A Magical, Movie-gal, Ceremony!

Happy October!  It's "Wedding Season" here in Florida, when the weather finally cools down, the torrential rains pretty much stop, and ceremonies can be held both outdoors and indoors!

I've got lots and lots of ceremonies this month, so this will be a short post -- but I just had to share a wonderful highlight video from Ingrid & Dwayne's amazingly beautiful ceremony at Disney's Wedding Pavilion in August!  Their ceremony had so many magical, personal touches that I'd have to post the entire ceremony for you to see them all -- but in respect for their privacy and the sanctity of their vows to each other, I'm just posting the highlights, so that you can see how a customized wedding ceremony is much different from a "typical" ceremony!

Ingrid and Dwayne are huge movie fans -- so listen carefully for the many movie references in their ceremony wording -- and watch their faces beam as those words are read!  Many of their guests may have thought that these were just ceremony words -- but they were much more!  And that's my goal as an officiant -- for your guests to enjoy your wedding ceremony, but for it to be truly special and meaningful for the two of you!  

Ingrid & Dwayne's Magical, Movie-gal, Wedding Ceremony


A special thanks to Bill Carnicelli of Unity Event Videography for this highlight video -- if you're looking for a wonderful videographer who's also an all-around great person, he's the one!  Here's a link to his website:  Unity Event Videography

Until next time.....

Magical Weddings All Around!

Oh, goodness -- I have been SO neglect in my blogging!  For those of you who are following me, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth -- there have been so many things happening in the past few months that blogging has been moved to the side shelf -- yep, it's full of dust, but I'm hoping to finish this post to let you know what's been happening!

First of all, and something VERY exciting, is the fact that I've become a "Preferred Officiant" for Disney Fairy Tale Weddings!  It's something I've been working on since 2007, and to have my name added to the list of other wonderful officiants is such an honor!  Not to mention, of course, the opportunity to work with couples who want to have the Disney Magic included in their wedding celebrations -- it's added a new layer of creativity to what I've been doing for the past thirty-seven years!  No job boredom for me, for sure!  

So, to catch you up with some of the amazing weddings I've officiated in the past several months, I'll start off with the amazing wedding of Ingrid and Dwayne, at the crown jewel of Disney properties -- The Wedding Pavilion!  

This is the entrance to The Wedding Pavilion
and also where the couple can exit to
flower petals or bubbles!

The inside of The Wedding Pavilion
can be decorated in so many
different ways, to suit the couple!

Ingrid and Dwayne are not only huge Disney people, but they also love movies -- so we incorporated both of those elements into their ceremony.  Much of the wording in their ceremony included Disney references and lines from movies that fit perfectly, and that only the two of them realized -- watching their eyes twinkling, and their smiles at each other as each of the phrases was used, was truly magical!  As they faced their guests after being pronounced husband and wife, they practically floated back down the aisle!

Presenting -- the new Mr. and Mrs!

What an exciting moment!

Disney weddings aren't the only ones that are magical -- Nicole & Adam's wedding at the amazingly unique Gallery J in Winter Springs was Rock 'n Roll Magic!  From the processional music by Def Leppard (everyone danced down the aisle, including me!), to references to The Hobbit, to the gigantic plastic 

diamond ring that Adam presented to Nicole, there wasn't a dull moment! 

Yes, I danced down the aisle!

Adam presented Nicole with a GIANT plastic diamond ring,

which got a huge laugh from everyone!

Guy and Michelle had a unique ceremony at the Orlando Science Center in May -- their ceremony began with a most unusual and whimsical reading, "The Lovely Dinosaur," which got things off to a great start!  And since they're both big on cooking wonderful vegan dishes together, they included a Pepper-Blending ceremony, which included green and beige peppers, their wedding colors.  

All of us laughed during "The Lovely Dinosaur" reading!

The Pepper Blending Ceremony was truly unique!

And for the last wedding in this post, Allison & Jarrod had an amazing, fun ceremony at Timacuan Country Club in Lake Mary.  To choose their two marriage license witnesses, they tossed two roses into where the guests were seated -- and the two guests who caught the flowers were the ones to sign their marriage license!  Their great senses of humor added so many wonderful touches to their ceremony -- and since Allison loves selfies, of course they included a giant Wedding Selfie!  What fun!

