Journal
Katherine & Traian - Wexner Park
"Thank you again for doing such a wonderful job with our wedding! I didn't realize you had the music turned off at the pool! THANK YOU! I didn't even realize the water park was over there! You did such a great job making sure everything flowed together!"
-Katherine and Traian
The park manager at the water theme park that bordered our outdoor wedding venue (Wexner Park, New Albany, Ohio), was very accommodating as I requested that he have the music turned off for Katherine and Traian's wedding. We are very grateful for his help.
I thank you Katherine and Traian, for allowing me to be a part of celebrating your union as husband and wife!
May you be blessed for all your days!
Jamie & Chris - Pinnacle Golf Club
All of our friends and guests enjoyed the ceremony. It was short and clean, and just the way we wanted.
You also did a great job directing the guests on what to do; as well as calming Chris, he told me afterward that guests started to blow bubbles as I was walking down, and you told him it would be fine.
Chris and Jamie"
Better than texting. An age-old gesture, that still works today.
In today’s world, where the convenience of technology has tended to lessen the impact of our written words, it’s important to find a way to insure that your words to your spouse have lasting effect.
For some it is a step in the right direction to send regular texts, emails, or Facebook messages of love and appreciation to your husband or wife, and by all means keep doing so. My wife and I text….and often they are love notes or messages ending with XXOO, expressing how much we care, and that we are still soul mates, still fully in love. We have spent a lot of years building our relationship to the place where we are now, and part of the building was by using written notes.
Written notes of love, appreciation and friendship have an impact unlike texts and social media messages. It is often seen as an “extra step” to take pen in hand and physically write a note; and it can express a higher level of importance to the individual on the receiving end. I can think of the many times my wife, Jean, surprised and touched me to the core with a simple love note written on paper. She also had been touched by notes left by me, thanking her for any number of things, telling her how much she means to me, or just to say, “I love you”.
You can regularly leave these notes in places where your spouse is likely to find them. To add a level of mystique to your exchanges, place these notes in “surprise” locations. This can be fun and adds a level of interest to your marriage. A healthy marriage always needs work, and love notes are a great investment. Pleasant, love-filled surprises are always cool, and will help your spouse to know that they are appreciated and cherished. If she’s feeling cherished, if he’s feeling appreciated, then you are doing a lot to keep your marriage healthy and happy!
So, keep the electronic messages going, but don’t forget the pen, paper, and post-it notes. Happy loving!
Jamie & Jason - North bank park pavilion
A privilege and an honor, Jamie and Jason were an amazing couple. They have an awesome story about how their lives came together and how they eventually discovered that they were meant to be together. Some may call it fate; others, destiny. Still others, divine intervention. Once you have met them you become quickly convinced that Jason & Jamie are two people whose lives were destined to cross, so that they could be one as husband and wife for all of their days.
This was a truly awesome wedding! Jamie and Jason personalized their ceremony with an Irish wedding custom known as handfasting to honor Jason's Irish heritage. Jamie selected some extremely tasteful cords and ribbons, and they both were filled with great emotion and feeling as you can see.
An enjoyable occasion throughout. We were having a lot of fun which is easy to do when you are with this couple.
Okay, you two... Ready? You may kiss the bride!
Let's try that again. (I'm sure that you realize these photos are from two separate sequences in different parts of the ceremony but I thought I'd have some fun).
Jamie and Jason. May their union be blessed forever!
Do you think this couple is happy to be married?
No guesswork here.
The incredible photographs in this entry were provided by Ely Bros. Photography. The Ely brothers, Caleb and Levi, have amazing talent and originality in their work. They will also bring peaceful atmosphere to your occasion as they capture images that will represent your event in a way that you will never forget. Their style and presentation are something you must experience to appreciate. In order to contact Caleb or Levi click on their business name and you will be brought to their website.
kate and roland - dublin, ohio.
We begin with the moment where we are waiting for the bride to make her appearance. The cool thing about weddings at home is that often the bride and groom are not overtaken with trying to be too formal. Roland and Kate were much more focused on each other and relaxed, without a lot of the distractions sometimes experienced in other settings. It was just them, and it was great!
Also, I am not short (5'11.5"), Roland is just quite tall. He looks great here doesn't he?
Don't they look awesome together? You have never seen a couple more in love. They were both very excited about this day and yet they were peacefully relaxed too. I could almost reach out and touch their love for each other.
