Eric & Jessica Wed At the Hollywood Schoolhouse

Yes, the bride and groom are so very happy ... and so are all their friends! It was a beautiful day in April ... yes, April in Seattle (well, Woodinville, actually) ... to exchange wedding vows and celebrate love.

Kent officiated and he was grinning ear to ear when he told me about the wedding. All went well: gorgeous flowers and decor, good music, and as always the staff at the Hollywood Schoolhouse were their professional best. Add family and friends and you have the making of a great celebration.


Of course, the kiss was the highlight of the ceremony. As you can see from the expressions on bridesmaids' faces, it was a kiss to remember!

After the ceremony, there is this amazing glow. It is a great time to schedule some "you" time. Just looking at these photos, you can feel the love Eric and Jessica share.

"We wanted to take the time to thank you both for everything.
Our complete experience with meeting you both,
the preparation sessions, writing the ceremony,
our story and finally the wedding.
You both made our special day the best we could have ever asked for.
We loved every minute!
Thank you so much!"

Jessica and Eric prepared not only for their wedding but for their marriage with our premarital preparation. Here's what Jessica had to say about the experience:

"To be honest, I loved all the sessions.
We learned so much from each one
but in the communication and finances ones,
we learned the most about each other. "

For more information about the sessions, check out our website.

Many thanks to JFK for the photos. Jenna and John are always great to work with!

Going to the Chapel - Wedding at St. Paul's

"We can't thank you enough fo what you did. It was such a relief to have someone who knew what they were doing. The ceremony was amazing, as are you two. Best wishes for many years to come." ~ Sean and Jennifer

St. Paul's Chapel in Pt. Gamble was the perfect site to "tie the knot." Jennifer and Sean wanted to celebrate their wedding ceremony in a sacred space: one that is warm and welcoming, with a sense of history. The simplicity of the setting showcased the couple beautifully. Kent was smiling happily as the two sealed their marriage vows with their first kiss as a married couple.

After the ceremony is the perfect time to share a private moment or two. The "glow" that occurs after the exchange of vows is a very special time, one to be savored.

What can be better than giving yourself as the bride and groom some time to enjoy the experience. It will be a memory to treasure for a lifetime.

Any non-rainy wedding day in the Pacific Northwest is a gift. Sean and Jennifer were so lucky to even have some sun breaks in April, which is even more amazing. It allowed Tasha Owen to capture these outdoor images.

Tasha told us, "As always when either you or Kent are the officiant it is a beautiful ceremony. I told Kent how lovely I thought it was and he told me you had written it. Just beautiful. "

Love the dreaminess of the infrared.

Best wishes, Jennifer and Sean!!!

For more ideas on where to celebrate your wedding, check out the venues at http://www.aheavenlyceremony.com/.

Where Can I Find a Seattle Justice of the Peace?

Many brides and grooms want to have a simple or civil wedding ceremony and they often look for a Justice of the Peace or Notary.

In Washington State, only ministers/priests and judges may "solemnize a marriage." (RCW 26.04.050 defines who may solemnize a marriage: "Justices of the supreme court, judges of the court of appeals, judges of the superior courts, superior court commissioners, any regularly licensed or ordained minister or any priest of any church or religious denomination ...")

Judges or ministers may perform a civil ceremony, some may prefer not to. You need to ask.The exact wording of the ceremony is not defined by state statutes. You get to choose, depending on the person who is officiating.

We prefer to call ourselves "wedding ceremony officiants," letting couples know we enjoy all types of ceremonies: civil, spiritual, nondenominational, multicultural, multifaith and religious.

Your ceremony is a reflection of you. The wording of the ceremony should reflect you also!

Thanks to La Vie Photography!

To see how you can create the ceremony you want, check out our wedding ceremony services.

Andrew & Elizabeth in the City

Herban Feast opened its SODO Park venue last year and it was the perfect place for Elizabeth and Andrew to celebrate their wedding.

Like most couples, their wedding photographs were taken before the ceremony.

It is such a good idea for a number of reasons: there is more time to take all the pics you want, you can go to different locations, there is less anxiety at the ceremony itself and there is still a chance to have the "first moment" and actually talk to each other, you have more time to celebrate with your guests.

The bride and groom decided on using the city itself as the background. From downtown streets to landmarks, such as Pike Place Market, there were many unique and colorful settings to choose from.

Of course, SODO is very photogenic too ... as is the bride, groom and wedding party!

The room was aglow: the aged wood warmly lit. Candles bringing out the charm and history of the setting.

Kent officiated. The personal words about Elizabeth and Andrew evoked a smile or two.

Guests enjoyed cocktails while the recption area was reset.

After a delicious repast, it was time for cake.

What is not to like at a wedding, especially a wedding with a couple so in love and a celebration in a setting so historic and fun. Urban chic to the max.

