraft Azalea Garden in Winter Park, with only their family members in attendance.  The park is right on a lovely lake and has gigantic oaks and a pillared arch that's just perfect for intimate ceremonies.  

Each ceremony was small in attendance, but large in heart -- and here's a fact I saved until the last of this blog post -- the reason that I have a soft spot for intimate ceremonies is that my husband and I eloped, with just the two of us and our officiant, way back in 1974!  

Until next time ... 

Mawwiage -- and an Amazingly Creative Wedding!

Every single ceremony I have the privilege to be involved with is different and special -- and, every once in a while, one comes along that is truly so unique and spectacular that I just have to share it in detail -- so this post may be a little longer than my usual!

When I met with Giselle and David a few months prior to their wedding, we made an "instant" connection -- they are one of those wonderful couples who are so warm, friendly and honest, that you can know them for five minutes and feel like you've known them for years!  

Are they a cute couple, or what?!  

Their ceremony and reception took place at the Enzian Theater in Maitland, so from the get-go, this was definitely going to be a wedding "off the beaten aisle." The Enzian is an amazing movie theater that offers tables and big, comfy chairs -- you can watch a movie and have a bite to eat at the same time.  They offer classic movies, along with the types of movies you usually don't see in standard theaters -- just perfect for a couple looking for a different type of wedding!

The entrance sign to The Enzian

A table setup -- note the booth-type setup in the back!

David & Giselle wanted to have their ceremony and food inside the comfort of the air-conditioned theater (after all, it was August!), but they also wanted their guests to have outdoor fun -- so they chose to have several outdoor games on the lawn at the Enzian, which has a large lawn with lots of beautiful old oak trees.  Games included Bocce Ball, Corn Hole, Giant Jenga and Ladder Ball -- something for everyone! Also outside was a wheelbarrow filled with seeds, as a gift for guests to take home -- so original!  David is a landscape architect, so it was truly a fitting idea. 

As their guests arrived at the ceremony, they were greeted by Giselle & David's names in lights -- there was no way you could not know where the ceremony was going to take place -- but that was just the beginning of the magic!

How cool is this to have at the entrance to your wedding?!

They had decorated the lobby of the theater with lots of movie-themed decorations, and on their sign-in table, they had lots and lots of vintage postcards --they asked each guest to write a greeting, advice, or whatever they wanted, on a postcard,and put it into a vintage box.  

What a great idea -- rather than a guest book,
having guests leave a message to always keep!

As their ceremony began, the lights dimmed -- and an introductory movie was played -- what an AMAZING way to start a wedding ceremony!  Every single guest (including me!) was just blown away!  You've GOT to check this out!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zqbn1cc9CtU

Here's the front stage/screen area, where the movie played
and the ceremony took place!

The movie ended, and the music began, as David was escorted into the theater by his parents -- followed by Giselle and her parents.  David & Giselle walked up the steps to the stage, where we began the ceremony.

And their ceremony -- oh my, it was full of smiles and laughter!  It included a reading from Albert Eistein about love and relativity --

"Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love.
How on earth can you explain in terms of chemistry and
physics so important a biological phenomenon as love?

Put your hand on a stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour.
Sit with that special girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute.
THAT'S relativity."  

When it was time to take their vows, Giselle & David performed "Rock, Paper, Scissors" to decide who would say their vows first -- what an original idea! Their vows included so many personal references, and were not only humorous, but so touching.  

And the joy on their faces as they were pronounced husband and wife -- oh, my -- so radiant!  

As they came off the stage, the first thing they did was greet and hug their parents, and then they went from table to table, hugging and greeting their guests -- such a warm way to begin their celebration!

As I left the Enzian, I was smiling all over -- and I could see their guests coming out, ready to play some lawn games.  

David & Giselle, your wedding will be one that will always remain in my memory as unique, warm and wonderful!  May the two of you continue to share the joy of your wedding day for all your years together!

I've been Podcasted!

Last October, I officiated at one of the most creative, fun, amazing ceremonies ever -- Jackie and Chris were married in  a Disney "Memories" ceremony at Disney's Grand Floridian Hotel.  We had SO much fun working on their ceremony, which included a verse about love being like a roller coaster (since they're both roller coaster nuts), along with references to the Haunted Mansion, where they had gotten engaged. Little did I know that Jackie's love of Disney would one day lead me to be interviewed for the Disney Wedding Podcast!

Don't you just LOVE Jackie's dress and flowers?

There was a Haunted Mansion charm in the middle!

With their wedding being so unique, Jackie was interviewed by Carrie Hayward of the Disney Wedding Podcast, and one of the questions was about her ceremony -- which, thanks to her glowing review, led to Carrie seeking me out for an interview about not just Disney Weddings, but also questions about how to choose an officiant and make a ceremony unique.

Well, I certainly consider these two points of highest importance when it comes to a couple's wedding, so I was honored and happy to speak with her -- and here's the link!

http://disneyweddingpodcast.com/2013/08/07/vendor-spotlight-officiant-renee-silverman/

Do I sound excited to be able to talk about my passion for officiating one-of-a-kind wedding ceremonies?  To borrow a Midwest expression --

"You Betcha!"

I'll say it every time -- I just LOVE what I do!  Being able to make a couple's wedding ceremony unique and memorable is an honor and a pleasure!

Creativity and Cake!