Here is a nice shot taken after the fact...More below.
Officially married! Hands together on the marriage certificate to symbolize. This was a great way to end a beautiful and fun time with a great couple. Wishing you all the best for all your days, Kate and Roland!
Wedding with A very special lady.
I was fortunate enough to share this wedding with an awesome lady, my wife of 25 plus years, Jean! I always am glad to have her close by, as I feel much more myself when we are together. Here we are at North Bank Park Pavilion for Jason and Jamie's celebration, and it was chilly. Jean is wearing my winter coat because her coat was not enough to keep her warm. She still looks great! I love Jean tremendously and feel so blessed to have her as my companion and friend. I am looking forward to many more years with this great lady, my love, and my best friend.
Wedding Venues - Creekside in gahanna
I had the chance to stop by Creekside Conference and Event Center , and spend some time with Katherine Howes who is the Event Coordinator. It was cool. I know I was feeling a little tired. Thankfully, Katherine was her usual kind self and we had a great visit. Creekside’s GM, Erik Niceswanger (no photo), was busy doing payroll while Katherine and I took some time to talk and plan for future weddings. It's good to understand that every venue has its own policies and procedures.
If you would like a wedding rehearsal, make sure that you check with your venue about their exact rehearsal-scheduling policies. I encourage you not assume anything because I have seen where a misunderstanding of this has caused tension. When planning for something as important as a wedding, with guests potentially coming in from out of town, you will want to have clear time frames. Some venues can guarantee a rehearsal time when you plan a wedding with them, others are unable to accommodate unless you rent the extra time also. Ask lots of questions to avoid any misunderstandings. Of course if possible, get it in writing. You can avoid a great deal of wedding stress if you get complete, clear answers.
Here you can see some of the outdoor serenity and beauty of Creekside. Outdoor weddings are a regular part of things. And they have awesome accommodations for indoor events as well.
In this last photo Katherine and I are reviewing Creeksides’s policies about events and weddings. They have a great deal of flexibility in serving a wide-range of group sizes. It is really a lot more lovely on the inside than seen here. I just didn’t get photos of the glass-surrounded dome ceiling for indoor ceremonies. Very nice.
For a first-hand look, I encourage you to contact Katherine at (614) 416-8188 and khowes@creeksidecec.com. Creekside is in Gahanna close to I-270 and the airport. You will find out why a lot of brides and grooms choose this fine venue if you talk with Katherine and take a few minutes to visit.
Jamie & Jason at North Bank Park Pavilion
Jamie and Jason w
ere just married at North Bank Park Pavilion. It was an awesome wedding and ceremony. I took this photo with my phone! There was a lot of love felt at this wedding and a great crowd of family, friends, and guests was present.
I hope to have more shots soon from the real photographers! I will be sure to post some and talk more about their wedding when I do.
Wedding on the water!
"It is my pleasure to present... Angelica and Luis!"
This was a fun wedding over the waters of Hoover Reservoir this past weekend. They were a great group of friends, family, and guests. I really enjoyed officiating their wedding. It was a little cool and windy, but nobody seemed to mind.
wedding venues - Heritage Golf Club
Outdoor weddings can be such a beautiful experience. I met with Jody Meyer, Sales and Catering Director, the other day at Heritage Golf Club in Hilliard. We went outside to see the layout for ceremonies and do some planning. The day was splendid...virtually cloudless and therefore, a lot of sun. That is why our eyes are squinting! I will be officiating for several weddings at Heritage this year and have already completed one, which went very well.
There can be a great deal that goes into a successful outdoor ceremony, coordination among all parties involved as well as weather considerations can make it a challenge. Jody does a fantastic job and has a friendly demeanor that enhances her professionalism and extraordinary attention to details.
In this photo you can see some of the natural beauty at Heritage behind Jody and me. I can't remember exactly what we were discussing here. I was joking with my photographer, Rebekah, posing the idea that I had discovered a wedding ring under my feet from a previous ceremony!
I use a simple technique in my ceremonies to keep the rings from being accidentally dropped. By placing your left hand on top of your right and cupping it, the ring can be placed safely in the palm of your hand where you can easily grasp it with the fingers of your right hand, to then be place upon the ring finger of your bride or groom. If you are left handed, reverse the order and place your right hand on top of your left.
