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!  

A Fun-Filled, Nature-Based Wedding!

One of the things I love most about officiating is working with so many diverse couples -- each couple has something they want to emphasize in their ceremony, which is what makes each ceremony unique!

Megan & Bill's joyful ceremony tied in with their love of nature and trees.  It was held under a beautiful oak tree at the Dubsdread County Club, a beautiful venue in Orlando.  The weather was perfect for an outdoor wedding!

Megan's engagement ring also reflected their love of nature -- the center stone is Mystic Topaz, an unusual, unique and beautiful choice!

And aah, their ceremony -- it was truly unique, from a verse from "Captain Correlli's Mandolin," about how love erupts like a volcano, and when it subsides, how you've found that your roots have woven together into one -- to the vows they wrote to each other, which included love, humor, and nature references - to their ceremony ending with the touching wording:

"Marriage creates from two committed spirits one beautiful tree of life.  Its roots are the trust and devotion that underlie each action, thought and motive.  Its branches are experiences shared, hopes realized, and dreams pursued.  And its blossoms are the kisses, gentle words, and tender sighs that decorate each day and beautify the union of two loving hearts.

Bill and Megan, may your love grow like a beautiful tree, sending roots deep and branches high, with new beauty every season of your life together. May you find constant reward and challenge as you pursue the ongoing adventure of learning who you are and where you want to go. May you always have a special sense of your mission in life together, and may you never tire of the endless possibilities of exploring your shared existence.  And long, long years from now, may you look at one another and be able to say, “With you, I have lived the life I always wanted to live – with you, I have become the person I always longed to be.”

Check out their wedding favors --
they stayed with their theme!

But do you know what the most touching part of their ceremony was?  When Bill saw Megan coming down the aisle with her father, his face began to glow, and his tears began to flow -- which is exactly why I carry tissues in my officiant's book!  Both of them cried happy tears during their ceremony!

This was the first of several tissues!

Congratulations, Bill and Megan, and thank you for choosing me to be a part of your joyful day -- may your Tree of Love grow to astounding heights!

Take a good look at the picture to see what it spells -

LOVE it!  

The Groom's Halo (and a Surprise Recessional)!

One of the things I love most about officiating at weddings is that each ceremony is different, although sometimes there are similar elements.  For example, there's a verse called "The Art of Marriage" that many couples like to include in their ceremonies because of the beautiful and realistic wording.  Most of the time, I see tears and an occasional chuckle when the verse is being read -- but this past weekend's wedding evoked much more!

From getting to know Chelsea & Seth, I knew that Seth was a bit of a joker -- and as I came to the line of the verse and read "It is not expecting you, Seth, to wear a halo," the room exploded in laughter!  I paused to let the laughter stop, then poked my head out and said, "I guess that means he usually doesn't wear one!" and more laughter ensued.  

Their ceremony came to a close, they kissed, and were presented as the newly married couple -- but there was one more laugh-inducing moment -- surprise recessional music!  What started out as sounding exactly like the first few notes of the "Wedding March" turned out to be the first notes of the "Throne Room End Title" from Star Wars (listen to the music and you'll see what I mean!).  When the guests (and I!) realized what it was, the entire room erupted in laughter -- and Chelsea & Seth walked down the aisle with their arms in the air and big smiles on their faces!

But wait, the story's not over -- there's one more big laugh! After the ceremony, I asked the videographer if he would take a picture of me with the newlyweds, and he happily obliged -- I didn't look at the photo until I got home later that night, but when I saw it, I couldn't believe my eyes -- here's the photo -- do you see it?!?!

 Yes, there it is -- Seth has a halo!

We certainly didn't plan the picture that way, but what an amazing coincidence!  

I've said it hundreds of times before, and I'm saying it again -- I love what I do!

Congratulations, Chelsea & Seth -- may you share a long, happy, healthy, and laugh-filled life together!

I must... I must... I must...

Okay, I said I was going to post more often, and have I done it?  No, I haven't!  Today I said to myself, "Self, you ARE going to sit down and post to your blog today!"

The reason for my fit of conscience, you ask?  Well, yesterday as I met with a wonderful couple who are getting married in May, and I asked them how they found me, the groom said that he had seen a photo of a bride in a beautiful red gown, and had read that their ceremony included a Wiccan "Blessing of the Directions" -- and he said that he knew then that I was the kind of creative officiant they were looking for!  Where did he see that?  On my blog!  And when did I create that post -- my most recent one, by the way?  Back in January!  

So, here I am with a short, but sweet, post about a couple of weddings that highlight what's been going on since my last post.

