Journal
I'll Love You Forever
A rarely captured moment - I love this photograph! One of the many joys of being a wedding officiant in Columbus Ohio, is seeing the love between a husband and wife and it continues to amaze me. Here, Andy and Maggie are on the campus of The Ohio State University sharing the love that has grown between them. There were so many wonderful images of their special day, that I am likely to share them on this blog in small numbers!
Kevin Keefer is the photographer behind this image. You can contact Kevin by following the link to Kevin Keefer Photography or calling 614-787-4743. Kevin is not only a great photographer, but a really nice person to work with who will help to make your day very memorable. His email is kevin@kkeefer.com. You can also read Andy & Maggie's review of Kevin's work by following this link at Weddingwire.
Aaron & Lai Shan - Beautiful Wedding, Wonderful Couple.
Aaron and Lai Shan were married in Columbus Ohio (technically Dublin) and they asked me to be their wedding officiant. Photos were taken by family and friends. Here we are in one of the rooms at Embassy Suites Hotel on upper Metro Place. As their wedding minister, I had the honor of helping with their vows. It's time for their ring exchange here and we were having some fun. They have a great sense of humor and they really enjoy joking with each other often ...Maybe I was whispering to Lai Shan that if Aaron tried to run for the exit door, I would be sure to block him!
I love keeping things light during the ceremony and this seems to help brides and grooms loosen up after all their hours preparing and waiting. Besides, my belief is that a wedding ceremony should be joyful - a time of celebration!
As I presented Aaron and Lai Shan as Mr. and Mrs. their guests applauded with joy and happiness!
I love the lighting and water in this photograph. Aaron and Lai Shan, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this monumental time in your lives!
May all your days together be richly blessed, and filled with happiness!
To read comments by Aaron and Lai Shan follow these links: Weddingwire.com, Onewed.com.
A Darby House Wedding - Lindsey & Logan
Lindsey & Logan were a wonderful couple and I truly enjoyed celebrating their union as their wedding officiant. Of all the venues in the Columbus, Ohio area they chose Darby House in Galloway Ohio, and it no wonder why. The grounds are incredible, the service is awesome, and the food is delicious. I love performing ceremonies for couples as their wedding minister here because it is consistently a positive experience. You can read more about Darby House by following this link to Weddingwire.com. I love having fun at the wedding ceremonies I perform and I am so glad that Lindsey and Logan were having a great time too!
What a sweet photo. I really like this one a lot. The expressions of the bride and groom are so unrehearsed and natural and together with the horse and carriage and lush green surroundings, in my opinion this image is amazing.
Together on the horse-drawn carriage, content, and sharing the beginning of the rest of their lives. Lindsey and Logan may all your days together be filled with love, joy, and blessings!
All photographs in this entry are courtesy of the fine work of Ely Brothers Photography. You can contact Caleb and Levi Ely by following the link provided. You can also call Caleb or Levi at 614-557-1496. You can email Caleb at caleb@elybrothers.com.
Trista Hill was their harpist. She can be seen in an earlier post with a picture.
Thanks for reading my blog! Have a great day!
If You Want It to Last
Marriage is a wonderful and glorious estate to achieve. I perform many weddings here in Columbus, Ohio and, as a wedding officiant and marriage coach, I believe it is among the highest of all human conditions and elevates a man and a woman to a greater place than if they were alone. Romantic love between a man and woman leading to the committed love of marriage is truly amazing. Nothing will affect your life more than your own marriage if entered into seriously. But marriage gets hard. You have seen it. So often it starts out in a way that appears to be easy, but then....reality sets in. Knowledge and self-education can help you keep it together.
I have a statement that I like to use during the Marriage FoundationsTM classes we offer for those who want their marriage to last for life. It is simply, "You will sacrifice major portions of yourself FOR your marriage; OR you will sacrifice your marriage". There is no middle ground. It is the blending of two unique lives and both must contribute to make the marriage survive and thrive. Often, it is not easy but the rewards are profound and lifelong.
Fun at Ohio Stadium!
Groomsmen-groom-bride-bridesmaids. This is Columbus Ohio and as a wedding officiant in this town there is no getting away from the love of the Ohio State Buckeyes! As a wedding minister I perform many ceremonies on the grounds of this University. This year 2 were on the field where the Bucks play their game, and where they beat the team from up north. In this photo, Andy & Maggie enjoy some time just having fun with their bridal party. They were married at two places on the same day at Ohio State. More about their humorous and fun wedding in a later entry!