With all of these wonderful weddings (there are many more, but I don't want this to be a book, so I'll share more later!), I'm going to end my post on a personal note -- my wonderful husband, Ron, and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in May.  We took a dream cruise to Northern Europe and had a wonderful time!  I guess that's why I love weddings so much -- I'm a big believer in marriage, and so blessed with a wonderful husband!

We had a special dinner on board our cruise ship!

Okay, I'm going to try (not promise) that I'll blog more often in the future -- there are just SO many wonderful weddings to share!  Stay tuned, and stay well!

Until next time....

Renee Silverman, Officiant
A Lovely Ceremony

Serving Central Florida

(386) 717-0303

www.lovelyceremony.com 

Make Good Choices!

Well, I guess I could apologize and make excuses for not posting anything on my blog lately -- suffice it to say, this has been a VERY busy time for me, and I'll share some of the things that are happening in a later post.

I've seen this article on several websites and blogs, so I don't know who should get the credit, but please, if you're getting married, read this -- it has so much good information about how to choose the best wedding vendors/professionals for your wedding!  

8 QUESTIONS YOU MUST ASK A WEDDING PROFESSIONAL BEFORE BOOKING THEM

Hiring the right team is critical to planning your dream wedding…and it can also be quite stressful.

How do you find the right match for you? How do you know who to trust? Where do you go for advice?

First of all, this is not an easy task and it’s totally normal for couples to feel overwhelmed, frustrated or confused.
It’s not like you plan a wedding every day! This is all probably brand new to you, so be patient with yourself.

A few tips to finding the right ones for you…

Do Your Homework. You’ll get much more out of a meeting or conversation with a wedding professional if you do a little background homework first.

Spend some time on the internet or talking to friends who’ve recently been married. Find out the average prices in your area and what services are available. Get an idea of what you like and don’t like. Wedding websites and chat rooms can be a great resource. This way when you meet with a wedding professional you’ll be able to ask better questions and have an idea of what to look out for.

Meet With Them. An in person meeting is the best way to interview a potential wedding vendor. It lets you get the full experience of their personality, style and professionalism. If that’s not possible, have a phone conversation.

Ask Questions. There are no stupid questions! Make sure you get clear, specific answers to your questions. If you aren’t sure what something means, ask them to clarify. Keep asking questions until you completely understand.

If a wedding vendor has a problem with you asking questions, they probably aren’t the one for you. The best wedding professionals are patient, understanding and take the time to help you make the best choices for your wedding.

Listen. Don’t just hear the words they say, really listen. Watch the vendor’s body language. Are they confident and comfortable with their response? Do they look and sound nervous? Do you get a “funny feeling” about them? Take all the sights, sounds and feelings into account along with their responses; if your gut tells you something isn’t right, it probably isn’t.

Check References. Portfolios are hand-picked to show off the best work, but they may not represent the “average” wedding performance. Videos are edited for the optimum presentation. But real referrals from satisfied clients are hard to fake.

Ask around and search the internet for reviews. Not just the good ones but the bad ones, too. Be wary of vendors that have only “perfect” ratings. Any business that’s been around awhile will have a healthy mix of glowing reviews and honest feedback. That’s how businesses improve. If there is a negative feedback, check to see if the vendor responded, or ask them about it. Just be sure it’s not a trend. Check the Better Business Bureau for any outstanding complaints against the business. Weigh all of this information into your choices.

So, here are 8 Must Ask Questions to ask ALL your potential wedding professionals before booking:

1. How many weddings do you do per year? How much experience do you have?
This is an extremely important question. Ideally, your wedding professional should have ample experience specifically with weddings. Not only will they be more skilled in their craft, this also makes them a valuable source of information and ensures that your wedding day goes smoothly.

2. How much do you cost?

Price is often relative, especially when you factor in experience, reputation and expert skill. Generally, the most talented professionals have a higher price tag because they are worth it.

3. How much is the deposit?

4. What specifically is included in that cost?

 Because packages often vary, it’s likely that you won’t be able to compare one vendor exactly to the next without doing a little figuring. The lowest cost isn’t necessarily the best deal; some higher quotes include services that you have to pay extra for in other packages. Make sure you take this into account.

