Using meaningful, spiritual, or even fun or unusual rituals in your wedding is one good way to express what your commitment means to you. Religious ceremonies are full of rituals, which are specific to their faith traditions. The Stations of the Cross, Confession, Communion, Shabbat candles, as well as prayers or songs are all good [...]
Warm weather has finally arrived in the Poconos and we can’t help turning our thoughts to outdoor weddings! There is a reason outdoor ceremonies and celebrations are so popular. It is romantic as well as meaningful. Standing under the blue sky, with nature all around, is a dream come true. Whether the setting is fields [...]
I never get tired of answering the question: what is a celebrant? That’s because I enjoy my work so much and I’m anxious to share the fact that couples outside of traditional settings can still have beautiful and meaningful wedding ceremonies. Because a wedding is one of the most important days in someone’s life, the [...]
Do you want to have the world’s best wedding? Maybe I can help because I was reading all about it on-line! But I think what they really meant was the world’s costliest, most spectacular, showy or decadent wedding. If you take mass media at its worst, ‘best’ loses all meaning. What does the best mean [...]
This week brings Valentine’s Day. A day we set aside to celebrate love, and a great day to propose or even elope! I’m not a fan of excessive commercialism, but I do have a soft spot for romance. They are not mutually exclusive. Here’s a little history of this holiday. Like many modern celebrations, St. [...]
It is fun and enriching to learn how various traditions evolved. The Victorians brought us many customs we are familiar with today. Queen Victoria wore white, and now white is the color brides wear and most associated with weddings. A traditional Celtic bouquet was ivy, thistle and heath, but Queen Victoria used fresh flowers, especially [...]
I find myself reminding people that the ceremony is the heart and soul of any wedding, and I hope I am helping couples find ways to make their wedding not only a fun celebration, but also a reflection of their love and commitment. Sharing unusual or special ideas for weddings is a way to point [...]
Happy New Year! Its almost here, a brand new year, and looking forward to 2013 there are some wedding trends worth watching. One new idea that really caught my interest is ‘the lounge’ or ‘reception lounge.’ The concept is to create an area away from the dance floor where guests can sit, eat or drink, [...]
Thinking of eloping? The stress of planning a wedding or family conflict can be a strong motivating factor. For busy people just getting away from it all can be the appeal. Some couples want to get married quickly, or just find the idea romantic, while others simply have different priorities about where to spend their [...]
In the spirit of end-of-the-year columns I want to share some highlights from this, my eighth year as a Celebrant. I officiated a wedding in the little schoolhouse in Hickory Run State Park; the couple had their first date at the park and having the ceremony where they shared many good times was meaningful and [...]
