Balancing family and a wedding orientated business is often a challenge. When the kids are out of school for holidays and weekend, brides and grooms need your attention. Some of the time, those challenges work the other way though. This past year my now teenage son was struggling with all the changes that we each face in life; voice changing, trying to fit in, and even class bullies.
To say that my son was scrawny (and only a father can say that) would be an understatement. At just over five feet tall and probably around ninety pounds, he was no Adonis. My son’s strengths lay in his quick wit and intellect. Those are two things that bullies hate, so he was a frequent target.
I’ve always taught my kids that if someone is picking on you repeatedly and you can’t get them to stop, tell a teacher or adult. If the problem continues after speaking with an adult, then I want them to knock that bully’s light out. If they get sent home from school for defending themselves, then I’ll treat them to a day in the local theme parks.
My son had repeatedly been picked on by a boy that I only knew as Jason. After calls to his teachers, it had not stopped but gotten worse. The day finally came when the bully would meet his match in the nerdy kid. As my son entered class, the bully hit him in the back of the head with a text book, at which time my son popped the kid squarely in the nose and made him tumble over the desks.
Both boys were of course sent to the office and parents were called to pick up their children. When I arrived my son was in one office and the bully and his mother in another. After speaking with the principal, I got ready to leave, but my curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to see my son’s nemesis. As I leaned around the corner and peered through the tiny window on the office door, I was shocked; not at the boy, but his mother.
I quickly turned to my son and told him to go to the car. He asked “What’s up?” I told him “Nevermind, just get to that car.” When I reached the car and pulled out of the parking lot, I asked my son if he knew the name of the bully. As quick as lightening he responded that it was “Jason.” I asked, “Do you know Jason’s last name.” “No,” he replied. “Well, I can tell you his last name is Brooks and do you want to know why I know this piece of information?” I asked. He shrugged his shoulders and waited for my response.
“I’m performing his mother’s wedding on Saturday” I told him. I think I laughed so hard that we both cried.
When Saturday arrived and I stood there performing the ceremony, it was almost humorous to see a lovely bride, a handsome groom, and a teenage groomsman with a black eye.
And it all happened down the aisle.
Note: The bully never bothered my son again, the names have been changed so the bully wouldn’t feel picked on, and the bride and groom loved the ceremony I performed for them.
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I know you trust and love your family, but trust only goes so far in saving the memories from your wedding. Recently I performed a wedding ceremony at a prestigious hotel and the couple asked a favorite uncle to videotape the ceremony. Apart from the fact that the gentleman had no idea where to stand (and not stand,) he was not dressed to blend in and not draw attention to himself. Not to mention, he almost burned up the ceremony site by knocking over more than a dozen lit candles. The choice to use a friend or family member resulted in and often does result in lots of cut off head shots, foot shots, jerky video footage, poor transitions, and bad lighting.
Heed my advice, seek out a professional. View examples of the videographer’s recent work. Ask your coordinator or officiant to recommend someone to you. Remember, this is the video you will one day show your children and grandchildren.
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Every family has their traditions. Some traditions are centered around holidays, birthdays, and yes, weddings. I met an absolutely lovely couple that asked me to perform their wedding ceremony at a local art gallery. We met the day before the ceremony for their rehearsal and to go over any last minute details that needed to be taken care of.
Everything was set. Everyone in the bridal party knew their role and where they were to stand during the ceremony. Our beautiful bride neglected to give me one piece of information though.
The bride’s family had an uncle that they would later describe as “colorful.” Several years before her uncle had acquired a 6 ½ foot tall fiberglass statue of an English Beefeater. Any time the family would gather for the holidays, birthdays, graduations, and such, the Beefeater would make an appearance.
As I arrived to the ceremony site on the wedding day, the groom met me in the foyer. He proceeded to tell me a little of the family tradition and that our fiberglass guest would be tucked away at the back of the venue—out of sight!