Caitlin and Thomas' wedding at the Reunion Resort close to Disney, just a few weeks ago, was one of the most beautiful ceremonies I've ever officiated.  He looked so handsome in his white tux jacket, and her gorgeous gown and soft pink sash coordinated with her bridesmaids' dresses and flowers.  But the real highlight of their ceremony was Thomas' emotion -- his tears flowed as he looked at his beautiful bride, and I guess the photographer must have caught my look as I suddenly realized that I needed to grab a tissue from my book to give to him!

I'm not sure if all their guests saw what happened, but it was truly a touching moment!

Last weekend's wedding of Teri and Anthony was held at the Longwood Community Center, a beautiful venue that has an outdoor gazebo for ceremonies, with a large front lawn for guests.  Thankfully, they had arranged to have their formal photos taken prior to their ceremony.

As their ceremony time approached, the clouds began to get more threatening -- and wouldn't you know it, five minutes into their ceremony, the rains came down!  Thankfully, the Community Center is an Old-Florida style building that has a large, wrap-around porch, so the guests scrambled up and assembled on the porch, as the ceremony continued.  I was able to make room for the photographer at the front of the gazebo, and everything turned out perfectly!  

After the ceremony, I found out an incredible piece of information -- when the bride's parents got married almost 40 years ago, it also rained just a few minutes into their ceremony!  I guess it was meant to be!

Well, this post has turned out to be not so short -- but I'm really going to try to post more often, since there are going to be some incredibly creative and fun ceremonies coming up!  I'm also working on many ceremonies for the fall that will be unique -- so stay tuned!  

Weddings, Weddings Everywhere!

Wow, this Fall has been really busy with outdoor weddings!  We are blessed in Central Florida with so many beautiful spots for wedding ceremonies, and in the Fall, the weather is just perfect!

Some of my favorite wedding ceremonies this fall were held in the lovely outdoors -- as we get ready to go into Winter, here's a mini-review of some favorites!

Aaron & Carmen had a backyard wedding that included home-brewed beer (two varieties!) and wonderful, creative table settings, each table different -- the vibe at their ceremony was laid-back and happy!

I had a sip of St. Rogge's Saison, and it was delicious!

Carmen is a crafter, and did the decorating herself!

Jordan & Tuesday were married on Flagler Beach, and although it was a bit on the warm side, there was a lovely breeze!  They included a Sand Ceremony, which is always great for a beach wedding.

One of the coolest, most creative weddings I've ever officiated was Jackie & Chris' wedding at Disney's Grand Floridian Hotel.  Their ceremony included a verse about roller coasters, references to The Haunted Mansion (where they got engaged), a Dr. Seuss verse -- and Jackie's dress and bouquet were AMAZING!  What a fun, fun couple!

Jackie's roses were a special type that
had black edges -- and in the middle of
her bouquet was a Haunted Mansion key!
Chris also had a Haunted Mansion key in
his boutonniere!

Check out this super-cool photo taken
by the Haunted Mansion!

Have you ever heard of a bride & groom arriving by seaplane?  Miranda & Brian did exactly that, at The Duncan House in Tavares!  The venue is on a lake, and the house itself is such a perfect place for a wedding!  Their ceremony included both tradition and humor.  I fell in love with Miranda's father -- what a cutie!  

Thankfully, the weather cleared so that they
could arrive by seaplane!

Miranda made her beautiful bouquet
out of brooches and pins!

Not only was Miranda's father a cutup,
but his English accent was charming!

 Timi & Dave had a beautiful ceremony at Harmony Gardens in DeLeon Springs.  They decorated their ceremony space with white origami birds, and it was such a unique touch!  Their ceremony was full of humor and references to the fact that they were finally tying the knot after 13 years together.

I believe this was the part where I said that
their lengthy courtship was finally coming
to an end!

Not all weddings are formal affairs -- sometimes the most heartfelt ceremonies are the ones that are more casual and simple!  Lucus and Allison were married on the dock at Airport Lakes Park in Orlando -- I had to stop the ceremony twice while planes flew over, but that only added to the happy atmosphere!

Yes, that's a plane in the background!

