One of my most wonderful couples – Dr. Fred and Diane Lee – are dog lovers and this wonderful wedding day photo illustrates the joy a dog brings to a wedding day.

How do I put this delicately?  I LOVE dogs.  My husband and I care-take special needs dogs at our home on Bainbridge Island and whenever I can officiate a ceremony with a dog or perhaps a dynamic canine duo (like at the left), I am that much happier.

Here is one of my best tips for weaving in your canine friend(s) into your wedding ceremony.

Get over any angst that including your beloved dog in your ceremony will be “too much.” 

Dogs are all about exuberance and there is nothing that brings more joy, laughter and peace/comfort to the beginning of a ceremony than a four-legged ring bearer or flower girl going down the aisle – prancing, running, taking a detour, sniffing a guest.

As a dog teaches us, it’s all about being in the moment. Including your family member(s), which today often means your beloved companion animal, raises the joy bar on a wedding day.  Woof!

Fabulous Photo:  www.joejill.com

Gloria & Bernel's Sofrey

Bernel and Gloria’s wedding ceremony was not only a celebration of their loving partnership, their children and family but it was a glorious and colorful tribute to their Persian and Jewish traditions.

It was such a privilege and happy oppportunity for me to share in Bernel and Gloria’s ceremony which wove together rituals and elements from both the Persian and Jewish side. 

With 150+ happy family and friends gathered around the gorgeous and elaborate Sofrey (the marriage spread in the Persian tradition) created by Gloria’s Mother and family, we celebrated the long and winding path that brought Bernel and Gloria to this beautiful moment.

As you can see from the photo above, the Sofrey is a centerpiece of a Persian wedding, filled with great symbolism.  I especially loved the vibrant color of this Sofrey and how much love and intention was woven into every detail.

Creating, crafting and delivering a more elaborate and ritual-heavy inter-faith wedding ceremony is such a delight for me.  Bernel and Gloria – thank you for trusting me with the “centerpiece” of your wedding day.  I wish you a glorious marriage adventure!

Pre-Ceremony Snack!

I arrived a bit early for Sean and Daria’s Saturday evening wedding ceremony at the Space Needle.  And what did I find?  A very happy couple and a very hungry groom!

Sean shared with me that he hadn’t eaten much that day.  Can I have a hungry groom walking down the aisle?  I don’t think so!

I grabbed Sean’s hand and took him to the kitchen where I found his Banquet Manager, Judy, and relayed my concern.  Within minutes, her staff whisked out a tray of fruit, crackers and fruit and Sean was a happy boy.

This is one of the reasons I LOVE working at The Space Needle.  Event Manager Eric Rommen and staff are just exceptional at what they do.  Time after time, I watch them take great care of a couple on a wedding day and their quick response to Sean’s request was kind, gracious and “on it.”  And you’ve got to love the smug photo above and that grin!

Sean – you made it down the aisle in style to marry the most magnificant woman!  My very best to you and Daria…

David & Lindsay Walz

Some photos are timeless.

Such is the photo to the right taken by Photographer Daniel Sheehan on New Year’s Day during Dave and Lindsay’s intimate wedding ceremony at Foxglove Guesthouse on Capital Hill.

There was a moment in the ceremony that was particularly overwhelming for Dave and this photo captures the sweetness of everything a ceremony is about:  trust, gentleness, compassion, appreciation and real meaning.

Dave and Lindsay came to Seattle from Minneapolis to be married and to share a honeymoon down the West Coast.  Recognizing how much Dave and Lindsay have been through in their life together, I was particularly touched to join them on this day. 

What I love about this couple is how that they are possibility thinkers.  Coming from great gratitude and appreciation for one another, Dave and Lindsay incorporated unique and sweet elements into their ceremony (a singing bowl, special gratitude to family, a remembrance for David’s Mother, Vivian, and more)  that celebrates their joy and anticipation of many years to come.

Dave & Lindsay - much joy and happiness to you!

Photo:  www.abeautifuldayphotography.com

Web:  www.wedbyannemarie.com

Kevin & Amy Ullrich

August 27th was a gorgeous day for this wedding ceremony and celebration, held on a lawn overlooking the water of this lakeside home. 

When I arrived for the ceremony, I was immediately taken with the careful and sweet detail woven into the planning of the ceremony and the day.  Taking a page from Ed and Jenelle’s “wedding playbook,” here are 3 best tips if you are planning your wedding day at a home:

1)  Hire An Air Traffic Controller – That’s right – most home weddings would thrive and do best with a day-of planner or wedding consultant.  Because the home host or hostess most often tends to be an immediate family member, having someone on-site to coordinate all day-of details allows family to “relax in their home” and truly enjoy the day.

2)  Parking Valet/Coordinator – Place a parking coordinator outside the home to assist guests with parking.  This not only is a best welcoming gesture, it also insures cars are properly parked and neighbors are happy campers.

3)  A Tent Is A Smart Option…And A Pretty One!  For most home weddings with 50+ guests, it often works to have a tent in the back yard.  This allows a decorating focal point – serves as shade on a very hot day – and in the event of rain, provides cover.  The cost can be spendy and having been to many home weddings, a tent is often wise and best insurance for a fabulous wedding day!

What you don’t see here is a what happened after I arrived on-site.  Eric and Charene planned an outdoor ceremony at a family home however Mother Nature wasn’t cooperating.  When I arrived, it was lightly raining and the couple, family and wedding party were gathered under a rented tent (smart move!)

After consulting with the couple, family and Paul, we all decided that the smart move would be to re-set the tent for the ceremony. Sure, we could have taken the chance of going on as planned for outside and the smart move was to flip things quickly to insure comfort and peace.

Here are tips if you get to a wedding day and need to get to Plan B:

1)  Just Do It.  If you are at a venue, chances are you’ll have to make a decision 2-4 hours before your ceremony.  At a private home, you can do anything you wish.  Be pro-active and go for the conservative decision.  The key?  You want to insure that your family and friends are comfortable – rain and wind don’t create a warm and romantic atmosphere to enjoy a ceremony.

2)  Appointment A Spokesperson.  If the weather looks challenging, appoint a spokesperson who will be the “air traffic controller” around last minute changes and decisions.  This person is the intermediary between a venue/home host and the couple.  Oftentimes on a wedding day, a couple is taking photos and otherwise engaged and needs someone to make decisions on their behalf – and to run interference!

3)  “People Won’t Remember What You Say – They Will Remember How You Made Them Feel.”  Nothing rings more true that this statement when it comes to a wedding ceremony.  If you and your guests are comfortable and peaceful, you’ll remember more of your wedding moments.  A wedding is all about creating a legacy of “feeling.”  So knowing this, make your difficult decisions as soon as you can on an inclement weather day and get on with it!

Photographer Paul Dudley – www.pauldudleyphotography.com

With 100+ family and friends under a big white tent at Woodland Park’s Rose Garden, Nick and Elise exchanged vows on a sunny July 16th and celebrated their loving partnership. 

I was lucky to snap this shot of them immediately after their ceremony as they greeted Nick’s Grandmother before leaving for photos.

I so enjoyed everything about Nick and Elise and the opportunity to get to know them long-distance as we moved toward their wedding day.

Working with a couple who is from out of the area has become second nature to me.  With all of the toys and tools of technology, I often use Skye, email, text and phone to stay connected as we work to create a wedding ceremony. 

Nick and Elise – I wish you much happiness!  I hope you had a most beautiful honeymoon and are taking your East Coast heat wave in stride!

Nahom & Kristin Wersom