Guests by the dozen poured into the room and took their seats, with anxious anticipation of the ceremony beginning. As the first groomsman started down the aisles there was a flurry of movement and the “colorful” uncle emerged from the back of the venue wheeling our Beefeater down the aisle in front of the groomsman. He slid our fiberglass guest into the position of an additional groomsman and then took is seat, as if nothing had happened. The remaining groomsmen entered the ceremony site and took their respective positions just as they rehearsed.
When the groom entered his attention fell to the Beefeater and when get got close enough to me he asked “Who put that thing up here?” Without as much as a word I motioned to the “colorful” uncle. A scowl of displeasure appeared on his face for but just a moment and then his bride entered the room. When the bride saw the fiberglass guest in his place amongst the groomsmen she laughed out loud and after a private exchange of words with her groom they were both smiling as I pronounced them husband and wife.
Not a picture of the bridal party was considered complete; until they made sure the Beefeater was in the shot.
And it all happened down the aisles.
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When I turned into the gated community I knew this was going to be something special. Many golf communities have their grand gates and wide boulevards, but this was something different. Magnolias lined the sides of the streets while tall palms stood one behind the other, like soldiers on parade in the middle of the boulevard. As I made my way toward the club house I could see glimpses of the Southern style mansion that lay before me. Donned in yellow paint the color of creamed butter and massive Greek columns that lined the porch, this was a modern version of “Tara“ that would make Scarlett proud.
Upon my entry into the club house I try to meet with the couple to be married; just to go over last minute details and see if there are any changes that I need to be aware of. The groom was relaxed and throwing back the drink of his choice, while the bride was sequestered in a remote room on the floor above. Of the two the bride was the most detail orientated person, with nothing left to chance. Even though they had hired one of the most prestigious wedding coordinators in the area, the bride doubled checked every detail of the wedding. Flowers in place; check. Tables set; check. Bridesmaids all in a row; check.
As the wedding party exited the building, they headed across the lawn to the ceremony site. Situated on the lawn just before the 8th hole and with the beautiful backdrop of the lake behind them, everyone stood as the bride entered. Standing there wearing a dress that probably cost more than my car, she was the vision of what most brides aspire to be.
As the ceremony began the couple requested a prayer just after the blessing of the hands. As the crowds hushed and as I began to pray I noticed something that was out of the norm for me: Music. Now I hear a lot of music during wedding ceremonies, but this was not like anything that I had experienced. A simple classical overture would have been appropriate, but this was nothing like that. In the middle of the prayer, with my hand over the hands of my bride and groom we heard the song lyrics “Abra-abra-cadabra. I want to reach out and grab ya,” by the Steve Miller Band. The golf pro had forgotten to turn off the music around the pro-shop and had left for the day. The wedding coordinator could not get in the shop, the staff at the golf club could not figure out how to turn off the music and so we endured the complete song in the middle of the ceremony.
Okay, crisis averted, we can finally get through this ceremony. The remainder of the ceremony went as planned until we got to the exchanging of rings. Now I have seen and have come to expect that if there is going to be a funny moment it will happen when I ask the best man for the rings. This was not the case. The best man did his job to deliver the rings to me without any practical jokes and without any problem. The next crisis arose just as the bride was about to place the ring on her grooms finger. The same golf pro who had forgotten to turn off the music had also forgotten that there would be a wedding on the lawn Saturday afternoon, and thus had forgotten to reprogram the sprinkler system.
Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick…chucka, chucka, chucka, chucka the sprinkler popped up by the last row of chairs and sprayed down the guest in the last three rows. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick…chucka, chucka, chucka, chucka it was headed back for another pass. The wedding coordinator bounded up the stairs to the club house office while her assistant rushed to the lawn to try and push the sprinkler head under the sod with her shoe. Guests scurried in very direction to keep what dry clothing they had from dripping with the grey water, the course uses to irrigate the lawn. Sprinklers finally off, rings exchanged, bride and groom pronounced husband and wife and it all happened down the aisles.
from → Wedding Stories
Essentials in picking the right officiant for your wedding.
It’s your wedding day, the dress is on, your groom is waiting, but who is going to recite the words that will make you husband and wife? Here are a few essentials you should be looking for as you pick the person who will take your from “Will You” to “I Do.”