 

 

 

Well, this post has certainly turned into a long one!  I'll close with a photo and a funny story about Catherine & Ryan's wedding at the Lake Mary Events Center.  They had written their own vows, and were keeping them a secret from each other --but I found out the day of the wedding that his vows were very serious, and hers were of a much lighter nature, including a reference to a certain body function that's humorous, but certainly not serious!  My dilemma was whether to tell her that there was going to be a big difference in the wording of their vows to each other.  After much hand-wringing, I decided to let her know.  Imagine my relief when she told me that she had already informed her groom that she would be including humorous references in her vows, including the one I was really concerned about -- and that he was absolutely fine with it!  Their ceremony went wonderfully -- including a tear-producing verse written and read by the bride's mother -- and when it came time for the vows, everyone had a great laugh!  It was almost as if the wording was expected -- the bride is known for her offbeat humor!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And yes, the groom is VERY tall!

There are more Fall weddings that I could write about, but I'll close for now by saying this -- each ceremony I perform is different -- but all of them are customized to the bride and groom, and every single one is a joyful event!  Yep, I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- I just LOVE what I do!

I'm planning my next post around Disney, and Disney-area, weddings -- stay tuned!

Happy Holidays to all!  

Wow, what a wonderful month!

It's hard to believe how fast October flew by -- what a busy month!  When the weather starts to cool down here in Central Florida, couples plan outdoor weddings, and I, as an officiant, get busy with creating amazingly different ceremonies for each of them!

If I wrote about all of the ceremonies I performed in October, this blog post would go on and on -- so here are some of the highlights!

I must say, my absolute favorite was Jackie & Chris' amazing ceremony at Disney's Grand Floridian Hotel.  Each couple I work with is different, but this wonderful couple was truly one-of-a-kind!  Their ceremony included a verse about love being like a roller coaster (since they're roller coaster nuts), along with a Haunted Mansion ringbox (they got engaged while riding through the Haunted Mansion), a Dr. Seuss verse -- you get the idea!  And Jackie's dress -- amazing!  Her flowers, and Chris' boutonniere, had Haunted Mansion keys in them!

Carmen & Aaron's ceremony was held in their beautiful back yard, and the atmosphere was laid-back and happy --due in part to the beer that Aaron hand-brewed for the occasion!  (I had a small sip of the light beer, and it was delicious!)

One of the most dramatic entrances ever, occurred at a wedding at The Duncan House in Tavares -- Miranda & Brian arrived by seaplane!  
 

Other ceremonies in October included the Lake Mary Events Center wedding of Jamie and Joe -- the Lake Mary Marriott wedding of Evelyn and Marcos, which included a guest who was a dead-ringer for Lionel Richie -- the 25-year vow renewal of Fiona & Brian, who flew in from England with lots of family members who participated in the ceremony (lots of fun and so touching!), an elopement for a wonderful couple from Ireland, a beach ceremony, and a Gemini Springs wedding.  It was a busy month, indeed! 

Each ceremony different -- each ceremony wonderful -- I wish every single couple a lifetime of good health and happiness together!
 

Hooray for October!

October's arrived in Florida, which usually means cooler temperatures and less rain -- however, this year that hasn't been the case!  It's been hot and humid, with rain showers almost every afternoon.  I think that anyone associated with weddings will tell you that they're looking forward to a change in the weather sooner rather than later!

October is also one of the busiest months of the year for Florida weddings, and this month is no exception!  Over the weekend, I officiated at two wonderful weddings -- both outdoors, both very different, and both wonderful in their own ways!

Tuesday and Jordan's wedding on Flagler Beach was small and sweet, and very laid-back -- they rented a beach house and brought down just a few family members and friends.  Although it was warm and muggy, a nice ocean breeze made things a little easier.  They chose a ceremony that was a bit on the longer side, and during it, they smiled and whispered to each other -- it was truly warm and wonderful!

Tuesday's bouqet, and their Sand Ceremony colors, reflected the Fall Season -- so pretty! 

The second wedding of the weekend, Carmen and Aaron's, had a completely different vibe -- they had about 50 guests, and the atmosphere was casual and festive!  Aaron brews beer for a hobby, and had crafted two special brews especially for the wedding!  He remodeled a refrigerator to hold two brewing kegs and their plumbing, drilled holes in the door, and put two taps in to dispense the beer.  I had a little of the "St. Rogge's Saison," and it was darn tasty!

Carmen runs a craft site, and her creative side showed in the amazing table setups under the reception tent!



At the last minute, they decided to write their vows to each other rather than using the ones they had chosen originally -- Aaron read a "list" of promises that had everyone laughing out loud, and Carmen's heartfelt vows had everyone smiling! 

And the best part, of course?  Being pronounced husband and wife -- and sharing a joyful kiss!

Two ceremonies, each very different -- that's why I LOVE what I do -- thank you, Tuesday & Jordan, and Carmen & Aaron, for choosing me to be a part of your celebration!