With July bringing a slowdown of wedding ceremonies due to Florida's blistering heat, it's a great time for me to work on the upcoming Fall Wedding Season's ceremonies.  For me as a Wedding Officiant, the actual ceremonies may be scant, but the work of creating the ceremonies for the upcoming busy season manages to keep me pretty dang busy!

One of the things I love best about what I do is working with a couple prior to their wedding day to create a wedding ceremony that is a true reflection of who they are as a couple, and says what they want to have said as they are married.  No two ceremonies are ever exactly the same, which means that each ceremony must be created from scratch.  I liken it to baking a cake -- a standard cake mix will taste good, but a custom cake that's done from scratch will have that "extra touch" that makes it truly memorable and extra-delicious!

A nice cake, but....

Look at the difference when you have a...

Gorgeous Custom Cake!
(Created by Cake Designers, Sanford, FL)

To give you some examples of creative ceremonies I've got coming up, I've got everything from Carl Sagan to Drs. Who and Seuss -- Winnie-the-Pooh to The Hobbit -- a proposal that took place on a cliff, to puns and references to alligators and mosquitoes -- the list goes on and on, but you get the idea!  

I say it every time -- I absolutely LOVE what I do -- and helping a couple create a one-of-a-kind memorable wedding ceremony is the icing on the cake!

Stormy Outside, Sunny Inside!

An outdoor ceremony is always beautiful, especially at a lovely venue like Casa Feliz in Winter Park, Florida -- but sometimes, in spite of our plans, Mother Nature has other ones in store!

Amanda & Francisco's wedding was supposed to be outside, but about an hour before their ceremony time, the storm clouds began to gather, and it became obvious that things would have to be moved inside.  Thankfully, Casa Feliz has a beautiful, intimate indoor spot for ceremonies, so although it wasn't their original plan, they still had a beautiful spot for their ceremony!


Thankfully, before the storm began, they had chosen to have a "First Look," so their photographer, the amazing Heather Rice of Heather Rice Photography, was able to capture a good amount of photos before the lightning, thunder and rain rolled in!

Are they adorable, or what?!

We had worked together on a wonderfully customized ceremony, which began with a nod to how they met -- "Who would have thought that reaching for an engineering textbook in a bookstore would have led to this day?"  It started their ceremony off with a gentle chucke, and from there, it became more tender -- and as a tear came from Amanda's eye, Francisco wiped it with such sweetness!

Their Sand Ceremony celebrated the two of them coming together, along with a third color that represented their future children -- a truly unique and wonderful touch!

And oh, the wonderful kiss as they were pronounced husband and wife -- so full of joy!

So, we let the thunder, lightning and rain roll on -- it was sunny and bright inside!

There were sunflowers everywhere in their decor, including inside!

Congratulations, Amanda & Francisco -- may your life together be filled with sunshine and happiness!

I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, Do, Do, Do, Do, Doo!!!

Every single wedding ceremony that I perform is special and unique -- my philosophy is that each couple is unique, so their wedding ceremony should be, too!

And, every once in a while, I have a couple whose joy and enthusiasm make for a ceremony that doesn't go exactly as scripted!  Shana & Howard's wedding at the beautiful Rose Garden at Leu Gardens in Orlando was one of those ceremonies -- and what an amazing time it was!

Prior to their wedding day, the three of us worked beautifully together to create their ceremony -- they had great ideas and contributions they wanted to include, and the end product was a great script that we were all thrilled with!  

On their wedding day, I arrived as photos were being taken -- they had a "First Look" session, which is such a great idea -- and Shana & Howard greeted me with big hugs. I met their families, and as the photographer gathered the group for a photo, Shana shouted "Wait -- I want Renee in the picture, too!"  Wow -- I was so honored -- in all of my years of officiating, that's only the second time that's ever happened!

Here we are before the ceremony!

The time for the ceremony arrived, and we gathered for the processional.  Shana began to get teary -- Howard gently wiped her tears, and they whispered to each other so lovingly -- their sense of excitement was palpable!  

Howard and I walked down the aisle, and waited for Shana's arrival. The radiance on her face was amazing!

Things began with the two of them hugging and kissing with joy -- definitely not in the script, but it was amazing, and so spontaneous and natural -- they were simply overjoyed to be getting married!

They had a friend sing an a capella aria from "The Marriage of Figaro" that raised goose bumps -- then, after I welcomed their guests, a friend read a beautiful verse called "Why Marriage?" that had a lot of meaning to them.  

Then, as the scripted part of their ceremony began, it became obvious to me that although we had selected wording and direction, things needed to be modified so that their absolute joy could be acknowledged, and be a part of the event.  So, with the outline in mind, the ceremony turned into a very "interactive" experience between me, the two of them, and their guests. The essence of the ceremony remained, but with the flexibility of allowing for actions and wording that enhanced the ceremony, it made for something that I (and, I hope, the two of them and their guests) will never, ever forget!  I still can't find the proper words to describe it!  It's something that rarely happens -- but when it does, it's magic!

As they walked back down the aisle to Colbie Caillat's "I Do," I'm not sure whether they were dancing, or floating on air -- it was that high an experience!

I can't wait to share some photos from Howard & Shana's wedding -- but in the meantime, here's a great pic that shows their joy and playfulness!

It was a hot day, so Howard was helping Shana stay cool!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- I LOVE what I do -- and wonderful couples like Shana and Howard are the reason why!  

May the two of you share a long, loving life together, filled with all of the joy you shared with us on your wedding day!