Are you looking for a professional Officiant? Or do you have a Friendiant?  Here are some minuses — and pluses of the latter! First of all, let me cut to the chase. Don’t make this event — your wedding ceremony — TOO CASUAL. As a culture, a society, we’re definitely moving into a time of challenging norms and reinventing roles. But there are some norms that deserve preserving (wow a rhyme!) One of them is the brevity (and yes, of course, the joy) of the event. By the way, a Friendiant is a friend or family member who’s been asked… Read More »

Decisions, decisions. Weddings are full of decisions that you must make. Color themes. Who will read the readings? What budget item can I override? Do I really want to marry this person or should I change my mind??? Where can I send Uncle Joe to stay overnight with? The Difference Whether you make your decision based on inspiration or motivate can put you on an entirely different path quickly. There IS a difference between being motivated to make a decision and being inspired to go one way or the other. Being motivated comes via your head self-talk, that is in… Read More »

Northern Michigan is a splash of spectacular reds, neon oranges, greens and sunny carmel colors in the Fall. Seen against the backdrop of our beautiful blue waters, you have a gorgeous natural setting for your wedding.  Late September, October and early November has an entirely different feel than spring or summer. The crisp, chill brings out a playful energy. Bundling up is still fun, which it won’t be by February. The colder air gets us walking closer together. An evening bonfire is good for the soul AND body. If you are wondering what season to get married in, consider have… Read More »

  Have you ever taken a personality test? If so you may have used one of the most popular ones, the Myers Briggs personality inventory tool. There are 16 distinctive personality types. At one time this questionnaire seemed to pop up all over the place. The free test is designed to help us understand the people we are in relationship with as well as one’s self. My parents took the Myers Briggs test at a couples’ workshop some 20 years ago (has it been THAT long ago?). Through the results, they had a lot of aha’s and “oh that’s why… Read More »

The Sand Ceremony Often a couple wants to emphasize the uniqueness and commitment of their coming together. With this mind, the Sand Ceremony is a simple and meaningful addition to a wedding celebration. The blending of two colors of sand into one has not lost its meaning and relevance in the modern nor traditional wedding. When weddings are held indoors, such as in a church building, the Candle Lighting ceremony has a lot of meaning. Lighting one central candle with two smaller individual candles symbolizes the light within the couple making one brighter light. The brighter light is what strengthens… Read More »

  Your wedding guest list… You have some decisions to make about who will witness your commitment to each other and who won’t. It seems choosing your favorite friends and family, including them on your wedding guest list should be easy enough, right? But until you’ve started to put that list together yourself, it is hard to understand all that goes into deciding who makes the cut and who doesn’t. Here are some tips on how to make the decisions that must be made in putting your wedding guest list together.  First Things First The foundation of all other tips… Read More »

Capturing the Moment — Digital Memories or the heart of memories Photographers are so good at capturing the moment — many of them — of your wedding. Most photographers are very conscious of positioning themselves inconspicuously. Others make me wonder if they are really bi-locating – being in two places at once. One minute our camera wielding professional is in the back of the room, the next, he or she is crouched before the front row, waiting for the father and the bride to arrive. Super-dedicated photographers will lay on the floor to get the right angle and light, even… Read More »

Awesome Winter Wedding from 2019 — Maire and Tyler Lajko won the Winter Wedding Giveaway! $32K worth of services. Here’s a few pics of their wedding: Northwestern Michigan is the one of the most beautiful places on the planet. It’s no wonder people love to come here to get married. Beach weddings in the Grand Traverse, Emmet, Leelanau and the surrounding areas are spectacular. But so are weddings with blue spruce and cedar heavy with snow. They too, are a beautiful backdrop for a northern winter wedding. There’s a coziness and closeness that comes with a winter wedding. Consider Having… Read More »

What you will remember most about your Northern Michigan wedding ceremony, even more than the wedding dress, the weather, or anything in the wedding address is the vows you and your partner exchange. Whether traditional or contemporary, the vows you pick contain the words that express how you will give your heart and mind and soul to each other in the lifetime ahead of you. So you must choose your vows wisely. If you are considering writing wedding vows, remember they set the tone for the quality of your commitment. Over the last few years, I have noticed many couples… Read More »