WHY I OFFICIATE WEDDINGS

I love weddings, mostly because all the people involved are usually happy,

excited and ready to celebrate with their loved ones! And, I love being a Wedding Officiant! I enjoy helping and encouraging a couple to be comfortable announcing to the world what they want to say to their beloved, from deep within their hearts. There is nothing more satisfying to me than being an integral part of such a beautiful moment in people’s lives. What an honor it is!

It is pure joy to see everyone involved rising up and being the absolute best they can be, not only in appearance, but in attitude and action, at every wedding ceremony. Whether it be the Best Man and the Groom, remembering their boutonnières and helping each other, or the Bride with her closest friends assisting her to be her absolute most beautiful self, adding lip gloss at the last minute... right down to the tiny flower girl taking it upon herself in the moment, to do it her own way by dumping the flower petals out all at once as she starts down the aisle. Or the casual couple’s spontaneous wedding ceremony on the beach, the eager Groom wearing his best faded jeans and a clean, ironed shirt partially exposing a few tattoos, and the Bride in her sundress, eyes sparkling while holding a fresh, simple bouquet from the corner florist. It could be the Groom still in his cutoffs in the 11th hour, quickly raking the last few leaves from the yard for a garden wedding as the guests are arriving, or the favorite uncle racing to the neighbor's house as the ceremony begins, to beseech them to turn off the deafening power mower so we can hear the cello and violin playing Bach as the Bride makes her grand entrance.

Love and caring show in the Las Vegas couple’s very private Los Angeles area beach wedding where they’ve come dressed in their finest, he immaculate in a sharp tuxedo with polished shoes gleaming in the sun, and she looking most beautiful in her exquisite white wedding dress and gorgeous pink bouquet. It is in our nature to want to be and give our highest and best for our beloved on this special wedding day, and actually every day. This is love!

As the Wedding Officiant, from my fortunate vantage point standing between the Bride and Groom, I’m privileged to experience feeling the incredible love they share ~ often in the tears trying to spring forth from the adoring eyes of a Groom as he looks at his Bride ~ or from a radiant Bride as she smiles expectantly at her Groom, her bouquet and her chin slightly quivering, while he speaks his vows to her in sincere whispered tones… or from the joy expressed by all as I introduce the couple for the first time as "Mr. and Mrs." ~ to their guests... and to the world!

I love weddings in this 21st Century! You know why? It’s a new era where we can break from tradition, if desired, without judgment. More non-traditional,

non-denominational and even non-religious weddings are taking place now than ever before. We can truly create the wedding ceremony any way we’d like. There is no right way and no wrong way to do it. If someone would judge, they forgot to come along with us into the 21st Century. Another reason I love being a Wedding Officiant at this time in history is because now, with all the changes in the ‘social norm’, those choosing to get married are doing it because they really want to marry and spend their lives together as a married couple!

Times have changed so much so, that now no one marries because they ‘have to’

or because they think they ‘should’, or because of any social pressure. My experience is that when couples get married in these times, it is because they are intensely and incredibly in love, and they truly want to spend the rest of their lives together and plan their future together. Therefore, at all the weddings I perform, there is an irresistible feeling of love, of joy, and of celebration not only from the couple, but from their families and friends! Everyone is loving, everyone is happy, and everyone is ready to celebrate Life with this couple! What a wonderful atmosphere it is for me to be in day after day!

Believe me, when I say I love what I do!