5. What happens if I cancel? What happens if you cancel? 

Find out if your deposit is refundable under any conditions. Does the wedding professional have a back up plan if something happens to them?

6. Do you use a contract? 

If the answer is No, RUN! A contract is designed to protect both you and the wedding professional. Don’t settle for a verbal agreement that won’t hold up in court.

7. Are there any additional fees?

Taxes, service charges and travel fees can add up quickly. Make sure you understand exactly what is included and if there are any other fees you’ll have to pay. This should be clearly defined in your contract.

8. Do you carry liability insurance?

The answer you’re looking for here is Yes. This protects you in case an unfortunate accident should occur on your wedding day. It’s also a sign that this is a reputable business, since most “fly by night” operations don’t invest in insurance.

If chosen wisely, with the right wedding vendors you'll have a wonderful wedding!

So, that's my short and sweet post for this time -- stay tuned for another one, hopefully soon!

Until next time ...

Hitting the Target!

Oh, how I love what I do -- working with couples on their wedding ceremonies is always interesting, because each couple has their own story of how they met, how they realized they loved each other, how they decided that they wanted to be married, and how, of course, they want their ceremony to be -- no two are ever alike!  

Kimmy and Adam had a particularly funny story -- they knew each other in high school -- and although they didn't date, they had a lot of mutual friends. Fast forward to six years later, and as both of them were getting into their cars at Target, they looked across the parking lot and recognized each other -- but Kimmy didn't want Adam to see her, because she was very casually dressed and didn't think she looked "presentable" -- and Adam didn't want to see Kimmy because he was in a hurry!  

Well, as fate would have it, they got into their cars, and as both of them looked up at the same time to make sure the other was gone, their eyes locked -- there was no way they could ignore the other -- and the rest is history!  

Naturally, we HAD to include the Target story in their ceremony -- and as I held the rings, I made a joke about the fact that I was surprised they weren't red, which made everyone laugh.  But that wasn't the only surprise in their ceremony!

On my way to the ceremony, I got a frantic call from Kimmy's Maid of Honor, who asked me whether the marriage license could be signed the next day -- unusual request -- yep, the license had been left at Kimmy's mother's house, about an hour from where the ceremony was taking place -- and it was rush hour!  

Well, the only way I can pronounce a couple husband and wife at the end of a ceremony is if I see that they have a valid marriage license -- and Kimmy and Adam certainly didn't want to be pronounced anything else but husband and wife -- so I put on my thinking cap and thought out of the box -- and it came to me!  When the person who went to pick up the license arrived at Kimmy's mother's house, I had him take a picture of the license with his phone -- was able to verify the license was valid -- and although the ceremony ran a few minutes late, things were able to proceed!  What a relief!

But wait, the story's not over yet!  Kimmy and Adam's ceremony was held at the Winter Park Farmer's Market, a wonderful venue that has a great covered open porch where ceremonies are held.  The location of the venue is in a beautiful area -- but also right next door to railroad tracks.  And yep, just as Adam started to say his vows, the warning bells began to clang, the gates went down...

...and down the tracks came the SunRail train, which is currently undergoing testing before it begins to make runs!  

Well, thankfully both Kimmy and Adam have great senses of humor, and their guests were wonderful as well -- rather than the noise creating a bad situation, it turned into something that everyone laughed about.  Adam stopped talking until the train passed and finished his vows.  Then Kimmy began hers...

...and, once again, the bells began to clang and the gates went down -- and back down the tracks came the SunRail train, which had turned around!

Well, I don't have to tell you how hard everyone laughed -- and when Kimmy finished her vows, I made a joke about how I'd better finish up their ceremony and pronounce them husband and wife before we were interrupted again!  It brought down the house!

Thankfully there were no more trains, and Kimmy and Adam were pronounced husband and wife, to thunderous applause and cheering -- even louder than the train!

And the marriage license?  It arrived right after the ceremony -- so all ended well!

Congratulations, Kimmy & Adam -- the two of you are going to have a laugh-filled life together, and you'll always stay on Target!

And as an added treat, I'm adding a few photos from their gorgeous reception setup -- the Winter Park Farmer's Market is an amazing place!

