Super Storm Sandy Wedding

Who knew several months ago that a wedding scheduled for October 30 in Central Park would be on the day that Super Storm Sandy leashed her fury on the greater New York City area?  For Shane and Lisa, from Ireland, it was quite an adventure.  For me too!

The story of their wedding is fully described in the blog by their wedding planner, Lisa Rockett, from iplannewyork.com.  I contributed my view of this wedding to Lisa's blog...so you can read my story of this miraculous wedding by clicking on the link above.  Great pictures by Brian Friedman too!

As you can see, the wedding did not occur in Central Park which remained closed.  The windy ceremony took place on the Brooklyn Promenade...perhaps an even better NYC view than Central Park!

Online Pool Lead Them to the Altar

Caroline and Kevin met while playing pool online.  They exchanged emails, played more games, and then started talking by phone.  When they finally met, it was the beginning of the rest of their lives...together.

Their wedding day at Island Chateau was on the weekend right after Super Storm Sandy blew through Staten Island.  Half the seats were empty, but those present were delighted to have something to celebrate. 

Nervous, excited, smiling...this couple could hardly stand it...they were getting married!   They were beyond being "over the moon"!  How fun for me, their wedding officiant!

At the outset of the ceremony,  Caroline lighted a candle in her Mother's memory.  Beside the memory candle was a picture of her mother in her wedding dress.  Lovely touch!

 

This joyful wedding...it couldn't be a better way to heal our storm-bruised spirits!


Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

Ceremony Lakeside

The air was crisp.  The trees were multi-colored.  The lake was like a mirror.  The grounds were familiar to the bride and groom....it was the groom's family home in northern New Jersey.  It was time for me to officiate at a late afternoon autumn wedding.

 

 



Before the ceremony, the bride and groom signed the keepsake civil marriage certificate, and their mothers signed the NJ marriage license.  Every state is different...in NJ, the couple signs the license when they obtain it...not on the wedding day.

The wedding party processed from the house to the lakeside setting for the ceremony.  Guests from near and far were welcomed, and Peiling and Evan's love story was told.  Their siblings presented the well-chosen readings.  Vows were spoken and rings exchanged.  There was an elegant yet warm tone to the ceremony.  Guests were smiling throughout as I gazed around the audience...I was happy to do a good job for Evan and Peiling!

 

It is always a pleasure to work with The Finishing Touch Events!

 

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

Bridge to Happiness

Christine and Christina choose to have bridges be a theme for their wedding...a bridge between their individual home turf (Long Island and Staten Island), a bridge between their families, and bridge to the their future long life together.

Their ceremony was in the gazebo at Nicotra's Ballroom, The Hilton Garden Inn, where the owners and staff welcome same-sex couples.  Their professionalismonalism is of course extended to all...but they are really a gay-friendly venue.

These women chose lyrics from Never Stop" by SafetySuit for their vows...just right for them.  After the vows and ring exchange, they signed their marriage license publicly to celebrate the one year old NY State law recognizing same-sex marriage.

As I always do, I posed for a picture with the newlyweds...just look at their smiles!

Julie Laudicina,Celebrant!
julielaudicina@msn.com

The Scottich Lass and her Irish Sweetheart

Gemma and Gary's paths crossed when they were school-age kids, but they didn't really connect until they chatted each other up in a Belfast bar queue.  To their amazement, this started a unexpected and  delicious romance.  They became engaged in Paris, and they chose to get married in New York City.

Their ceremony was at Cop Cot in Central Park, the park's largest rustic structure.  It's Scottish name means something like little house on the crest of the hill.  This was the first time I officiated at a wedding there that it was not raining or had just rained.  The jinx is broken!

I worked with Gary and Gemma over the past year...incorporating the several ideas and readings they wanted into appropriate spots in their ceremony script.  They involved Gemma's uncle, handsome in his Scottish kilt, and her friend Bernie as readers. 

 

I suspect their parents didn't know what to expect from a US celebrant officiating at this wedding.  After the ceremony they tearfully expressed their delight with the ceremony and their surprise, I think, that it was filled with meaning....even so far from home.

Once again, it was a pleasure to work with their photographer, Brian Friedman, on this wedding.  I got a glimpse of his post-ceremony shots in Facebook...creative, unusual, captivating...and even a big edgy. 

