Choosing an Officiant That is Right For You

Published on December 29, 2018December 29, 2018 by Hudson Valley CeremoniesLeave a comment

It is very important to find your officiant early, they are an invaluable resource in planning your ceremony and in answering any questions you might have. In choosing this person, you will want to be sure that he or she is not only willing but able to reflect accurately what you want your ceremony to convey. You will want to find someone who can reflect the quality of your love and speak meaningfully to you and your partner. Think about the following questions:

1. Does the officiant reflect or embody the spirit you want to create at your wedding?

2. Do you feel comfortable with him or her? Will you be able to express your preferences about content; speak up about matters of concern in the preparation of the ceremony; voice objections you might have or ask for silly, even seemingly trivial things to be included in the ceremony?

3. Will the officiant show you a finished ceremony in a format that is best for you (via email or fax)? And will the officiant change the ceremony upon your request?

4. Do you like the sound of his or her voice?

5. Do you have a connection with the officiant that allows you to trust that what he or she will say will be appropriate for the two of you? A person that has a sense of you and understands the uniqueness of your relationship?

6. Above all, will you value what this person has to say? Will he or she have delightful, meaningful, moving reflections that will elevate the ceremony from ordinary, generic, and formal to personal, beautiful and unforgettable?

7. Last but not least, relax in choosing an officiant. When you are all together, having a consultation, discussing how you celebrate your love and the type of ceremony that you have envisioned, you will know if that minister/officiant is the right one for the two of you. Something will click and there will be a connection.

So, how does finding and hiring the right officiant with Hudson Valley Ceremonies work? Here’s how:

First we have you set up a phone, Facetime or skype consultation with the officiant of your choice or one that has been chosen for you. You can see our officiants Bio’s here.
The officiant will ask you many questions about you and your fiance and what you most want for your ceremony.
Please ask them as many questions as you want, they are very happy to answer and assist.
If you wish to speak to another officiant we can set that up also.Finally you will choose the officiant that you have the best connection with and then choose a package.

Please check out our reviews, Hudson Valley Ceremonies has the best officiants in the valley!

Wedding Wire

The Knot

Buttermilk Falls

Grandview

Grandview

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Rev. Stuart at Buttermilk Falls Inn

Rev. Elizabeth Roth

Rev. Debra

A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding in Coxsackie, NY

Published on February 18, 2016 by Hudson Valley CeremoniesLeave a comment

Natasha & Adam

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Venue: Private Home, Coxsackie, NY
Caterer: Hickory BBQ & Victoria’s Wood Fire Pizza
Bakery: Deising’s Bakery
Rentals: Events Unlimited
Flowers: Hudson Valley Ceremonies
Photography: Monarch Photography
Transportation: Coxsackie Transport
Planning/Coordination: Jeanne Stark, Hudson Valley Ceremonies
Invitations: Hudson Valley Ceremonies

Advice from the happy couple:
“Our wedding day was absolutely perfect and one of the happiest days of our lives yet! Yes, it rained not just a few raindrops, a monsoon, but I would not have changed a thing. Take a moment during the Reception to thank everyone that helped along the way and to everyone there that is our only regret we never got a chance to do that!! It was amazing to have Jeanne and her support team we felt like they were family and loved every moment of our day. Couples that are starting on the journey…there will be fights, tears, laughter and always love because with anything that is truly special you must work at it to get the very best and it is worth every second. 😊”

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Hiring a Professional Wedding Officiant

Published on December 31, 2015December 30, 2015 by Hudson Valley CeremoniesLeave a comment

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.

So You Want Your Friend to Officiate Your Wedding

Published on January 8, 2015 by Hudson Valley CeremoniesLeave a comment

So You Want Your Friend to Officiate Your Wedding

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

A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at Blueberry Inn on Kiernan Farm

Published on November 17, 2014November 17, 2014 by Hudson Valley CeremoniesLeave a comment

