Carolyn Burke STL Blog

What are the steps to book a ceremony with a Wedding Officiant? St Louis, MO First Step: Do you have a favorite date in mind? Perhaps a time of year or season? Maybe the answer is NOW or last minute (elopement). Coming up with a date is a priority when booking an officiant. It is obvious that we need to be available to perform the ceremony. Second Step: What time of day appeals to you? Be creative. If you choose earlier in the day, you can celebrate with a brunch. Afternoons are the most popular. Some couples choose close to a meal time to have the ceremony so guests can eat following the service.  My favorite is in the evening - close to sunset - which some say is the best time of day for great photography. Third Step: Location, Location, Location. Believe it or not, this can be the hardest of the three to plan or decide on.  Inside or outside? Too big or too small? In a private or public space?  All of these steps are not necessarily neede...

Marriage may simply be about celebrating a milestone: recognizing the relationship that a couple has built together and the love that they share for each other. But weddings are also very future-oriented, as the couple publicly promises to maintain their relationship for life.  Marriage vows – the solemn promises that the newlyweds make to each other in front of their closest friends and family – are why weddings have such an emotional impact. If these promises are the essence of what it means to be married, then what exactly do you want to promise each other? You could always go with the traditional marriage vows: for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for better for worse…but, these seemed a bit too vague for our tastes. Below are the ten promises taken from www.ScienceOfRelationships.com Each of these promises is going to help achieve long-term marital bliss (we hope). 1.  I promise to respect, admire and appreciate you for who you are, as well as for the...

A fun alternative to the traditional unity candle ceremony or sand ceremony, the Unity Canvas Painting Ceremony lets the couple celebrate their unity ceremony in an artistic way that truly represents themselves. Ashley and Tony bought the following supplies for their wedding ceremony :  paint colors that match your wedding theme; two colors for a couple or more if family members are included. paint brush for each color a plate or palette to pour the paint needed for the painting a small canvas to paint on painter's tape to make a heart shape an easel a table for the set-up of materials Every [couple/family] starts out as a blank canvas and every day is a splash of color.  This canvas has a heart drawn out with painter's tape that represents the day of the wedding, and a new beginning.  The paint colors signify the experiences that lie ahead; colors of joys and sorrows, blessings and heartache.  After the paint dries, the tape will be removed to show the love of this ...

The formal bridal party consists of four to twelve attendants; a maid or matron of honor, the best man, bridesmaids, one usher for every fifty guests, one or two flower girls, and a ring bearer. The bride's gown is a work of art, full length, usually with a train and veil. The number of guests is often between 150 and 400. It's not unusual for the bride and groom to enlist the aid of a wedding consultant in planning these lavish events. Some, but not all, of the guidelines shown above are relaxed in a semi-formal wedding. The ceremony and reception can take place in a variety of locations and both are often held at the same place. Semi-formal weddings usually have fewer attendants, and wedding attire and flowers may be less traditional and more innovative. How Formal Is Your Wedding? Formal weddings are usually held in a church, synagogue, temple, a hotel ballroom, home or a garden. These weddings follow a myriad of time- honored customs, preserved down to the las...

Definition of Small Wedding A “small” wedding is based on cutting out a number of guests or money spent. Remember, the less people the less money you spend. Consider Your Budget With small wedding planning, the first thing you need to do is sitting down and making up your guest list. Decide what number is small for your budget, remember the guests you invite; you may need to plan for food, dessert and drinks. Also, each guest will require a chair to sit in that may or may not be rental fee. Intimate Venue Ideas for Small Weddings Small weddings actually give you so many more choices, because you can include smaller and more budget friendly places. Local Park Gazebo Here are some ideas for a small intimate wedding and some of my favorites: Churches with Halls Look into a church that has a separate hall for wedding receptions. Many of the older churches in the City of St Louis have large Fellowship Halls that they can rent to you. The fee usually includes tables and cha...

The St Louis County Parks and Recreation department has a wedding website. Their parks are great locations for wedding ceremonies and you cannot beat the price! Some locations come with electricity and restrooms, while others are simple for short, sweet and simple ceremonies. I have performed ceremonies as a Wedding Officiant  and I love the versatility that they can provide. Couples need to have nerves of steel as there is usually not a PLAN B or contingency plan in case of bad weather.  Nonetheless, they remain very popular. Below are my favorite photographs that show off the space.  You must contact the County Parks to book the location. Call me if you want my personal opinion on any of these locations as I am an Event Location Specialist. Bee Tree Mansion Garden Bee Tree Park Overlook Bissell Rose Garden Faust Park Jefferson Barracks Laborers House Patio Jefferson Barracks Museum Patio Queeny Park Courtyard Garden St Louis Cou...

With the number of mixed interfaith marriages taking place, many couples today are opting to have a secular ceremony instead of a religious ceremony for their wedding.  This allows them to include special readings, vows, symbols or wedding themes (whether religious or not) that they may not be able to include in a religious ceremony or location. A secular ceremony contains no religious elements (except for what the couple may add) and can be performed in a venue of your choice, depending on the area in which you wish to get married in.  It is a good idea to interview at least two different officiants; to compare their style and make sure you are comfortable with the ceremony structure.  It is important that you feel comfortable with the officiant who is performing the ceremony and that you feel that he/she is interested in you as a couple. Keep in mind to budget for the various fees, such as the officiant's fee (for the ceremony), the ceremony site fe...