This photograph is courtesy of Kevin Keefer of Kevin Keefer Photography. I really love the work Kevin does and there will be more beautiful images he captured soon to come. You can contact him by following the link provided. You call also call 614-787-4743, or email Kevin at kevin@kkeefer.com.
Sand Ceremony at Franklin Park Conservatory
Being a wedding officiant in Columbus, Ohio allows me to experience many "special" ceremonies that couples, and sometimes families, include. For Pam & Rick the sand flows at Franklin Park Conservatory in a symphony of colors as this blended family combines their sand into one vase. As their wedding minister I had fun officiating this part of their ceremony. Here the height of the sand is at the inscribed letters.
Now the sand moves above the letters.
A few final grains poured by one serious participant. If you look closely you can actually see the last bit of sand between vases.
Now the finished product! Doesn't it look great?
Maybe you are wondering where to obtain various colors of sand if you were to use this ceremony for your wedding. You can conduct a Google search for sand ceremony kits and you will find companies like Sandsational Sparkle that sell many colors and styles. Enjoy!
All images in this entry are courtesy of Open Prism Photography and photographer, Rebekah King. You can call Rebekah at 614-653-9082.
Harpist, Trista Hill at Darby House
As a wedding officiant in Columbus, Ohio, I often have the chance to experience the work of other professionals in the wedding industry. Here is a photo of Trista Hill playing at the Darby House in Galloway, Ohio. I was the wedding minister for Lindsey & Logan during a mid-summer ceremony, (photos to come in another entry). She played beautifully and her music added a magical atmosphere to Lindsey & Logan's outdoor experience.
The song for Lindsey's bridal walk was "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", played with incredible style and grace. To contact Trista and to hear samples of her fine work follow this link, or call her at 740-363-5544. Her email address is trista@tristahill.com.
This photograph courtesy of Ely Brothers Photography. Caleb & Levi Ely can be contacted by visiting their website (link provided) or by calling 614-557-1496. They are both great to work with. You can also email Caleb at caleb@elybrothers.com.
Jaime & Janae - Cheers Chalet, Lancaster OH
Here is a bride and groom I will not soon forget. As a wedding officiant in Columbus Ohio (sometimes called a wedding minister), I have the privilege of getting to know so many wonderful couples. Jaime and his lovely bride, Janae, were married at Cheers Chalet in Lancaster, Ohio.
Jaime and Janae were kind enough to share some photographs with me so that you can share a bit of their day by reading my blog.
Jaime and Janae share their first kiss as husband and wife! What a special moment. Here is a portion of their ceremony before they kiss, said with much celebration: "Jaime and Janae, now that you have exchanged your vows on this beautiful day of celebration and joy, and along with you family, friends, and honored guests wishing you many long years of happiness, prosperity and love. It is my honor and privilege to now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride!"
The happy couple surrounded by bubbles and love!
Here is another great shot as husband and wife. 
I love the look of contentment on Janae's face and joy on Jaime's as they bask in the glow of married love filling the air. Jaime & Janae, may all your days be filled with abundant blessings from this day forward!
Turning Conflict into Dialogue Part 2 of 2
As a marriage coach and wedding officiant in Columbus Ohio, it is my aim to not only officiate for couples on their wedding day, but to strengthen marriages for life as well. This is part 2 of 2 of an earlier entry.
It takes two to tango.
Both must be willing to discuss matters even though communication styles most likely differ in significant ways. You need to talk and communicate in marriage regularly and consistently and abide by the “rules” of healthy dialogue.
An argument can lead to dialogue, but if it does not then it usually involves blame, shame and proving who is right and who is wrong. It is a win/lose scenario where somebody wins and the other party loses, and in marriage since the goal should be to discover ways to strengthen your relationship nobody wins if somebody is out to win. The one who “wins” may feel good and validated as a person in the short run, but lose intimacy with the other in the long run. This is very dangerous to your marriage.
When you find yourself arguing about something pose the question, “Can we dialogue about this instead?” Better yet, when there is a point of potential contention that is important to you to discuss, ask your marriage partner, “Can we get together to dialogue about something?” and then schedule a definite time to talk. Schedule it immediately if possible; not “whenever”.