Keegan and Tim

Wedding Location – Blueberry Inn on Kiernan Farm
Ceremony Officiant – Richard King (family friend)
Caterer – Hickory BBQ
Dessert – Cake it Up
Photographer – Tami Ling Photography
PhotoBooth – iFlickPhotoBooth
Videographer – Bakwoods Productions
DJ/Band/Musicians – DJ Jimmy Lutz
Florist – Petals Ink along with Jeannie Bishop (mother of the groom)
Coordinator/Planner – Jeanne Stark
Bridal Attire –
Bridal Gown by Sincerity
Bridesmaid Dresses by Bill Levkoff
Shoes by Toms
Men’s Attire –
Groom’s Suit by Mantoni
Groom’s Tie by Tommy Hilfiger
Groomsmen pants by Calvin Klein
Groomsmen ties from The Tie Bar
Shoes by Clarks
Rings –
SuzyB (bride), Boone (groom)
Jewelry –
Colorway Jewelry
Alex and Ani
Hair/Makeup – Signature Braids
Invitations – Anns Paperie
Favors – Mason Jars with DIY tags

Advice from the happy couple:

Have family and friends help wherever they can because then you can have some weight lifted off of your shoulders!
Take in each moment, because it flies by!
Right after you get married, have 5 minutes alone, just the 2 of you to take it in and enjoy the moment by yourselves!

A HVC Wedding at Brotherhood Winery

Published on August 4, 2014August 4, 2014 by Hudson Valley CeremoniesLeave a comment

Congratulations to Jess & Chip Desjardins!

Wedding Location – Brotherhood, America’s Oldest Winery
Ceremony Officiant – Reverend Kevin Cook
Photographer – Natalie Hedley, George Street Photo
Videographer – A Train Productions
DJ/Band – DJ Aux, Scratch Music
Musicians – Set3 Jazz
Limos/Buses – Leprechaun Lines
Florist – August, Sage, & Violet
Coordinator/Planner – Rebecca Shenkman, Pink Bowtie Events
Bridal Attire – David’s Bridal
Men’s Attire – Vera Wang Black
Rings– Bride: Danhov, Groom: Benchmark
Bridal Accessories- Kate Spade New York
Hair– Salon on the Hudson
Makeup – Jennifer Matteo
Invitations/Favors – Customized Stemless Wine Glasses, Exclusively Weddings

Advice from the happy couple: Enjoy getting to spend the time together planning the wedding – it is 99% of the experience and so rewarding day of to see your joint creation come to life on your wedding day.

A Hudson Valley Ceremonies Wedding at Hunter Mountain

Published on March 25, 2014 by Hudson Valley CeremoniesLeave a comment

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.”

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

Cake: Coccadotts

Table Linens: WeddingLinensDirect.com

Wedding Planning on a Tight Budget

Published on March 19, 2014March 19, 2014 by Hudson Valley CeremoniesLeave a comment

You shouldn’t have to sacrifice style to save money when planning your wedding day!

Planning your wedding can be really exciting at first – but once you start to tally up all your wants and needs for the the big day, it’s normal to start stressing about money. Most likely you don’t have an endless amount of cash to spend on your wedding, so you’ll need to create a budget. While it might seem tough to stick to your budget and still get what you want, there are a few tricks for planning the perfect wedding without going overboard on expenditures.

Avoid “Wedding” Items

Whether it’s napkins, cups, plates or guest favors, higher prices often accompany merchandise earmarked for weddings. Pay close attention when you’re shopping for anything wedding-related, and compare the prices of similar products. You might get sucked into thinking that you need monogrammed wedding napkins or cups customized to your wedding palette, but you can find similar items for much cheaper if you expand your search beyond party stores and wedding supply sites. Just because you are using an item in a wedding, doesn’t mean you can only buy it at a wedding supply store.

Explore Catering Options

If your wedding will be held at a hotel, conference center or banquet hall, explore creative options for providing food and drink. Purchasing a select number of items at a supermarket or savings club will give you the option to use gift certificates, gift cards and coupons to defray costs. The cost of alcohol can be reduced if you streamline the selection instead of providing a full bar. You’ll save a ton by having a buffet for a big group instead of paying per-person for individual meals. If your reception after the ceremony will be on the short side, you can always just serve desserts instead of a full meal. The idea that you have to have a sit-down dinner after your ceremony is a popular tradition—not a rule.

Eliminate a “Plus One”

Your wedding day is a time to celebrate with all your friends and family, but what about people you’ve never met before? A quick way to trim costs on your reception expenses is to eliminate the option of a “plus one” for guests who will bring someone you’ve never met. In addition to creating a guest list to keep track of your actual invited guests, consider filling out wedding budget (you can find plenty of printable budgets online) to effectively keep track of all your purchases and expenses. Including RSVP send-back card with your invitations can give you a good idea of how many people will attend will so you can better estimate how much you’ll be spending on food, space, etc.

