Carolyn Burke STL Blog

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...

What Happens  Once You Get Your Marriage License in Missouri? Once you receive your marriage license from the Recorder of Deeds Office, you must use the license within 30 days, it expires after the 30th day. If you do not use the license it must be returned to the Recorder of Deeds Office. Usually there are two papers for the Wedding Officiant to fill out : the Marriage License and the Marriage Certificate. The first paper is the valid marriage license which is the legal document that an officiant fills out before the ceremony with 1) The official name of person who performs the ceremony.  2) City where the wedding takes place.  3) County where the wedding takes place. 4) Day, month and year of wedding. 5) Official signature, title and sometimes their address. St Louis City Marriage Certificate and Marriage License The second paper is the invalid marriage certificate that is given to you for keepsake purposes. In most cases, you will not be able to use the cer...

Although I specialize in sweet and simple ceremonies in the St Louis MO and Metro East IL area, that does not mean that the WEDDING PARTY is simple too.  I love to perform at large weddings as long as the couple agrees that the ceremony remains SIMPLE (less than 20 minutes). Many times the number of guests is small even though there is a large wedding party (grandparents, parents, groomsmen, bridesmaids, ring bearer, flower girl, even a train bearer). I say - the more the merrier! But there is no way to make "simple" out of a large wedding party of 6+ bridesmaids and 6+ groomsmen, two ring bearers and a baby in a stroller as the flower girl! LOL Couples who decide to have a large wedding party need to have in place the ORDER they want to have their attendants (bridesmaids/groomsmen) walk down the aisle. When the ceremony is about to begin and the couple are still deciding is NOT the time. Getting 16+ people to stop talking and listen is no easy task. Having a...

To mic? Or not to mic? That is the question. The issue of amplifying voices is one that comes my way often.  When it comes to your wedding, many people will tell you the answer is always yes; but do you really need microphones? There are three big factors that will affect your decision. Microphone at a Wedding Ceremony First – Projection . You need to honestly assess the public speaking skills of your fiance, officiant, readers, and of course yourself. If you are confident that  everyone will be loud enough to be heard by guests at the back , then you might not need a microphone. To test this, go to your venue and have someone stand as far back as people will be with their BACKS to the speaker.  The speaker can make up a sentence in a loud, but not shouting, voice.  If they heard you just fine, you are good to go. Second – Space. Big spaces (church with a high ceiling; outside in a park) eat up sound and will make it hard for your guests to hear.  Smal...

Anna and Tim were married on a beautiful October day when the weather has started to change from summer to fall making the colors POP for their wedding event. Casey Hartley with KC Photography took these spectacular photographs.  I had a special interest in this wedding as my niece was the Matron of Honor who knew the bride since they were in dance class way back when they were 3 years old.  I always remember the sparkle in Anna's eyes which were in their peak for her wedding day.  Many Blessings!! Ethical Society Wedding Nice Accents of Shutters and Lace The Aisle at the Ceremony You May Share Your First Kiss As Husband and Wife

I performed a marriage ceremony for a couple that met on a virtual reality game on SecondLife.com - a 3D on-line digital world imagined and created by its residents. This couple developed their own characters, built a home together and even own a virtual business. So basically, the couple met on-line, but not through a dating service. They met in a virtual group as their Second Life characters. They dated, married, and even adopted a son together. He started a business and she built different locations for where they could get married. They moved into a bigger home together. I learned about their "second life" in a scrapbook the bride had put together showing them in their virtual world. In reality, he was from Florida and she was from Missouri. He relocated to St. Louis and married his virtual reality wife. The room was pleasantly decorated with tablecloths, centerpieces, a wedding arbor and special table for the sand ceremony. The groom stood with two witnesses with the...

Ceremony Trends • The wedding ceremony is becoming a place where couples are choosing to express themselves through their personal style. Today, 72% of ceremonies are held at a non-religious location and 37% of couples have a friend or family member be the officiant their wedding. St Louis Wedding Ceremony • Today, most ceremonies mix a bit of the old with the new. In fact, 1 in 3 couples create their own vows to add a personal touch and 22% incorporate special traditions and customs related to race or religion. • While over 80% of brides are still being escorted down the aisle by their father, 55% of couples choose to have themselves and the wedding party walk down the aisle to non-traditional music. Escort the Bride Down the Aisle Yes or No? • Although it’s customary not to see your partner before the ceremony, more couples are opting for a first look. Wedding First Look In fact, 43% of couples prefer to see each other before the ceremony to take pictures and ...