With the melody of  "Empire State of Mind,"  Gemma and Gary were declared husband and wife.  Their NYC marriage license in hand, they left the park...married and smiling.

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!
julielaudicina@msn.com

I Believe In Love

 

They came from Perth, Australia, to New York City to get married.  Their engagement took place in Bali...so these two significant events in their lives happened in quite contrasting places.

It was one of those really hot humid days at the end of summer...one of those days when you want to stay inside in airconditioning.  But we did not dissolve in spite of the heat.  Roxanne and Ian's "I do" words were clear and firm and their vows were spoken from the heart.  I read the lyrics from a Nick Cave song (an Australian songwriter)...and his phrase "I believe in love" seemed to be just right.

With their friends, also from Perth, as witnesses, the license and keepsake documents were signed.  Well, almost.  Later Roxanne noticed I forgot to sign the keepsake certificate, so we met again in Central Park two days later before I officiated at another wedding ceremony.

Roxanne summarized their relationship with this phrase:  "Someone to love, something to do, something to look forward to."

 

What I look forward to is seeing the pictures Brian Friedman took of this delightful couple's destination wedding in New York City.

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!
julielaudicina@msn.com

They Tied the Knot

The Tuscan Garden at Snug Harbor on Staten Island is such a dramatic place for a wedding ceremony.  As the wedding officiant for Tiffeny and Jack's ceremony, I could look out over the faces of their closest family and friends...all excited to experience their ceremony and witness them declare their wedding vows.

Tiffeny and Jack wrote their own vows.  I ask for the bride and groom who decide to do this to impose some discipline on themselves - write their vows ahead of the week of the wedding, think of what it is they want to promise the other, and put it on paper (...and send it to me!).  The weakest vows are the ones written after the rehearsal dinner...too much wine, too little time, too little inspiration.  Jack and Tiffeny's vows were heartfelt, touching, and very personal.

I included the ancient ritual of handfasting in this ceremony...adapted so that Jack and Tiffeny's parents and Jack's aunt could all participate in "tying the knot."  I talked about each ribbon in symbolic termswhen the ribbons were tied around their joined wrists.  Jack and Tiffeny put their own original stamp on this ritual...they kept the ribbons tied and their wrists joined together as they processed out after the ceremony.  In the picture below, you can see Jack's mother about to tie her ribbon.

 

I write so often about the impact of weather on the way a wedding day unfolds.  Jack and Tiffeny took a risk that gray skies would not turn to rain.  It was the right gamble...because this ceremony would not have been as delightful, meaningful, and dramatic indoors.  Don't know why...it would just have been different.

 

 

 

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

julielaudicina@msn.com

 



Finding the Right Partner

During Angela and Phil's wedding ceremony, as the wedding officiant, I told their love story which is about finding the right partner and being the right partner.  Three women relatives had the bright idea that Angela and Phil would be just that for each other...and they were right!

So in the late morning sunshine, Phil and Angela declared their vows in the gazebo at Nicotra's Ballroom on Staten Island.  With their sons, handsome young men, at their side, they included a sand ritual in the ceremony. 

I was intrigued that they purchased an hour glass just for the purpose of the sand ritual.  When the hour glass was filled with three different colored sand, I had them be the first to turn the hour glass over...adding a wish for them that the sands of time would flow more slowly on their wedding day so they could savor each moment.

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!
julielaudicina@msn.com

Matrimony on Monday

It is a rare thing for me to officiate at a Monday wedding, but Ann Marie and Glenn chose a Monday evening for their wedding ceremony and dinner at The Marina Cafe overlooking Great Kills harbor on Staten Island.  There was so much excitement and celebration in that room that it just didn't seem like a Monday.  So it proves you can get married on any day of the week!

As Glenn and Ann Marie they heard their love story being told and then a lyrical reading, they were flanked by their children...her three daughters and his two sons.  After the vows and ring exchange, these adult children each read a piece of advice for a successful marriage.  One of the quotes was from Oliver Wendell Holmes:

Love is not a matter of counting the years: it is making the years count.

Glenn and Ann Marie, I wish you all the best!  So glad you found me to be your wedding officiant.

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!
julielaudicina@msn.com

Back Home Party is Over

I promised not to post pictures of a summer wedding for which I was the wedding officiant...one held in Cop Cot in Central Park....until now.  Here are pictures of Lorna and Matt's happy day.

