Monika and Marko were married at Maritime Parc in Liberty State Park in Jersey City, the day after the giant Halloween snowstorm here in New Jersey!
They are both such exuberant, passionate, and interesting people, and I tried to capture a little bit of that in their ceremony. To honor Monika’s Polish heritage, we did a special ritual at the very end, after the kiss. The bride and groom were offered salt and bread, to show how they will sustain and support each other throughout their lives, by their moms – and then had a vodka toast, smashing the glass for good luck!
Their personal vows had everyone laughing and crying, and there seriously was not a dry eye in the house! Monika and Marko also incorporated a few readings into their ceremony, including some of my favorites (Taylor Mali’s “Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog” and a selection from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin) as well as some I hadn’t even thought to use as wedding readings before (Robert Fulghum’s “Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” – it works surprisingly well!)
Plus I just loved their polka dot theme. If anyone wants me to wear polka dots to their wedding – just let me know!
And their ceremony did include the story of one of the greatest pick-up lines ever:
Monika and Marko’s lives first crossed paths at a bar, when Marko overheard Monika discussing cheese, and offered this choice tidbit of trivia to her: “Did you know you can eat most things that grow on cheese and they won’t hurt you?” It turned out they had a mutual friend, so our couple was introduced – and Marko with a K met Monika with a K officially for the first time.
And included this wonderful line in the Love Story, too, which I just loved!
If Marko had to choose just one person he’d want in the Batmobile of life as his co-pilot, it would have to be Monika.
Congrats and much love to both of you!
A wedding I officiated at in early September was featured on the front page of the Times of Trenton this past Sunday!
The couple was married at the incredible Grounds for Sculpture, in Hamilton, NJ – a unique wedding location that is the perfect compliment to a unique Celebrant ceremony.
From the article:
Newlyweds Katherine Kittel and Jimmy Ding decided to celebrate their Sept. 2 wedding at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton.
The 42-acre public sculpture park was founded in 1992 at the site of the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds.
“Jimmy and I had gone there on one of our earlier dates. We really loved the grounds and park,” Kittel said.
At first, the couple considered a simple city hall-style wedding. But once they realized what Grounds for Sculpture had to offer, they were sold.
“The location really speaks for itself,” she said.
The couple decided to be wed at the Nine Muses exhibit, a granite collection of figures that suggest ruins and individuals from ancient Egypt, Greece, pre-Columbian sites, and other civilizations.
Click over to read the full article!
One of my favorite parts of my Celebrancy practice is when I get to write ceremonies for couples all over the country! My ceremony writing services are for those who are planning a wedding ceremony and want a unique, Celebrant ceremony – but already have an officiant or are having a friend or relative solemnize the marriage. I work closely with my couples, via email, Skype, and phone calls to create a beautiful and personal ceremony for their officiant to use.
Lindsay and Randy were married at the end of June in West Virginia. They came from different religious backgrounds, and wanted personal, unique vows, and had a friend officiate. They had met while working at Domino’s Pizza, over ten years ago, and became friends, though they both felt an immediate spark. It was this basis of friendship that their relationship was built on, and Lindsay sent me this fabulous quote from The X-Files that fit in with the ceremony perfectly! I used it to lead off their Love Story:
Well, it seems to be that the best relationships – the ones that last – are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with. -Dana Scully
They crafted unique vows to use, too:
I, Randy, take you, Lindsay,
to be no one other than yourself.
Loving what I know of you,
trusting what I do not yet know.
I will respect your integrity,
and have faith in your abiding love for me,
through all our years,
and in all that life may bring us.
Lindsay and Randy, I loved being a part of your wedding, all the way from New Jersey. Congratulations!
All photos by Amberlee Christey – thanks for sharing them with me, Lindsay!
Are you looking for someone to write your wedding ceremony, or need some help editing a ceremony you’ve already written? My ceremony writing services are perfect for you!
When my (now) husband and I asked a friend to perform our ceremony, we knew we needed someone to write it. A Google search led me to Jessie and I’m so thankful it did! She was wonderful to work with and created a beautifully personalized ceremony for us. Many of our guests loved the uniqueness of it! No matter where you live, if you’re looking for a ceremony that truly speaks to who you are as a couple, I would highly recommend Jessie’s writing services!
-Lindsay & Randy, married in Morgantown, WV
Kristen and Thomas were married at one of my favorite venues, The Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge, NJ. And we created an awesome ceremony.
They used Edward Monkton’s A Lovely Love Story (complete with printed illustrations!), a unique wine ceremony that decanted the wine (because, like a relationship, red wine reaches its fullest potential when it has room to breathe) and had a toast, and this fun poem by W.B. Yeats:
Wine comes in at the mouth
And loves comes in at the eye;
That’s all we know for truth
Before we grow old and die.
I lift the glass to my mouth,
I look at you, and I sigh.
Kristin and Thomas, congrats again – I loved being a part of your wedding celebration!
From the couple: We were so happy to have found Jessie to officiate at our wedding. She understood our vision right away, and did such an amazing job creating our ceremony. Her samples and resources were amazingly helpful for folks like us who didn’t want to use all the traditional words, but didn’t want to write our own vows either. I wish I could give her six stars for responsiveness; I have never met anyone who responds to e-mails faster! Thank you again so much for a wonderful and special ceremony!
There aren’t many weddings that I would perform the day before my own. In fact, I think Melissa and Jonathan would be my only exception! They wanted a simple, sweet, and FUN ceremony – and just happened to be getting married at Paisano’s Restaurant, within walking distance of my house.
It was a smaller wedding, which meant it was perfect to include a ring warming ritual. We passed Melissa and Jonathan’s rings around the room, allowing time for each guest to hold them, warm them, and imbue them with happy wishes and thoughts for the couple’s marriage. It’s one of my favorite rituals, and a really sweet and wonderful way to create an inclusive and intimate feeling with a ceremony.
Their love story was full of laughs, and a special mention of their dog, too. At the end, together, Melissa and Jonathan broke a glass, a Jewish custom that is usually reserved for the room. This was to symbolize how Melissa and Jonathan would be equals in their marriage, forming a partnership of support for each other.
Dan and I had to dash off immediately after the ceremony, so we could head up to New York state to get married! Melissa and Jonathan, thank you so much for letting me be a part of your wedding ceremony!
Photos are courtesy of the bride and groom.