Michelle Garber is the receptionist at Heritage. She took a few minutes out of her busy day to visit. I will be officiating her ceremony later this month and I expect it to be a very beautiful wedding. Again, you can see some of the beauty of Heritage, and it is even moreso now that some time has passed since this I was there.
Michelle will be having an outdoor wedding. As part of her personalized ceremony we will be incorporating the sand ceremony. Some couples prefer the unity candle and also use the rose ceremony...yet using sand is becoming more and more popular. The bride and groom will each have sand of a different color. I like them to start with creating a layered effect (reflecting their individuality) and then blending into a new color to symbolize their union as one in marriage. Children can be part of the blending of the sands also, with their own unique color. This can be a very nice way to make them feel included in the wedding.
It was a lot of fun visiting Heritage with Jody and Michelle. As you can see, the landscape is fabulous. I recommend Heritage as a great place for weddings, events, and don't forget....golf too. You can contact Jody at 614-684-7112 or by email at jmeyer@heritage.com.
Shawn and Mandy’s wedding at Darby House
I had a great time officiating Mandy and Shawn’s wedding at Darby House. I now have a few photos to share. Here Shawn and I are reviewing the ceremony. I wanted him to feel at ease so we took some time to go over a few key points together.
Here we are waiting for the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and of course, the bride! You can see the snow through the windows. Don’t forget that just a few short weeks ago here in Central Ohio we had a lot of snow. Some say it was the snowiest February in 100 years! How many of us are glad for Spring weather now?
Taking the vows. This is always a very special moment in the ceremony, one I am so often honored and privileged to be a part of. Shawn and Mandy, I wish you many long years of happiness and joy in your new life together!
All photographs in this entry courtesy of Joysong Photography.
"Hands off my marriage!"
You have been married for a while and life has gotten pretty busy. You both still love each other but things have gotten...well...cloudier. The sweetness that used to be present with such ease is now less evident or gone. You've become less interested in each other, or you are busy in life's rat-race and you find yourself wondering, "Where’s the 'us' in this marriage?"
There is nothing in your life that can take the place of your spouse or your marriage. It's time to make some adjustments. You must make changes or matters could become worse leaving you with a potential disaster.
"Where can we find time?” you ask. You may not be able to find the time - you may have to make the time. If you have so many commitments, including to your children, and no time to properly nurture your relationship with your spouse - you are like many people. You are over-committed. There is no other option but to take action and alter your priorities. Ask yourself some hard questions like:"What would I rather have, a lasting connected relationship with my spouse, or.....this new boat that requires an extra job or hours to obtain .....soccer, music lessons, and karate for my child....or... fill in the blank?!
You need each other to have a marriage; you don't need all the other commitments to have a marriage. You may need to stand up, take action, and say to those other matters clamoring for your time and attention, "Hands off my marriage!" If you do, you will be moving your relationship in a positive direction with hope for the future. Fight for your marriage! It is by far one of the best things you can do for yourself, your spouse, or your children.
Wedding Venues. The Blackwell.
I had a great time meeting with Blaire Blechinger last week at The Blackwell. You will receive first rate service at this fine venue. The Blackwell offers full service event hosting. It's one stop for your wedding, reception, meals, and lodging. The elegance and attention to detail are awesome.
So what can you expect from the staff at The Blackwell? A lot! I will list just some of what they provide...
Reception area including Plaza Level, Grand Ballroom and Patio
Private Cuisine Tasting with Executive Chef
Personal Consultations with Wedding Coordinator
20’ x 20’ Wooden Dance Floor
Personalized Bridal Monogram Projection
Classic China and Flatware
Floor Length Linen Tablecloths and Coordinating Napkins
Professional Culinary and Banquet Staff
Complimentary Overnight Accommodations for the Bride and Groom
Upgrade to Executive Level for Parents of the Bride and Groom
Discounted Hotel Room Rates for Wedding Guests
I would encourage you to contact Blaire at (614) 247-4006 or email her at blechinger.3@osu.edu. You wont regret your decision to hire one of the best service providers in Ohio.
Here we're discussing the layout for outdoor ceremonies and Blackwell's capability to secure a tent over virtually the entire courtyard, providing you with protection from rain and the other elements of nature.
And lastly the Blackwell is just a great place to hang out, relax, and feel comfortable. Enjoy your wedding! Maybe I'll wait here until their 24/7 room service brings me dinner!