The photographer, Brian Friedman, and I promised to not blog about this wedding until Lorna and Matt had their wedding party back home.  She wanted to keep her wedding dress under wraps, so to speak.  So now they are home...their party is over...and I'm delighted to post a few pictures from the magical lens of Brian Friedman.  Thank you, Brian, for letting me use these images.

 

 Lorna's step dad missed his answer to my question - "Who presents this woman to be married?"  As you can see, it provided a moment of enjoyable laughter to ease the nerves at the start of the ceremony.

 

Lorna included a broach in her bouquet...in memory of one of Matt's grandmothers...nice sentimental touch.

 



This was a destination wedding to remember...a real NYC experience for Matt and Lorna.  Thank you, Lisa, from iPlanNewYork.

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!
julielaudicina@msn.com

Coles & Christopher

Coles and Christopher...sounds like a law firm.  But it's a lovely couple who found love at work...and made it work!

They live in Monmouth County NJ...so they decided to get married at one of their favorite restaurants, Salt Creek Grille in Rumson.  Overlooking the water, their guests heard their love story.  Her sons did a terrific job of a reading by Dr. Seuss...they were pros!  Vows, rings, kiss...it all came together as the late afternoon sun shone on them.

Of course, I had to check out the bride's shoes...this year's latest fashion accent for brides. 

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!
julielaudicina@msn.com

Everybody Loves Cop Cot

Cop Cot is a funny sounding name for the largest and oldest rustic structure in Central Park in New York City.  It is a favorite spot for couples from around the world who come here for their destination wedding.

Lorna and Matt got married here a few days ago.  With their twenty plus family and friends from around the world, their ceremony began in unexpected sunshine.  I tied the couple to this structure with its Scottish name by recalling Matt's Scottish-born grandfather.  Lorna had a brooch from another grandparent in her bouquet.  Uncle Mike read a humous piece likening love to owning a dog...a nod to Lorna and Matt's dog Charley.

Vows were spoken, rings exchanges, tears of joy from parents and friends...and at last the kiss!

Then they were off in with wonderful photographer Brian Friedman to take pictures at iconic NYC sites.  Have fun in the checker cab with the Union Jack flying! Cheerio!

Now you won't see pictures of this ceremony or the couple.  Lorna requested no pix on the internet until they have their party back home in Manchester, UK...wants to keep her dress a secret.  I'm doing my part here!

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!
julielaudicina@msn.com

Hockey is Life

Loyal NJ Devils fans Zach and Amanda shared a ritual glass of wine during their wedding ceremony...in a keepsake glass engraved with the Devil's logo.  Their mothers poured the wine - symbolizing the individuality they bring to their marriage.  And when hockey is life...not a game... marriage too is about playing well, being a team, and looking forward together to the next season. 

As their wedding officiant, it was to my amazement that the Groom and the Mother of the Bride tacked a pre-ceremony problem with creativity.  The violinist was stuck in traffic.  So they decided to download Vivaldi's music on a cell phone and pump the sound over my microphone.  We did a trial run and it worked.  Fortunately, we had live music because the musician arrived just in time.  It's always something to keep me learning new things and sweating the details just a little more each time.



The venue for this ceremony was the NY Chinese Scholar's Garden that is part of Snug Harbor Cultural Center on Staten Island.  It's a stunning location and can work for both large and small ceremonies.  There is covered space for a rainy day if the group is not too large.

Ceremony idea:  The Mother of the Bride surprised the couple with a butterfly release.  This was unknown to me as well, and because I didn't know about it, it was a missed opportunity to integrate the symbolism of the release into the ceremony script.  So when you work with your celebrant to design your ceremony, let parents and close friends know who your celebrant is and how your ceremony is taking shape.  Anyone interested in surprising you might contact your officiant with addiitonal input.   Just sayin'!

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

They Wrote Their Own Vows

Peter and Dana were quite interested in many of the details of their wedding...and their ceremony.  They wanted to not only celebrate their marriage, they also wanted to celebrate the friendship they share with so many in their lives.  So the welcome to their guests was a tribute to friendship as well as love.

On a garden rooftop at Rockefeller Center, their friends assembled.  The sun was shining, but rain drops were falling...should we stop the ceremony or keep going?  Like their romance, we kept going. 