Kimmy's bouquet was gorgeous!

Their cake was adorable!

The Winter Park Farner's Market
allows you to create your own seating space!

What a cute Sweetheart Table!

Until next time ...

Variety is the Spice of Life (...and a Match Game!)

I've been thinking about different things to blog about -- tried some ideas out, didn't get very far -- but after the variety of weddings I've had this month, it suddenly occurred to me -- rather than blogging about ONE wedding, I'd share the wonderful variety of weddings I've officiated!   

And, to add some interest, I'm going to post photos of the three weddings I'm blogging about, to see if you can match the couple to the description of their wedding -- let's have some fun!  

I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- your wedding should be just that -- YOUR wedding -- so make it a true reflection of who you are and what you want, and it will be absolutely perfect!  One size or style of wedding definitely does NOT fit all!

----

Sylvie and Tony's wedding at the beautiful Westin Lake Mary reflected their love of taste and elegance -- and their love of their children, who they included in their ceremony with a touching Family Unity Candle Ceremony.  

When Sylvie came down the aisle, Tony, who hadn't seen her yet, was overcome with emotion -- he couldn't stop telling her how beautiful she was, and kept asking all of the guests to look at her and see how beautiful she was  -- it was so touching!  Their faces glowing, their ceremony began, and it only got better from there -- when they brought up their children for the Family Unity Candle Ceremony, the beautiful reading they shared with them and their guests had everyone choked up!

Their reception space was beautifully decorated, with candles and flowers, and their cake was so unique!  

----

Catherine and Joseph wanted a touching ceremony that would celebrate their love, and include their mothers.  They chose Harmony Gardens in DeLeon Springs for their ceremony and reception.  It's a beautiful outdoor gardens with a lovely ceremony spot!

Unfortunately, the day of their wedding was rainy and squally -- Mother Nature was not being cooperative!  However, right around their ceremony time, the rain stopped, and we decided to go for it!  

About halfway through their ceremony, the rains started again -- thankfully, some good friends held umbrellas over our heads, and along with the other guests who had umbrellas, we all stayed dry while their ceremony finished! Their mothers were beautifully surprised when they were asked to come up to give the bride and groom their last kiss as a single person, and I know for sure there wasn't a dry eye in the house!

----

Cierra and Danny told me when we met to talk about their ceremony that it was going to be held on her mother's horse ranch, which was big and beautiful!  They spent a lot of time and effort making things absolutely perfect, and the weather cooperated with sunny skies and a wonderful breeze.  

Their guests sat on hay bales for the ceremony, which included a Tree Planting Ceremony that included their mothers, who added soil from the bride & groom's childhood homes to the tree that was planted -- what a tender touch! One of the horses kept poking his head through his stall window during the ceremony -- he loved Christine MacPhail's harp music!

The time and love that went into the preparations for the wedding were evident everywhere -- from the reception tent to all of the decorated farm areas -- and the cake was adorable!

----
So, there you have it -- three completely different weddings, three completely different ceremonies -- all of them wonderful!  And here's the photos of the great newlywed couples -- can you match them to their wedding?

I'm sure from what I've told you about their weddings, that you know the answers, but here they are -- Catherine and Joseph are the first couple, Cierra and Danny are the second, and Sylvie and Tony are the third!

And, as you can see from the photos, each one had their own personality and feeling -- and each one had a completely different wedding ceremony -- which is the way it SHOULD be!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- I LOVE what I do, and making a wedding ceremony to fit each couple's personality is something amazing!

Until next time... 

Happy New Year (a little late........) !!

Well, at the beginning of 2013, I said I would try to blog more often -- while I can't say that I reached 100% of my intended goal, I was able to get a few posts out.

So -- should I promise, in 2014, that I'll blog more often?  Why not??

Okay -- so it's the end of January already, and I haven't posted a single thing! My excuse?  I had a very large family event that I hosted, with a lot of people -- several big dinners and an extremely large party -- after which I was booked solid with consultations for weddings for 2014 and beyond!  

So, stay tuned -- from here on out, I'm going to do my very best to post more often (after tomorrow's wedding and Sunday's two consultations, that is....)! 2014 is going to be a wonderful year!

Until next time... (hopefully sooner rather than later!) 

Renee