Healthy dialogue builds a relationship and says to your marriage partner, “I respect and love you.” By making dialogue the primary way to communicate in your relationship you will build a stronger, happier, healthier marriage…even when your conflicting ideas and disagreements still exist. Over time as you continue to practice the respect dialogue brings, many of your disagreements will get worked out.
Practice healthy dialogue for the future of your marriage and your relationship.
Bethany & Brandon - Franklin Park Conservatory
Bethany & Brandon exchange vows and rings at Franklin Park Conservatory. I had fun being their wedding officiant and enjoyed the company of this lovely bride and her groom. There is no shortage of plants in the Palm House as this photo clearly shows!
As a wedding minister I try to have fun with my couples. If any day should be joyful, it should be your wedding day.
You may kiss the bride!
Bethany and Brandon, may your days together be filled with joy, as you share many happy and blessed years!
All photographs in this entry are courtesy of the fine work of Amy Mullins of Amy Rebecca Photography. To contact Amy, click on the link in this blog entry or call her at 740-304-7193.
OSU Faculty Club - a fun visit to a great venue
Now here is a great venue for weddings and other events in Columbus, Ohio, the OSU Faculty Club. It shares a field bordering Browning Amphitheater and Mirror Lake, so you have easy access to both. As a wedding officiant - sometimes called a wedding minister, I recently had the honor of performing 2 ceremonies, one at each place. Actually, it started to rain (pour) at the wedding at Browning Amphitheater, so we moved that one inside the Faculty club, but that is a separate story soon to come! Shall we have a look inside the Club?
By design, I ran into the catering manager, Liz Groff. Somehow I convinced her to vote for me in the November 2010 elections, although I was not running for any office, whatsoever. As you can tell, Liz is carrying precious cargo yet she keeps right on with her job. Liz is a great lady and I enjoyed working with her at that rainy wedding mentioned before. More to come on that, but she handled it marvelously!
In this shot, Layne Fulks, Assistant Catering Manager joins us for some relaxation and enjoyment. These ladies are a lot of fun and our visit was a blast. To find out more about what the Faculty Club has to offer contact Liz at 614-292-2262 or email her at Liz@ohio-statefacultyclub.com. To contact Layne call 614-292-2262 or email her at Layne@ohio-statefacultyclub.com.
This last photo is just for show. I thought it was pretty cool looking and it does come from inside the Faculty Club. It's inverted and the top portion showing is a reflection.
All photos in this entry are courtesy of Rebekah King (yes, my awesome daughter) at Open Prism Photography. Rebekah's phone number is 614-653-9082, if you would like more info about her work.
Turning Conflict into Dialogue Part 1 of 2
Healthy Dialogue is essential to a healthy marriage.
Having been successfully married for 26 years I have come to appreciate a form of communication that helps build a lasting relationship. Dialogue. When I work with couples as a wedding officiant and/or marriage coach the topic of effective communication often arises. So, let’s explore together some key points about something that can have a lasting impact on the quality of your marriage, and may actually keep you together as a couple.
What is healthy dialogue? Basically it is “friendly discussion” in a focused setting. It is important that distractions be eliminated or minimized. (Cell phone off, no computer, no TV, etc. etc. – remember you are building your marriage; other non-life threatening emergencies can wait).
It involves listening without judging what is said. When friends discuss things they do so without judging and tend to give each other the benefit of any doubt. They end up feeling closer when done.
To dialogue is to be truly open to hear the other person’s thoughts and feelings. (This may take work if you are not accustomed to this type of communication.)
Dialogue involves listening intently to what your partner is saying with the idea of: “What can I learn about this unique individual who has an equal part in this marriage?”
The listener does not think of how to respond while the other person is still talking.
Pause/reflect/give the ideas expressed a minute to sink in.
Ask only curiosity questions to deepen and expand your knowledge of where he or she is “coming from”. Questions like, “Could you please rephrase that so I can understand better?” or, “I want to be sure that I understand your point, would you please elaborate further?”
Avoid loaded or “gotcha” questions designed to prove your point or belittle your partner in any way. They are poison to your relationship.
To dialogue is to allow the person to explain things from their perspective in a way that validates their thoughts, feelings and perspectives. Validation is not necessarily agreement. Often you are communicating over something you have not grown to see in the same light. However, it is an acknowledgement of your partner’s personal understanding, thoughts and feelings about any issue at any time.
