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!