The highlight of the ceremony for me was the vows that this couple had written...the promises they pledged to each other.  It's difficult to write these important words.  Dana used some sample vows I had shared with her for inspiration.  Peter's words were from the heart...short and precise.  I know family and friends hear and feel the emotion behind the carefully crafted phrases of the vows when the couple writes their own words.

Ceremonny Tip: If you think you can't possibly write your own vows...ask your officiant for coaching and tips.  Read books online or those available in bookstores.  Do a search on wedding vows...you will be surprised at how much informaiton is available to help you.  Your vows don't have to be the best prose ever written...it only has to be the words, the promises you want to make to your new spouse.

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

You Blew Me Away!

The venue was dramatic...the roof of Terrace on the Park, overlooking the site of the '64 Worlds Fair and the NY Mets' ball park.  The weather was dramatic...very very windy and quite cool.  The couple was dramatic...fun, touching, loving, and attentive to each other.

Their wedding ceremony gave a nod to the two religious tradiitons from which they come.  The Jewish traditions were drinking a symbolic cup of wine, signing the ketubah, and breaking the glass.  The  vows they declared to each other had their roots in the Christian rituals for marriage.

The tip for folks planning their wedding ceremony from this wedding is...be flexible.  The wind was not pleasant for their guests and for the bride and groom...so they asked me at the last minute to adapt the ceremony a bit.  I cut out major sections to shorten the time all had to endure the wind.  Yes, some of the words I'd carefully prepared and which they had approved were set aside.  The result was just a meaingful ceremony as if we'd done all of it...and everyone could take shelter sooner.  It was a win-win....or you could say, it was a breeze.

For me, it was a pleasure to finally work on a wedding with a wonderful, thorough, and caring wedding planner, Marissa Mortimer of Lavish Occasions.  She did so many unnoticed things to make Vincent and Marissa's day go smoothly.  They'll never know!

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

The Green Building Says It All

Sometimes the setting for a ceremony really makes the ceremony.  For Paul and Amy, their choice of  The Green Building in Brooklyn made the perfect statement to reflect their style and meaning...vintage and new, funky and classical, indoors and outdoors, dark and light.

The ceremony focused on their love story and then their vows.  Their wedding party did a wonderful job with the ceremonial tasks assigned to them.  I give them all A+.

After completing my responsibilities as their wedding officiant, I lingered a bit ...watching their family and friends enjoy the setting...and celebrate with Paul and Amy.

And what was with that giant troll around the corner?

  Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

So Metropolitan

It is always a joy for a wedding celebrant when the setting makes for a dramatic ceremony. Such was the case for Scott and Judy's ceremony and reception at The Metropolitan Club. Candles, live music, attentive guests...it all went together beautifully.

From the outset of the ceremony when Judy and her soon-to-be stepdaughter descended the majestic staircase together...the entire ceremony emphasized the couple's love for each other and their children. Their family and friends pledged support, and the children welcomed each other now as family members. Tip of the hat to Madeline of EZ Events. Google her! Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

On The Lawn at Alice Austen House

Today Feona and Felicity joined hand, hearts, and lives in matrimony on the grounds of Alice Austen House.

With a breath-taking view of the Manhattan skyline on one side of them and their close USA friends and family on the other, they spoke their vows and exchanged rings. As the wedding officiant, I got to see the delight on their faces up close.

For this ceremony, they included friends as readers, and Feona's young teenage sons were the eager ring-bearers. One unusual element of their ceremony was that they spoke well-planned words of appreciation to family and friends.

There were cheers and nods of heads when I mentioned NY State's same sex marriage law...all in support of Feona and Felicity's new legal marriage.

This coming summer they will have a parallel ceremony with family and friends in the UK where they live.

It was a bit chilly and windy as we stood by the New York harbor...but warm hearts were all about. A line from one of their readings is "What a Blessed Life." A blessed life indeed!

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

Something Old, Something New

A gray and cool day yesterday was warmed by a wedding ceremony for which I was the wedding officiant...at Bridgewaters in South Street Seaport.

The something old part was the use of Tara's mother's lace mantilla on the ceremonial table. I referred to the veil as a symbol of the threads, hundreds of delicate threads, that will link Tara and Eric's lives, families, and their future.




