Hiring a Professional Wedding Officiant

We know it’s tempting to ask Uncle Jim to perform your wedding ceremony. After all, he has no problem infecting a whole room with riotous laughter. So why spend the money on a professional officiant when you have a family member or friend ready to fill that role?

Deciding whether to hire professional vendors for your wedding isn’t something to be taken lightly – the professionals (or non-professionals) working at your wedding will have a major impact on your wedding day. Professional photographers, videographers, DJs, officiants, and florists have the experience to handle common, but unexpected, situations that often come up at weddings. How would Uncle Jim react if the flowers or decorations behind him blew over just after the ceremony began? How would he react if one of your guests or a member of your wedding party fainted during your vows? Would he be able to take with the unexpected in stride without getting flustered or thrown off for the rest of your ceremony?

The best way to ensure that your wedding ceremony goes off without a hitch is to hire a professional wedding officiant. When it comes to weddings, and especially performing ceremonies, experience and talent matters. What does hiring an experienced professional officiant get you?

Knowledge
When you hire a professional wedding officiant, you are hiring an encyclopedia of wedding knowledge. Professional wedding officiants have been trained and well practiced in the art of public speaking and know the wedding industry inside and out. A good officiant will know what makes a ceremony appealing to your guests, how to tailor a ceremony to fit your needs, and how to seamlessly work with your venue and timeline. You are investing in an officiant that can answer your questions about the regulations surrounding marriage officiants in your area, local venues and vendors, and about all aspects of various types of ceremonies.

Guidance
Many couples wonder where to start when writing a ceremony or vows, what makes a ceremony great, or how long each portion should last. Luckily, professional wedding officiants are wonderful guides during the planning process. Having participated in many weddings, wedding officiants have experienced a broad range of ceremonies and can work with you to create a personalized ceremony that reflects both your relationship and intents. Not only that, but an officiant can help you find other resources for your wedding, with countless contacts in all fields of the wedding industry.

Understanding
A professional wedding officiant will understand your vision for your wedding day and help you to create a ceremony that sets the tone for the rest of the day. Many do not realize that the mood of the ceremony sets the tone and fuels the conversation throughout the reception, so it is the officiant’s role to create a smooth transition with the couple’s wishes in mind. The ceremony does not stand alone in your special day- it is a part of a larger celebration.

Reliability
A family member may get sick; a friend may be overcome with stage fright. Professional wedding officiants are prepared for every eventuality. You have a contract with your officiant, stating that they will perform your wedding, and in the event of an emergency, many officiants have a contingency plan in place to provide an equally prepared officiant to step in.

Hiring a professional wedding officiant isn’t a decision you’ll regret after your ceremony.

A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at The Glen Island Harbour Club

JENNIFER & JIMMY

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Wedding Location: GLEN ISLAND HARBOUR CLUB, NEW ROCHELLE, NY
Ceremony Officiant: REVEREND KEVIN COOK, HUDSON VALLEY CEREMONIES
Photographer: JBM WEDDINGS
Videographer: MINT WEDDING CINEMATOGRAPHY
Musicians: CHRIS PHILLIPPS (PIANIST, VIA GIGMASTERS.COM)
Florist: ARCADIA FLORAL CO. & CUSTOM MADE SILK BOUQUETS FROM MORGAN HILL DESIGNS (VIA ETSY.COM)
Bridal Attire: ANNAIS BRIDAL (VIA MODCLOTH.COM) & AN ETSY CUSTOM MADE WEDDING DRESS
Men’s Attire: ALFANI SLIM-FIT SUITS
Rings/Jewelry: BLUE NILE (HERS), HELZBERG DIAMONDS (HIS) & ETSY (BRIDE’S EARRINGS)
Hair/Makeup: LILY WONG (IMPERIAL WEDDING STUDIO, FLUSHING, NY)
Invitations: WEDDING PAPER DIVAS
Favors: WEDDINGSTAR.COM

ADVICE: The day is going to fly by really fast, and it is going to be a truly amazing experience! Don’t sweat the small stuff, instead, hire really good vendors so that all the important parts of your special day are handled by true professionals, which will put your mind at ease. Then, make sure to enjoy every second of your wedding day. Always be in the moment. Write your own vows and dance as much as you can with all your guests!

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A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at The Rhinecliff Hotel

James & Stacey

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Wedding Location: The Rhinecliff Hotel
Ceremony Officiant: Jeanne Stark, Hudson Valley Ceremonies
Photographer: Jean Kallina of Hudson Valley Photographer
Videographer: The Pros
DJ/Band: Flag Medeiros of Medeiros Black Tie DJ Entertainment
Florist: Floral Fantasies by Sara
Bridal Attire: Hayley Paige Gown from Bridal Beginnings in Pittsburgh, PA
Men’s Attire: Calvin Kline
Rings/Jewelry His- Anna Sheffield Hers- Tiffany’s
Hair/Makeup: Alyse Schiffman from Alyse B Salon
Invitations/Favors: Wedding Paper Divas

Advice From The Newlyweds
Make your wedding fit who you are as a couple, not just as individuals. Have fun, take deep breaths, make memories and enjoy the day. Relax, don’t stress out about every detail, the day will be perfect once you finally get to say “I Do”.