–Decide what type of ceremony you want. Will it be more civil, religious, or a blend of the two? If you choose a civil ceremony you might want to consider a notary, judge, or a justice of the peace. Each state is a little different in its regulations for such ceremonies. Also, there are minister who will also do completely civil ceremonies at the request of the couple.
If you choose to have a religious ceremony or a combination of the two, look for someone with a background that can accommodate the faith backgrounds of both you and your fiancée.
Many officiants are members of professional organizations that give accreditation for the services they provide. Ministers/Clergy should have received some type of educational training through a Bible college or seminary in order to perform your unique wedding ceremony. Civil officiants should have some type of state issued licensing and training to perform wedding ceremonies.
–Ask coordinators and other wedding professionals to recommend someone. Ask why they would recommend the individual to you. Wedding professionals attend many more wedding ceremonies than the average person and they can usually be a great resource to you.
–Ask couples that were recently married to refer someone to you. Couples love to tell “their story.” Ask friends that were recently married, check out the blogs, and read posts about officiants. Remember though, that one good or bad post is just that ONE post.
– Require a face to face meeting when considering your wedding officiant. The person on the phone or internet is trying to create an image that may or may not accurately reflect who they really are. Both you and your fiancée should go to meet your officiant. What one person misses or doesn’t pick up on, the other may catch.
Get to know the officiant. Ask questions that are important to the two of you. Examples could be, “How much input will you have in the ceremony layout and wording? How accessible are you before the wedding?”
Do your homework, enjoy the search, and good luck in finding the officiant that will make you husband and wife.
from → Wedding Stories
It ‘s fun to be the first. First across the finish line, first to get premium tickets to the concert, and first to find that overlooked jewel of a wedding venue. Recently I had the chance to perform the first ceremony in one of the most overlooked venues in Central Florida. Whether you are traveling Interstate 4, east from the Orlando airport on Highway 417, or from Kissimmee on the Osceola Parkway you can see Characters in Flight from miles and miles away.
Located at Downtown Disney, Characters in Flight is the 72 foot yellow and red helium balloon adorned with the images of your favorite characters like Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, and Dumbo. Soaring to a lofty height of almost 400 feet above the Central Florida landscape the world’s largest tethered gas balloon gives the perfect platform for a wedding with an almost magical background. In the panoramic view from the top you can see sights of all four Disney theme parks, Sea World, and Universal.
David and Ashlee were the first couple to tie the knot high above the ground in August. Unlike hot air balloons the Characters in Flight balloon is an enclosed helium balloon and tethered to the ground via a 400ft steel cable. Another departure from a traditional balloon ride is that Characters in Flight can comfortably accommodate the bride and groom, along with about 20 of their guests, minister, photographer, and pilot.
To reserve your ceremony, please call Sensational Ceremonies at 407-361-7781
from → Wedding Stories
Some of the time the greatest moments of inspiration come from what we regard as disasters.
A couple of weeks ago I was scheduled to do a very “interesting” wedding with dogs. No, the dogs were not getting married, but the couple that was getting married asked if I would officiate a wedding where all of us (including me) would have our dogs there. Being a big fan of dogs I thought this was a fun idea. I have been in a wedding before where a dog brought the rings down the aisle, but never where the wedding party and guests were invited to bring their dogs along as well.
That Tuesday morning started off like most weekdays do for me. I took my little run around the local lake and then came back to take my dog, a Weimaraner , for her daily constitutional in the neighborhood. Upon returning home from our walk, I proceeded to go to my daughters’ room to wake my youngest and get her ready for school. As I bent down to shake her from her slumber the dog jumped from underneath my position toward the bed. The pinch collar that she wears on her walks, caught the bottom of my top lip and tore the inside, then up onto my face where the bottom of my nose was sliced into what resembled fish bones.