Priscila & Brett Personalize their ceremony
Sometimes the only words that are fitting are words directly from the heart. Priscila & Brett added a depth of heart and soul to their ceremony that could be felt by those present. Let's listen in to their love for each other as we take a glimpse of their ceremony together...
Brett to Priscila: "I remember a trip we took to San Francisco in Dec of 2007. We were down by city hall walking and exploring the city, and there was a moment, where I looked at her and felt that she was so beautiful. But the feeling was way beyond the physical beauty - it was like I was seeing all her warmth, positive outlook, intelligence, unselfish and giving nature… all of her was coming through in her eyes, sparkling and aware."
Priscila to Brett: "I first loved Brett as a talented, beautiful musician many, many years ago. Then I really felt in love with him when we started dating everyday and I got to feel his heart, soul and his great spirits. Our relationship is fascinating to me from many angles. He brings the best out of me, and I'm so thankful to him for that."
"Brett is super sensitive, caring and nurturing. He is loving and loyal, protective and crazy sweet, an incredible talent and a giver to mankind."
Thanks Priscila and Brett for your permission to share these words. May your friendship and love continue to grow and prosper.
Your own words for each other can add more than any words from a book. Give it a try, it may be just right for you.
Mandy and Shawn at The Darby House.
I had a great time at Shawn and Mandy's wedding at Darby House. Their ceremony was very special and I had a lot of fun meeting and working with the groomsmen, bridesmaids and family. I will be including some commentary later and some photos when they are ready. Darby House is an awesome venue and it was perfect for Mandy and Shawn who celebrated their love and commitment that day. More to follow...
The Inherited Gown
It was torn. It was discolored. It was covered with multiple layers of dust. When presented to her by her grandmother she politely smiled, and out of duty expressed thanks and appreciation. Inside she felt uncomfortable and slightly repulsed as the gown was not worth keeping. What crossed her mind was her sense of relief when she pictured the dress in the trash, outside of her home and sight. Still, something inside of her wasn’t quite settled. Although the gown appeared obviously worthless, within her was a sense that it would be wrong to discard it. And it was not a sense of obligation to her grandmother.
She set it in her living room over a wooden chair where the fragrance of dust and moisture would not be able to penetrate and remain, causing future displeasure. The next day she took the inherited dress to a friend who appraised antique clothing, and to her utter amazement found that the dress was worth over $200,000. Underneath the dust, the material and design were extremely rare, as were the diamonds layered throughout. She was overjoyed at this incredible gift her grandmother had given and was glad she did not overreact to her initial displeasures concerning the value of her newly discovered prize.
Not unlike marriage sometimes. Years of neglect and wear can cover marriage with layers of dust. The aroma of your love can be blocked by exposure to the negative elements of life. It can appear as if your relationship no longer has value. But, like the dress, this is just not true. Your marriage is extremely valuable. There are rare diamonds just underneath the dust. You may need some help to remove the dust and repair the torn fabric, but there are valuable stones and luster underneath. You have just forgotten each other, somehow. Your pain and toil has caused you to forget, but you can remember again. Your relationship, like the gown, can be restored. You can take the steps… read some books on marriage, go to a marriage weekend, get professional guidance. Your best years may well be in front of you. Don’t give up. What you have may be unsightly, but the value underneath still remains.
Wedding Venues. The Renaissance Columbus.
The Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel is one of Columbus’ finest wedding venues. I had a nice time meeting with Channin Holden and Lauren Beach who both oversee weddings, and you should contact either of them if you are looking for an excellent wedding venue in Columbus, Ohio. Follow this link to check out some amazing photos of what your wedding celebration could be like at the Renaissance. Channin and Lauren's contact info is below this next photograph taken by my daughter, Rebekah.
To contact Channin Holden call (614) 233-7581 or email channin.holden@renaissancehotels.com. To contact Lauren Beach call (614) 233-7511 or email lauren.beach@renaissancehotels.com. You will receive outstanding professional service from these ladies and their staff.
the red carpet
Today's Marriage Tip
One mistake that you may find yourself making as a married couple is to give others preferential treatment while taking your spouse for granted (or worse, treating your spouse in a way that says, “Oh . . . it’s just him”, or “it’s just her.”) What happened to all those sweet moments of red carpet actions? Why doesn’t your spouse feel like they are loved and appreciated like they used to be?