Consider a Pre-Owned Dress

Think about putting superstition aside and consider buying a used wedding dress. Sites like eBay and PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com offer a wide variety of styles, sizes and price points. Instead of paying thousands for a brand new dress, you can pay just a few hundred, including the cost of having the dress steamed or cleaned. Plenty of brides have kept their dresses in mint condition, and as newlyweds they are willing sell to another bride in order to recoup some of their wedding costs. If you can find someone in your area selling a used dress, you won’t have to pay for shipping. Offering to pay cash can net you an even deeper discount.

Choose a Venue Carefully

When choosing a venue, look for a space that gives you the option to choose your own vendors. Some venues require brides to purchase a catering or event-planning package, which bumps up the price. Look for affordable options like state or city parks, a friend’s home, a church or synagogue, or buildings in your community. Having an outdoor wedding can save tons on decorations, because the picturesque scenery will provide a naturally beautiful backdrop. This is where RSVPs will come in handy: If you know how many people will be coming, you can choose a venue that will fit the group instead of paying extra for a huge space that you don’t actually need.

Planning a wedding on a strict budget takes time and effort. But getting creative with your choices – for instance, avoiding “wedding-only” stores, out-smarting the wedding dress industry, or considering less traditional venues – can free up extra money for the areas of your wedding you care about most. Perhaps having a highly-talented professional photographer is important to you, or maybe you want to save money for an epic honeymoon. Whatever you want to spend your money on, sticking to a budget can help you allocate enough funds to the parts of your wedding that truly matter to you.

The Value of Hiring a Wedding Coordinator

Published on February 20, 2014March 17, 2014 by Hudson Valley CeremoniesLeave a comment

Now that the proposal has been accepted, what’s next? It’s time to create your signature wedding.
What exactly does that mean? It means that from this day forward, until the day of the wedding, you will spend 75% of your time thinking about how to create a wedding that will be like no other. You may not have given it much thought, but most couples have thought about this day for many years and envisioned their wedding in their minds a thousand times. Both of you are about to embark upon what could be a wonderful journey… or a nightmare! The choice is yours. Why leave it to chance that everything will go according to plan? Instead, implement a fail-proof plan. How? By hiring a wedding coordinator

Consider this idea as the first and one of the most important decisions you will make as a couple. Hiring a wedding coordinator will give both of you reassurance that you are making the right decisions about your choices; help bring your dream to fruition; and maintain a peaceful, loving, relationship in the process.

Although most couples enjoy the idea of designing a wedding, they often find that the planning is much more work than they imagined. It takes time and experience to address every detail. Let’s face it, some people just aren’t planners. Planning your wedding doesn’t have to be a frustrating and overwhelming experience. Organization and careful planning are the keys to a stress-free, fun-filled event. Hiring a wedding coordinator will ensure a much happier experience for you both!!

A wedding coordinator will not only help coordinate the details of the wedding but, more importantly, will help to make the process fun, reduce the stress and ensure that you have the wedding you desire. You will not have to worry or become stressed during the planning process. Instead, you both will enjoy planning the wedding.

Don’t misunderstand, you both will still make all the decisions, but consider leaving the details to the experts. Most couples truly enjoy the journey and, even if they don’t, the coordinator will be there to guide them. Trust me on this one, by hiring a wedding coordinator, your life will be happier, because everyone will be happier and less stressed.

Wedding coordinators are trained professionals who know the industry. Couples should understand that they are not just paying for a coordinator to manage the day for them; they are also paying for knowledge, expertise, skills, services and, ultimately, peace of mind.

Wedding coordinators provide a higher level of comfort for everyone. They are able to recommend the right professionals for you. Professionals enjoy working with other professionals. Are trained to handle difficult scenarios and unexpected occurrences at weddings; Are familiar with the latest trends and have the best resources; Know the best locations and services for each couple’s particular needs; Have access to exclusive locations that couples would otherwise never hear about; Can recommend the right wedding professionals for all aspects of the wedding; Are trained to help create a budget, keep expenses within that budget, and protect couples from making costly mistakes; Can save couples time in researching options. They already know what works best and why.

Now that you understand the various roles of a wedding coordinatoe, it’s time to start getting the important questions answered. Setting the budget first is the key! You and your fiancée should agree on the expenses before you begin the planning process. The budget must accommodate the size and style of the wedding. Write down your wishes and desires and compare notes. Distinguish your “wishes” from your “must haves”. Your coordinator can create a budget based on the most important elements of YOUR wedding. He/She can help prioritize which areas are most important to you.