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So You Want Your Friend to Officiate Your Wedding

So You Want Your Friend to Officiate Your Wedding

Stu

That is fantastic!  There is nothing more personal for a wedding ceremony than a friend or relative that you have known most of life performing your ceremony.  Let’s discuss the pros and cons to this gift.

Pros to a Friend or Relative Performing the Ceremony

1.  Personal, history, and comfort level.  This person knows you both really well and that makes it so easy to create a ceremony together.  The know the history of you and your fiance and speak about this in the ceremony.  You have a real comfort level with this person and that will make the ceremony easier.

2.  Free of charge.  Hopefully they are providing this as a gift, but if there are any expenses that they are occurring, etiquette says that you must reimburse them or pay for these items.

Cons to a Friend or Relative Performing the Ceremony

1.  Are they legal to perform ceremonies in your state.  So they decided to fill out that little form online and maybe even paid $20 to get ordained.  Many states, counties and towns will not recognize these forms of ordination.

2.  Creating the ceremony.  There is an incredible knowledge and ability to an official officiant with the wording of a ceremony.  What you are paying for with a professional is the writing talent.  A good officiant can write a ceremony that guests want to listen to and are eager for the next part.

3.  Crossing the lines.  When you hire a professional officiant, they work for you and your fiance.  You have the ability to say to them what you want them to wear, what to arrive and what you want them to say and not.  Friends and relatives are not professionals (unless if they do this job professionally).

What are your options:

1.  Hire a professional to perform your ceremony

2.  You decided to have a friend or relative perform the ceremony anyways.  Hudson Valley Ceremonies has a solution.  The Friend Officiates Package.  One of our legal officiants comes to your venue before or after the ceremony and takes care of the legal paperwork.  That’s it!  So simple.

Any questions please contact Hudson Valley Ceremonies at 845-244-1482 or email at HVCeremonies@gmail.com

Choosing The Right Officiant for your Wedding

Choosing the Right Officiant for your Wedding

Many couples choose a venue, caterer, photographer, dj, hair and make up artist, and transportation before they even think about their ceremony.  That’s ok.  But when you do start to look for your wedding officiant there is a little bit of unknown anxiety.  They become nervous about finding someone to connect with when it comes to a very personal moment.  Here are some tips on choosing your wedding officiant.

1.  Research the rule’s for wedding officiants in your state.  Some states do not allow out of state officiants and some will only allow clergy that are active and good in standing with their religious organization.

2.  What type of ceremony do you want?  Religious, civil, or interfaith.  This will determine the type of officiant you can look to hire.

3.  Ask some of your friends that recently were married about their officiant.  Ask if they like him or her and what they liked about their service.

4.  Read the reviews on popular websites like Wedding Wire, Yelp and The Knot.  Don’t just look at the first few, scroll to page 2 or 3 and read them.

5.  Set up a meeting to speak with them and discuss your wedding.  A great wedding officiant will ask you many questions, not just talk about themselves.

6.  Ask him or her if they have a video of a ceremony they did or better yet, if they can see you perform live at a wedding.

For information about our officiants you can view their biographies here:  http://hudsonvalleyceremonies.com/more-information/about/

or contact our office at 845-244-1482 and hvceremonies@gmail.com

A Hudson Valley Wedding at Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa

Lara & Chris Miller

View More: http://betsiewing.pass.us/lara_chris

Wedding Location: Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa in Milton, NY
Ceremony Officiant: Reverend Stuart
Photographer: Betsi Ewing Studio
Videographer: Betsi Ewing Studio
Band: NOTEaBILITY
Limos/Buses: Mahogany Ridge
Florist: Kamilla’s Florist in Millerton NY
Coordinator/Planner: Jeanne Stark
Bridal Attire: Reem Acra
Men’s Attire: Calvin Klein suit, Brooks Brothers shirt and tie
Rings/Jewelry: Ultimate Jewelers in NYC
Hair/Makeup: La Tua Bella
Invitations: Papyrus
Favors: ASPCA donation
Save the Dates and Rehearsal dinner: Minted
Bridesmaids dresses: Jenny Yoo

Advice from the happy couple:

Not only did I hire my vendors based on their incredible work, I hired them because of the feeling I got after speaking to them. They all had this calming energy about them and after each conversation, I felt more and more at ease with the crazy idea of planning a wedding. I felt confident that they understood my vision and that they would execute it beautifully (which they did). Let your vendors do their job, don’t micromanage them! Show them some ideas so they get your vibe but after that, let them be creative and do their thing!