In the picture of this veil, you will see a wine glass. I adapted the unity candle ritual of Eric's Irish/Hispanic Catholic roots with the traditional wine sharing with a Jewish kiddush cup. The result was a wedding ceremony ritual that reflected the two faiths that are at the root and heart of their families' traditions.



I met Tara a year ago, and I did not meet Eric until yesterday, but I feel like I've known them a long time. I enjoyed meeting their families and learning all about how they met. It was my honor to be their officiant.

A word of thanks to their wedding planner, Shawn Rabideau...you made my work so easy, and I appreciated all your efficient and cheerful responses to each request or question I had. And most remarkable of all - you got that long procession lined up and started ahead of schedule!

I Do All Over Again

The folks at Nicotra's Ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn on Staten Island recently celebratated their 10th Anniversary. As part of their celebration, they had a contest for couples who had their wedding at the hotel. The winner would have a vow renewal ceremony and party supplied by the Hilton and their preferred vendors..."I Do All Over Again."

Jamie Lynn and Tom Mauro won the contest, and I was honored to create a vow renewal ceremony for them. I told the story of their romance and marriage three years ago, several family members did readings, and they renewed their marriage vows.

The most symbolic moment for me was to see the two of them enter the room together for the ceremony...unlike their wedding when they entered separately. This time they came in together - a married couple who will always honor the "I Dos" they said.

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

Be Mine, Valentine

Valentine's Day...perfect day for a wedding. This year I was honored to be asked to officiate at Jackie and Ken's ceremony at The Manor Restaurant. It was a lovely coincidence that Ken proposed to Jackie on Valentine's Day many years ago.

Surrounded by the friends and family who have supported their relationship for the last 19 years, they spoke their vows. These two pledeged their love with simplicity and clarity...from the heart.

Ken's brother and his wife arranged the ceremony and the dinner, welcomed guests, took the pictures, helped guest who were lost find the location, provided flowers (including a long stemmed rose for me and my husband...yes, both of us). It's a pleasure to come across such caring and lovely people.






Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

With this Chocolate, I Thee Wed

When I write wedding ceremonies as a civil wedding officiant, I try to create something unique for each ceremony. Couples often give me a hint of what would work for them...something they saw in a friend's wedding, a traditional wedding element from their background, or something they both really enjoy such as wine or travel.

It could even be chocolate! A shared piece of chocolate during the ceremony could symbolize the sweetness they will share over a lifetime or the passion they have for sharing all the wonders and delights of being together.

I met two chocolatiers, Sweet Sisters Chocolates, who have a wonderful line of wedding enhancements...all in chocolate. I really like these symbols of a bride and groom....just perfect for sharing in a wedding ceremony.

Hmmmmm....so sweet!

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

Elegance All Around

It's a joy to be the wedding officiant for a couple who really know what they are doing...who have planned a wonderful celebration...and fully embrace the meaning of their wedding day. Megan and George's choices for their day focused on family, friends from near and far, and their love for one another. Somehow their choices all added up to "beautiful."

The ceremony, on the rooftop at Midtown Loft & Terrace, was filled with emotion and well-chosen words. Their sibliges as Best Man and Maid of Honor each did a literary reading. I told their love story...which illustrated the many ways in which Megan and George seemed destined to be together.


Even though this wedding was last September, it's still quite clear in my mind...gracious, elegant, and loving all around. I hope that day is still crystal clear in their minds and hearts too.

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

Top of the Rock

Julie Laudicina, Celebrant!

I missed writing about a thrilling wedding last summer at The Top of the Rock. The bride and groom, from the UK, selected this spot so they could feel they were really in NYC for their wedding. The view north toward Central Park was spectacular. The couple spoke their vows, exchanged rings, and shared the moment with her son and his girl friend. Just loverly!




The stunning photographs by my friend Brian Friedman tell the story. The pictures in this blog entry are his work.


Destination wedding tip: It was nerve-wracking For Paul and Kim that their NYC marriage certificate didn't arrive via mail...not for months. It's unusual, but in their case, it happened. I got legal permission from them to go to the City Clerk's Office to straighten it out so that they finally got their certificate. Neither they nor I would like to go through that worry, expense, and effort again.
An international couple coming to NYC to get legally married has the option of bringing the completed marriage license back to the City Clerk's Office after the wedding. The Clerk will give the couple their certificate to them that day. So consider this return visit to "city hall" as a prudent use of your time in NYC...getting that certificate in your hands before you fly home.