Remember there is always room for compromise. Target more money towards the areas that are most important and reduce the areas that are less important. Your wedding coordinator will show you how to make changes without changing the feel of the wedding. Is it more important to have great food or a great band? Do you want an extravagant cake or beautiful flowers? You can have all of the above with proper planning. Whichever you choose, remember to stay on track with the expenses as you move forward. The budget is one of the most important areas where your coordinator can assist and it’s the start of making financial decisions together, a very important part of marriage. Open and honest communication is the key.

In a post-wedding survey, couples were asked, “If you had it to do over again, what would you have done differently?”
Number 1 Answer: “I would have hired a wedding coordinator – someone to ensure that all of the details were handled so that I could have enjoyed my day without worry.” Coordinators provide this reassurance on the wedding day! It is worth the investment to have peace of mind.

A wedding coordinator is able to provide: Peace of mind while planning the wedding; A great experience on the wedding day; and Wonderful wedding memories that will last forever!

Writing Your Wedding Vows

Published on January 30, 2014March 17, 2014 by Hudson Valley CeremoniesLeave a comment

The vows are the most intimate part of the ceremony, and what is more intimate than your own thoughts and words? Here are some tips on writing your own vows.

Set the tone in advance
Talk to your fiance about whether you want serious vows or humorous. Do you want something poetic and romantic? Or nostalgic and touching? Make sure you are on the same page so the vows will complement each other. You don’t want the groom’s to be humorous, while the bride’s is poetic! You also need to decide if you will write the vows together or keep them a surprise for each other. ( I vote for surprise!! The emotions from saying your vows the first time is a truly beautiful moment!!)

Dedicate time for this
It doesn’t have to be in one sitting, in fact it will be better if it is not in one sitting. Have a sheet of paper in your wedding planning book that every time you open the book for something wedding (maybe flowers, or dress) take a moment to write a thought about you fiancé. Better yet, you can devote a “page” on the notepad on your phone and when something hits you (he surprised you by….) write that down. It could be the way that she cries at sappy old movies, or the face that he makes when he is concentrating. Regardless of what it is that you love, you need to write it down. This way you will have several thoughts spread out over time to help you write the vows. By taking plenty of time to plan your vows and consider your relationship, your vows will most certainly be special.

Talk to family and friends
Often, friends and family members will see things about your relationship that you do not notice yourself. Ask your friends and family members’ opinions about what they think is special about your relationship, and incorporate that into your wedding vows. This will not only make your vows more personal, but it will make your loved ones feel special that you included their opinions in your wedding.

Have a deadline
Not the day of the wedding!!! Although I have had several grooms show up on the day of the wedding with their vows written on hotel stationery!!! I have found most couples are worried about length. The bride has 50 lines, and the groom 20. This makes the groom feel like he should have said more, and the audience wondering when the bride’s will be over… Therefore, I tell the couple to have the vows to me 2 weeks prior to the wedding. This way, I can go over it, make any suggestions (if repeating the same thing over and over) and then inform both of the length issue if one exists. So have a third party help out. Your wedding officiant or minister should be the first choice, otherwise have a friend you both trust that will keep the vows secret!

Include a personal touch
Everyone has a place, movie, or other favorite thing that they love. Include a line of your partner’s favorite movie, or make a reference to their favorite place or sports team in your wedding vows. Depending on how you do this, it could not only make the vows more special, but it could deliver a laugh to lighten the mood as well.

Vow delivery
Do you want to do the repeat after me style, or read from an index card? I think the personal vows are more personal coming directly from the person than being repeated. Just make sure you separate out your lines so you can say a line, and look at your fiancé. Nothing like READING your vows to lower the significance of the moment.

Audience and timing
There will indeed be people watching you say these vows, so try not to get too personal! Also, timing is important. One to two minutes is a good range; I know you could go on and on about your love, but for the ceremonial vows, keep it short and sweet.

Practice out loud
Just because something looks good on paper does not mean it sounds good when spoken. Practicing out loud will allow you to change any sentence structures that sound awkward, as well as pointing out sentences that might be too long… after all, you don’t want to run out of breath when exchanging vows! Have your wedding officiant or minister review your vows, as they know timing best. If you don’t feel comfortable with that, at least read them out loud to your maid of honor or best man.

If absolutely stuck, you should be able to meet with your wedding officiant or minister and have them help you write the vows by asking questions, and re-wording the answers for beautiful vows!