You might be thinking, “Oh come on, life gets very busy when married and everyone knows that the romance fades away”. There is truth to this. Romance will require more effort over time and the euphoria of feeling in love will definitely dim. So, what then?
My answer: Intentionally build something that will last. A builder, interior designer, or mechanic who cares about quality work, always does something different from the rest. In fact, they insist upon specific things in how the project is done to insure that the result will fit the ideal in his or her mind. They make adjustments when they find they have made a wrong decision. Marriage needs to be approached the same way. You are building it, and just because your mom or dad perhaps were bad examples of how to care for another human being, doesn’t mean you need to follow suit. You can make new choices and daily continue to make adjustments and adaptations that keep your relationship on course.
One thing that you can do is to intentionally treat him or her with true respect (and own up to it when you have not been). Go out of your way to keep the relationship alive and fresh.
In our home we get caught up in two attention grabbers, the TV and computer. When my wife or I come home, we intentionally and immediately turn off the TV or pause the DVD player; or we turned away from (or turn off) the computer. I purposefully acknowledge my wife for a moment, and she does the same for me. This is a small way that we show preference to one another. It says, “you are more important than what I am doing now on my computer, or this movie”, and avoids giving the feeling of “look what the wind just blew in”. If you continue to show the red carpet treatment in the little things, it adds up to something big. It will help romance stay alive, and may save your marriage in the long run.
positive actions. positive results.
Today's Marriage Tip
The experience of marriage can be blessed or cursed, the full range of possibilities are present. It would be safe to say that most people in America marry today for the possibility that their lives will gain something positive by the union. And they are accurate. Most do. But when a marriage goes bad it can be the most trying of experiences. Marriage forces you to face things about yourself. It unearths what we are made of on the inside. It is unlike other relationships. It is for better or worse because both realities exist, coming from each spouse at any given time. Some days I am at my worst and my wife supports me. Some days my wife is not at her best and I support her. Some days we are at our best and we both greatly enjoy it. (Other days when we are both at our worst…well, never mind. Those are the days we’d rather forget!)
Growing together in love in marriage has been a highly rewarding and enriching experience for us. It has added to our lives immeasurably. But we had to come to terms with the idea that there are trials and difficulties to overcome along the way, and at times those trials will test the limits of your relationship. I encourage you; do not give up on each other. Realize you are both human and you both need each other. And forgive each other for your faults, and offenses. If you’ve had a fight, you be the first one to make up! Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.
If you take action in a positive direction for your relationship, you will often get positive results, (or at least get the ball rolling that way). Positive outcomes come from positive actions. Of all human institutions, your marriage is a great place to invest extra effort and love. It’s your marriage. It’s your life. Make the best of it!
Wedding Venues: Darby House, Historic and Hip.
I visited with Kate Brooks over at Darby House. I was there planning for an upcoming wedding and we talked about baseball, world history and horse races. It was a lot of fun. There is so much history at Darby, and the staff and scenery are awesome. Kate is not only pleasant and professional, but a lot of fun too. Here we were joking about how we should pose for the picture. Kate is the one on the left!
Kate told me a funny story about how John Galbreath, founder of Darby Dan Farm (upon which Darby House was built), messed up when he had dinner with Queen Elizabeth in England. He innocently violated some codes of behavior with the Queen, and even gave her a hug! John was so embarrassed when he learned that he crossed lines of proper conduct. Upon returning he was upset that he had ruined his relationship with the Queen of England. Oh well, even the rich and powerful can get it wrong. They are, after all, human. However the story ends on an unexpected note when the Queen and John later become great friends. He thenceforth supplied horses on a regular basis to Her Majesty. Now get this, on the wall at Darby House I saw a hand written letter from the Queen, thanking John for an anniversary gift. Very cool.
Darby House is the only place in the world where, in the same room, there are two World Series trophies (Pirates,1960 and 71), and trophies for the Kentucky Derby, and the English Derby. Many sports conversations start and continue here during events. The painting above me is by the famous sports painter, LeRoy Neiman. Although not the best photo, you can see one of the World Series trophies, too. (This time, Kate is the one on the right!)
If you would like to find out more about a tasteful location that's filled with history and incredible charm, then contact the staff at Darby House. You can email Kate directly at kbrooks@cameronmitchell.com or call 614-878-4527.