Officiant Services

As a wedding officiant, I am available to preside over several types of ceremonies.
The wedding ceremony, which is the one I am most commonly requested for , can be traditional with the well-known "I take thee to be my husband", or it can be contemporary with the "I choose you to be my husband, my equal partner in life". Since I personalize each ceremony for each couple, the wedding ceremony is usually a blend of traditional, contemporary, and spiritual.

The commitment ceremony is a ceremony a couple chooses to have when they are either a same-sex couple or they choose to have a public recognition and celebration of their commitment for each other without the legal binding.

An elopement ceremony is one where the bride and groom "run off" to get married. In these cases, the couple, myself, and their witnesses go to the local park and they get married under the trees or next to the stream running through the park.

The renewal of vows ceremony is a ceremony to celebrate a special anniversary or a reunion of the husband and wife. At times, the same words are spoken at the renewal ceremony that were spoken at the original wedding ceremony, which makes it very special!

Whether it is the wedding ceremony, the commitment ceremony, the elopement, or the renewal of vows that I am asked to officiate, I strive to make each personal by adding a favorite wedding component. Some of these components are the Sand Ceremony, Unity Candle Ceremony, Family Gift Exchange Ceremony, Celtic Handfasting, Wine Ceremony, Sage Cleansing, Hand Blessing, and Tree Planting Ceremony.

The Sand Ceremony is where the bride and the groom have small containers of sand representing them as singles. They pour their sand into a larger jar representing their blending together in marriage.

The Unity Candle Ceremony is where the bride and the groom have their separate candle, or flames, that they light a larger candle with to represent the flame of their marriage.

The Family Gift Exchange is where the bride and the groom give a little gift to their children from previous relationships just as they are giving each wedding rings as their gifts to each other.

The Celtic Handfasting is where there is a ribbon wrapped around the bride's and the groom's hands joining them together. This is where the phrase "tying the knot" came from. Usually vows are exchanging while the handfasting is in place.

The Wine Ceremony is where the bride has a glass of white wine and the groom has a glass of red wine. The red wine represents the deep richness and robust energy of their love for each other. The white wine represents the strength of their marriage and the lingering taste they have in their souls for each other. They pour some of each of their wines into a unity cup and sip from that cup, representing that, even though they are unique individuals, they are choosing to experience life as one.

The Sage Cleansing is done at the beginning of the ceremony to release any baggage that either the bride or the groom may still be carrying. It is a way for the couple to have a fresh start. The Hand Blessing is done after the couple has exchanged their vows and their rings. They hold hands in the sign of infinity and a blessing is spoken over their hands--the hands that will create and work together to build a strong and happy life.

The Tree Planting Ceremony is done after the exchange of rings and vows. The couple has a potted tree that contains dirt from each of their parents' yards. After the exchange of vows, they put more dirt in the pot and this tree that has the energy from families of origin will be planted in the newlyweds' yard to represent growth and love.

Love & Blessings Always & Forever!

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