Also, I’m sure you’ve heard this before but live in the moment. Enjoy the late nights stuffing envelopes and the excited texts of your friends receiving the save the dates. It goes by so quickly, especially your wedding night!! Take a second to look around and really appreciate how many people are there, supporting and loving you as a new couple – its pretty amazing!

View More: http://betsiewing.pass.us/lara_chris View More: http://betsiewing.pass.us/lara_chris View More: http://betsiewing.pass.us/lara_chris View More: http://betsiewing.pass.us/lara_chris View More: http://betsiewing.pass.us/lara_chris View More: http://betsiewing.pass.us/lara_chris

A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at The Saugerties Lighthouse

Congratulations to Sioux and Paul who were married at The Saugerties Lighthouse on June 27th!

Wedding Location: Saugerties Lighthouse
Ceremony Officiant: Debra Romano
Band: Bash Bish Bluegrass Band
Florist: Dancing Tulips
Bridal Attire: Anthopologie
Rings: Gemvera
Invitations: Celebrations

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A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at Hunter Mountain

Congratulations to the new Mr & Mrs Nelson who were married at Hunter Mountain on March 8th!

Advice from the couple:

“Splurge on photography / videography and try to take in every moment of the day because it goes by so quickly.”
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Casino Wedding
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Hunter Mountain Wedding
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Hunter Mountain Wedding
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Hunter Mountain Wedding
Wedding Location: Hunter Mountain
Ceremony Officiant: Hudson Valley Ceremonies (Jeanne Stark)
Photographer: Photographics Solution
Videographer: Photographics Solution
DJ/Band: Piano Man’s DJ Productions (Nate Miller)
Ceremony Musicians: Golden Scroll Soloists
Florist: Anthology Studio
Bridal Attire: Angela’s Bridal
Men’s Attire: Men’s Warehouse
Rings/Jewelry: Harold Finkle, Your Jeweler
Hair/Makeup: Krystal Rose Studio
Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas
Favors: DIY
Casino Tables: Big Eastern Casino Company

Wedding Vendor Referrals

I doesn’t matter if you have your Officiant or Coordinator booked with Hudson Valley Ceremonies we would love to provide you with referrals for any vendors you might still need for your big day. Here is just a sampling of vendor assistance we can provide:

Bakers
Bands & Musicians
Butterfly Release
Calligraphy
Caterers
Cigar Lounge
Dance Lessons
DJ’s
Entertainment
Florists
Flower Preservation
Hair & Make-Up
Ketubah
Lighting
Photobooth
Photographers
Rentals
Transportation
Venues
Videographers
Wine & Liquor

Your Holiday Season Elopement

From Christmas to New Years Eve, what better time for shopping, meeting family and friends, exchanging gifts, and . . . getting married. When you think about it, what better time during this “season of giving” than to share the most important gift of all — your marriage. And yes, the holiday season is an ideal time to elope.

The holiday season elope is popular for many reasons:

– Your marriage is one of the greatest gifts that you can give and share;
– Elopement destinations are specially decorated and offer more picture opportunities;
– The holiday festivities and goodwill of others add to the romance of your wedding; and
– Combine your elope wedding with a winter sport honeymoon — a ski vacation, for example.

Picking the Perfect Gift

Picking the perfect gift during the holidays is one of life’s most difficult chores. You want your gift to be: romantic; heart-felt; represent an important part of me; valuable; and most of all — forever. It is difficult to think of a more priceless gift than the gift of love and support of each other throughout time.

The Most Festive Season

During the holiday season, all the travel destinations are decorating their establishments with festive Christmas trees, garlands made of evergreens, wreaths with poinsettia, gift-wrapped packages, twinkling lights, ornamental holiday characters figurines, fancy red and gold ribbons, the crackle of wood in a burning fireplace, and much more. Imagine the wonderful wedding picture opportunities these festive holiday decorations will offer. And in addition to the decorations, many destinations will also be offering holiday feasts and menu specials to celebrate the holidays — and of course your wedding, also.

Beware though, the holiday season is also the most popular travel time and some destinations may be crowded. Always call ahead and speak to the manager about your ideas and plans. In most cases, early reservations will be the safest. On the other hand, brides tend to be lucky and your destination may be able to accommodate you on short notice. Either way, call ahead for details.

Romance in the snow

A holiday season elopement is also a great opportunity to travel to a wintry location and enjoy a winter sport honeymoon. There are a multitude of travel destinations that offer every kind of winter sport and activity imaginable: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, tubing and sledding, sleigh riding, ice skating and much more. Add a few extra days to your elopement and enjoy the outdoor winter activities. The most important thing is to remember to bring warm outdoor wear; you can easily rent sport equipment everywhere. And if you don’t know how to ski or snowboard — professional lessons will have you schussing and gliding like a pro in a few hours.