Thanks to Ella Blue Studio for the artful photos.

For assistance in creating a ceremony that best suits you and your wedding site, check out our website and contact us at 206-789-9788.

Destination: Jared & Katie's Wedding

It was a calm, winter day --perfect for a wedding. Jared and Katie chose a destination location to celebrate their wedding. Since many of their guests were traveling to the Pacific Northwest, they wanted to provide a total experience and allowing enough time for the people who are closest to them to meet and get to know one another. First, a ferry ride across the Sound, followed by a scenic drive along the Hood Canal, ending at Alderbrook Lodge where guests would enjoy a boat ride on the Lady Alderbrook after their ceremony.

The ladies relaxed before the walk down the aisle, the guys got together before the big moment.

Then, the entire wedding party gathered for photos. Crystal and Jason of Ella Blue Studio did a wonderful job of capturing the events of the day.

The tent was decorated beautifully by Christiane Zweifler of Flora Nova, and warmed for the guests' comfort.

All the guests were attentive, including Allie and Miles. They realized some important was happening.

We would like to thank you for such a beautiful and amazing wedding ceremony. You set the tone for the magical time that it came to be.

Married!!! It was time to share the "glow" of the moment ... then to celebrate!









Traci and Spencer, Bottom Line Duo, provided music at the ceremony and on the boat ride, adding a warm lilt to the evening.

At the reception, Northwest notes graced the room. We shared a table with delightful company and truly enjoyed ourselves.




And, it was so good to have cake choices!!!! (Ok, we both love chocolate.)





Ah, what can be better than to be in the arms of the one you love.



When the celebration is done, time to pad down the hall to a very comfortable room!

We travel to the location you choose for your wedding. For a list of the just some of ceremony sites we have officiated at, check out the list at the bottom of our home page: http://www.aheavenlyceremony.com/.

Liviya Loves Colin, Colin Loves Liviya!

What a great couple! What a great wedding! Colin, the writer, and Livi, the artist/doctor-to-be, created a warm, funny, interactive evening for all the guests. It was a clear but cool day -- so it was good to snuggle up a bit.

There were children everywhere: the "feather girls" adorable in their dresses and "ring bear" stealing the ceremony. Guests from throughout Cascadia and across the seas arrived in celebatory humor. Musicians were numerous (check out Young Galaxy) ... snowboarders were not. Hey, there's still white on the slopes.

Colin described Livi as a beautiful bird sitting in a tree with a tiny latte enjoying the world, which made so much more sense when I saw the decor: tree branches decorated with birds brought the room to life, centerpieces composed of slices of tree trunks with smaller branches and hand-made flower decorations, bird nests filled with feathers for the "girls" and a bird nest with the rings nestled in it, cupcakes with tree decorations and two itsy-bitsy birds, cookies for favors made by each of the mom and decorated with artwork - a bird- created by Livi.

So hard to choose which one to carry!

A photo station was set up by the photographer: Anastasia Chomlack. Everyone received a guest book page to fill out and then had their playful photo taken to be attached to it. Meanwhile the younger ones had their own special room and activities to participate in.

Much happiness and joy! A very good beginning to wedded life.

Colin and Liviya's wedding also is posted on the ESPN blog.

To create a ceremony as unique as you are, please see our website or contact us at 206-789-9788.

New Years at the Edgewater

Kent and I were so lucky on New Year's Eve. I officiated for John and Misty at the Edgewater, which was great in itself, and we were invited to welcome in the new year with them and their friends. As you can see, I was dressed for the elegant evening (I seldom have a chance to wear these earrings that I love).

The Edgewater was "dressed" in candlelight. All set for the evening.

Misty and John and their wedding party are wonderful. They "chilled," watching Jeopardy and laughing and joking until the ceremony began.

Two close family friends (and actors) presented the best "Art of Marriage" reading I've ever heard. This was followed by a song performed by another dear friend before the vows, then the rings were exchanged. Yup, not a dry eye in the house.

Guests were entertained not only by lively table conversation but by miniLego projects: miniMisty, miniJohn and miniwedding arbor...or whatever the medium asked you to express.

There followed some of the most inspired toasts I've heard. And an improv performance, naturally! Everyone was in stitches.

Then the dancing began! Mister Miyagi had everyone on their feet, from the very young to the young-at-heart, incluidng us!!

Dani Weiss photographed the evening, helping to keep the memories alive.

As the midnight hour approached, we watched the fireworks at the Seattle Center from the Edgewater's balcony!

A pretty amazing way to begin the new year, a pretty amazing way to begin married life together!

Such is the start of 2009 -- a year of hope, a year of change, a year of possibilities. To prepare for your life as a couple, you may want to participate in premarital preparation. Check our website for more information.