As blood rushed from my mouth and nose, like something out of a Monty Python movie, I quickly made my way to the bathroom to get things “under control.” After much pressure and ice I was able to get the bleeding down to just a trickle and so I drove the kids to school. In route to the school I called the couple with whom I was to do their wedding at 9am and explained about the accident. I notified them that I had a bloody nose, black eyes, and that I would be more than happy to get an associate to come and do the wedding. They wouldn’t hear of it. They wanted me.
Off to the local park (without my dog in tow) to perform what was to be a most interesting ceremony. There I stood, with bride, groom, and dogs all about, and me with bloody tissue packed inside my nose. Though my head throbbed and my nose continued to bleed I pronounced the couple husband and wife. It was only afterwards, when I took myself to a minor emergency clinic that I was told that in addition to the sliced lip and nose, my nose was also broken.
And it all happened as I got ready to go down the aisles.
from → Wedding Stories
A recent wedding at a local golf resort was the latest wedding to provide me with some gut wrenching laughter. The wedding ceremony was to take place in a beautiful breezeway between the pro-shop and the bar/reception area. All across the back of the resort was a beautiful intricate verde green wrought iron rail that separated the back porch of the resort from the golf course below. Attached to this railing were bamboo tiki torches; spaced about every four or five feet across the back.
In Central Florida there are a few laws of nature that hold true almost all the time; one of which is that there is always a breeze mid afternoon and early evening. Flames that are fed by a liquid fuel source do no blow out from these afternoon breezes, but flames actually “bend” as the air blows across them.
When the bridesmaids started making their way down the aisle, the wind whipped up, and two of the bamboo tiki torches actually caught on fire. The bartender in the club house saw the tikis on fire and ran out to douse them with a pitcher of water. Well, water and oil do not mix and a fire fueled with oil with only spread with the addition of water.
I motioned to the bartender as he came close and whispered “use a fire extinguisher. It will spread with water.” As the bartender ran back in the club house two of the tiki torches finally succumb to the flames and the canisters fell out of the charred remains of the bamboo tikis. By this time two more tiki torches were fully engulfed in flames.
Finally the bartender arrived back to put out the flames with the fire extinguisher and as he did, a huge cloud of billowing white extinguisher smoke floated through and enveloped the last bridesmaid and the guests.
All this before the bride walked down the aisles and she never saw a thing.
from → Wedding Stories
Recently I was performing a wedding in a rural community here in Florida. When I arrived to the venue the guests were beginning to be seated and I went inside to speak with the groom and bride. As I often do, I carried my ministerial robe over my arm and only put it on when I was in the cool air conditioned climate of the venue. As I zipped the long robe up, a boy of about 4 or 5 years came up to me and motioned for me to bend down and speak with him. I did so and with the innocence that only a child of this age could possess he asked me, almost as if it were a top secret question, “Are you a Jedi?”
Thinking as fast as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs I whispered back to him, “Yes.” After my answer I got in line and filed out into the venue to perform a beautiful ceremony.
When the ceremony was over and the guests invited to enjoy some cool refreshments, I made my way to the back of the room. Again, my little friend was waiting on me with another question that would make me laugh out loud. Again, the little boy motioned for me to bend down and then he cupped his hands around my ear and asked “Do you have your light saber?”
And it all happened, down the aisles.
from → Wedding Stories
I love those television shows that show funny clips from weddings. Millions of people watch those outtakes as members of the wedding party succumb to nerves and pass out at their wedding. Over the years I have been asked literally hundreds of times how many times have I actually seen this occur. The truth of the matter is that in less than 1% of all weddings does a member of the wedding party pass out. When this does happen there are usually a number of things that I have noticed all these occurances have in common.
First, it is more often than not the groom that passes out. Even though brides are known for the pressure they feel, grooms pass out 20 times more often as brides.
Secondly, there usually has been a large amount of alcohol consumed in the 24hours before the ceremony.
Third, grooms usually will skip the meal before their ceremony; thinking they will eat a lot at the reception. This creates low blood sugar and makes them light-headed
Lastly, the time of day has a lot to say about the frequency that people pass out. More individuals pass out at afternoon weddings (8 to 1) than do at weddings that occur after 5pm.
from → Wedding Stories
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