Expenses

Sustainable Weddings

Make your wedding environmentally sustainable

As the effects of climate change affect our daily lives, each of us can take steps to reduce our carbon footprint on the globe. Simply adjusting some of our choices during the wedding planning process can have a positive result. Following are different aspects of your ceremony to consider. Don’t feel pressure to use them all. Review the options and select what is a good fit for you. Guests A smaller guest list creates a smaller carbon footprint. It is as simple as that. Invitations Go digital. Or, if you your heart is set on traditional stationary, look into recycled […]

Weddings are Like an Iceberg

Planning a wedding can be complicated. Lots of moving parts that need to fit together just right. When it goes well – beautiful! It looks easy-peasy. No one is the wiser to all the muss and fuss that went into getting the details just right. That is because all the work is hidden, like an iceberg! The work of a marriage officiant is like that, too. Marriage Officiants When officiants perform a marriage, all that most people see is the short ceremony culminating with pronouncements. Similar to other presentations, a lot of work goes into making it perfect. Loved ones […]

Wedding Boom

Managing the wedding boom with grace

Many of the postponed wedding ceremonies from the past two years have been rescheduled for 2022. Imagine that! Naturally, this is creating a wedding boom! Case in point, the Wedding Vault reports that there will be 15% more weddings this year! With so many others also planning nuptials, it is helpful to think through what steps you can take to make your planning go smoothly. Venues A wedding ceremony on a Tuesday night? Why not! Think about what aspect of your day is most important to you and where you don’t want to budge. Then, for the less important points, […]

Be You – Tradition be gone!

Your wedding ceremony is all about you and your partner. Making sure it reflects your vision is the most important.  It is your wedding, after all. So the rules are — There are no rules! Focus on what makes you happy. And then do it. Money Doing it your way may mean forgoing the financial benefit of someone else footing the bill. But, what if that generous contribution also means that you are stressed out and the day is not what you’ve envisioned? Or, even worse, it feels inauthentic. Well, it may be time to rethink the arrangement. “The Walk” […]

Small Wedding Trend

Sometimes, making do with less is more! Initially the coronavirus pandemic forced couples to rethink their wedding plans: live streaming the ceremony; nuptials outdoors no matter the weather; pared down guest lists. Of all of these wedding features, having fewer guests seems to be here to stay. What we’ve realized during this time is that small weddings keep us safe and so much more! When not trying to accommodate a large crowd, the newfound extras can be spent on what really matters to you. Small Wedding Benefits Recognizing all the good that comes from a micro-wedding isn’t so hard. For […]

Three Reasons To Plan A Wedding Ceremony Rehearsal

Here you are only months from your wedding, a day you’ve been looking forward to your whole life, and cash is flying out the door! Who knew getting married would be so expensive? All those details – from the $$$-dollar gown to the $$$-dollar venue and everything in between…. Cha- Ching!! So where can you cut corners? Well, if you are like some less-than-prudent brides and grooms, the first place you look is the marriage officiant.  How about shaving off that extra $100 she is charging to attend the rehearsal? That’s $100 you can put towards something more important, like […]

Make the Most of Getting Married: Do It Again and Again!

People in the wedding biz are noticing a strange movement afoot. More and more couples are choosing to have several wedding ceremonies. Indeed, a recent ABC news article confirms that this “serial wedding” formula is becoming fashionable among the younger set: “One of the hottest trends when it comes to weddings…is for ‘nearly-weds’ to plan for multiple wedding ceremonies.” Most bride-groom marriages in the U.S. are recognized in all 50 states. So why are so many couples getting married twice or thrice, or even more times? Because they want to! Are you considering the multiple-wedding route? Here’s a typical scenario that […]

Make Your Wedding Ceremony Your Own — the Modern Way!

If you are determined to break with convention by designing your own wedding, you are not alone.  These days, Justices of the Peace are being asked to officiate at more creative and non-traditional wedding ceremonies. This trend is seen in the chosen attire, the wording of the ceremony, the style of music, and even in the way a couple travels down the aisle. Modern weddings often reflect a couple’s lifestyle and personality. Wedding attire, for example. I’ll never forget the couple who dressed quite casually —  in jeans, while the groomsmen wore vests and the bridesmaids wore cowboy boots. The bride placed no requirements […]

4 Reasons to Consider a Wedding for Just the Two of You

Weddings represent a rite of passage in most of our lives. They represent a turning point and a new dream of the future. Why then – on such an important occasion – would you choose a ceremony just for the two of you (and the wedding officiant)? Here are the top four reasons why an intimate “just the two of you” wedding may be right for you. 1. A “just the two of you” wedding is affordable. Fancy weddings can cost tens of thousands of dollars and in today’s uncertain economy saving for future major expenses may make more sense than […]

Weddings Don’t Have to be Expensive

While big expensive weddings remain popular, many couples confide that they just cannot afford a fancy affair. Thus I offer the following suggestions for having a beautiful and memorable occasion without all the cost. First, let’s talk about location. Banquet halls are lovely, but they often come with a steep price tag. For those who want to avoid that expense, options abound. Couples can save  money by having their wedding at home. If that isn’t possible, perhaps a friend or relative might offer theirs. Or if the couple met while walking their dogs in a local park, they might want […]