It Doesn't Have to Cost a Fortune

When a prospective client calls to tell me they want an officiant for a simple small ceremony, they expect that my fee will be less than it is for a large extravagant wedding.

Well, my experience is that small simple weddings are often much more work for me. So don't expect that an officiant you want to hire will be relieved to hear that you want something "short and sweet."

When a wedding ceremony is in a home or in a setting that doesn't handle weddings as a business, I often end up being the matre di, production manager, family counselor, and drill sargent.

This small and simple wedding ceremony for Jilian and Todd was an exception. Jilian made my preparation work easy, she agreed on the ceremony script with only minor changes, and she was resiliant when plans had to change. (Her Maid of Honor's father died a few days before the wedding...so Jilian did without a maid of honor at the last moment.)

For the reception, Jilian did much of the work herself to manage the costs of their wedding day. She made the programs, the favors, and the centerpieces.

They took advantage of their business association with a restaurant that is about to open...and got a favorable deal to have the ceremony and reception there before the grand opening. This also gave the restaurant a "shake-down" day as they tested their kitchens.

Jilian proudly told me of the deal she got on her wedding dress at a major upscale department store's sale. The groom and his best man saved the cost of tuxedo rentals by wearing white shirts, black pants, and matching vests.

So at their wedding ceremony Todd and Jilian pledged their love to each other for a lifetime...with close family and friends as witnesses. It was a rich moment...short and sweet!

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

"That's How Strong My Love Is"

During Fred and Liz's ceremony, they were serenaded by Fred's uncle who sang the song made famous by Otis Redding, "That's How Strong My Love Is." This couple strong love is so important to them that they had this wedding to speak their vows and exchange rings in the presence of family and friends. For, you see, they had eloped in Europe a couple years ago...and it just didn't seem complete to have begun their married life without a formal and public ceremony.

So in the garden setting of The Foundry in Long Island City, Fred and Liz held their wedding rings over their hearts as they spoke their vows...this time for all to hear. With the 59th Street Bridge as the backdrop for the ceremony, Fred and Liz's family and friends stood in support as I expressed the good wishes of all present to the bride and groom.

Fred and Liz interviewed me last December...so I had ample time to write their ceremony and send edited versions back and forth several times so it was just what they wanted. When they OK'd the final version of the ceremony script, Liz said she knew she's cry at the wedding. In the end, it was Fred who was moved to tears during the ceremony....that's how strong his love is!

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

You Can Do It Your Way

Nick and Charlotte selected the rooftop of the engineering building at Columbia University for the location of their wedding. He's in a graduate program there, and the views of the city gave a nod to Charlotte's field of study - architecture.

The ceremony I created for them was a platform for their creativity. Nick read a poem he'd written for Charlotte. They spoke the vows they wanted to say. A small group of friends surrounded them...with cameras, picnic baskets, and colorful parasols. Charlotte made her wedding dress.

They liked the ring warming ritual I suggested. Charlotte used the same color ribbons as her dress to tie the rings together. The rings were passed among all the guests who held the rings for a moment as they silently gave Nick and Charlotte good wishes and blessings on their day.

After the ceremony, the guests walked to Riverside Park for a celebratory picnic. Nick and Charlotte smiled throughout the day...and kept on hugging each other.

Photo credit: Thank you, Salome, for these pictures!

Julie Laudicina,Celebrant!

The Groom Wrote the Ceremony

As celebrants, we take pride in the skill, experience, and knowledge we inject into each wedding ceremony we create.

So last spring when a groom called me asking if I would conduct the wedding ceremony he wrote himself, I was hesitant. Would I be willing to speak words that weren't my own? After all, what people see and hear when I conduct a ceremony is one of my marketing strategies. It is my work on display!

But I was charmed by this groom, Joe, and the ceremony he wrote because it represented all the love that comes from his heart for his bride, Doreen. He agreed to some fine-tuning that I did to his script, and all three of us were pleased with the final draft.

During the ceremony, one of the unique things Joe and Doreen did was to read their vows in unison. Even though their vows were longer than most...their words were relevant, meaningful, and spoken with feeling.

So on the auspicious date - 08-08-08 - Joe and Doreen were united in marriage at the newly renovated Island Chateau on Staten Island. This facility is run with the wonderful warmth and care that comes from a family-run business...and the lobby, bridal suite, and main reception hall are smashing!

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

Up on the Roof...

Outdoor weddings can be so beautiful and romantic. But they are also nerve-wracking when the weather is too hot, too windy, or too stormy. This summer had brought several weekends of dicey weather to challenge outdoor wedding plans.

Last weekend, the folks at Ariana's Catering Hall on Staten Island, really made it come together for Jay and Nicole...for their outdoor ceremony on their spacious rooftop. The gray clouds were there...but the ceremony went off as planned.

Jay and Nicole spoke their vows and exchanged wedding rings. Her young cousins assisted me in a "handfasting" ritual...to really "tie the knot."

Here's to sunny days for you, Jay and Nicole!

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!