This approach opens up the door to effective communication and growth together as a couple. It says to your partner, “I value you and your opinion and I want to know how you feel and what makes you ‘tick’.”
(Part 2 coming soon)
Erin & Mark - Residential Wedding in Centerville, OH
I really enjoyed being with this great couple from West Virginia as they came to Ohio to celebrate their wedding with family. I love being the wedding officiant at residential celebrations when the bride and groom have so much feeling for each other. This couple does.
Here are some photos of their sand ceremony where their two girls had a chance to participate.
Exchanging rings.
I am going to let these remaining photos speak for themselves.
Isn't this so touching as they dance and embrace by the pool? Wishing you many great years ahead Erin and Mark!
All photographs in this entry are courtesy of Victoria Serruto of VS3 Studios. Click on the link provided to visit her website. You can call her directly at 937-760-8737.
Wendy & Robb - Wow!
Allison & Al - Wildwood Manor House, Toledo Ohio
They flew in from California, to have their wedding here in Ohio. Allison and Al are a great couple and we had a very pleasant afternoon at Wildwood Manor House in Toledo, Ohio. They needed a wedding officiant and I am very glad they contacted me to be a part of their special day.
You can find out more about their day and read what Allison had to share at the following link: Allison's review Onewed.com.
Alicia & Paul - German Village Guest House, Columbus Ohio
Alicia and Paul celebrated their wedding in the way they wanted at the German Village Guest House in Columbus, Ohio. Small, intimate, warm, and beautiful. I enjoyed being their wedding officiant because they have such a sweet relationship. When I was with Paul and Alicia when we met before their ceremony at my office, they were so obviously meant for each other, and I felt the warmth of the love they share right from the beginning. In this first picture Alicia and Paul gaze upon each other. Their expression says it all.
The groom, Paul, and I cover some of the details of their ceremony before their special moment when they become husband and wife.
A few moments later Alicia arrays herself in beauty.
Here is another shot from before their wedding ceremony.
Paul and Alicia together as one.
What an awesome moment as they celebrate their union with their first kiss as husband and wife!
All photographs in this entry are courtesy of Red Gallery Photography. Husband and wife team, Clay and Lisa Justice are great people to work with, and their artistic talent speaks for itself. I encourage you to visit their website by following the link provided, or give them a call at 614-794-1113.
Lisa & Bill - Elegance & Style
Joy and excitement fill the air! The lovely bride makes her walk. Just by the expression on her face you can sense the depth of feeling she has for her groom. It was a real pleasure being the wedding officiant for Lisa & Bill. This is the moment she has been waiting for, and now it's here. Being of part of this experience brings joy to me, and so often I feel so honored.
From the steps of the rich staircase at Whispering Winds Manor in Crestline , Ohio, I solemnize their marriage with joy and a sense of wonder. This day is like no other for them, and therefore like no other for me. Each wedding is different and unique, almost like a fingerprint.
Here they enjoy their sand cermony. If you look through the empty vase you can see the tasteful blend of red and white sand, layering inside their center vase, the vase they will keep in their home to remember that they are no longer two, but one in marriage.
Zebediah & Tiffany - Wedgewood Golf & Country Club, Powell, Ohio
I enjoyed being the wedding officiant for Zeb and Tiffany at Wedgewood Golf and Country Club in Powell, Ohio. Here they are after the ceremony. They look really great, don't they?
An awesome shot here. Many brides like to celebrate with bubbles. Grooms too.
For a distinctive look, pose like this!
All photos in this entry are courtesy of Matt Smith of Matthews Wedding Photography. Click on the link provided to see more of their fine work. Matt Smith's phone number is (614) 853-3033.
Heather & Bryan - Cheers Chalet, Lancaster Ohio
This was a truly touching wedding at Cheers Chalet with a great couple, Heather & Bryan. They are both very sweet and I really enjoyed being their wedding officiant. I had such a great time that I almost wish I could do their ceremony all over again!
"You may kiss the bride!" And, as you can see, they did! Aren't they just lovely together?
The whole story wouldn't be complete without another important member of this union, Heather's son, Cory! Here is the new family all together.
Bryan and Heather, may all your days together be filled with happiness and blessings!
All photographs in this entry courtesy of Brooke Vatter of Cherished Moments Photography. Click on the previous link to find out more. Brooke's phone number is 740-972-0641.
Marriage Insights - Saving Your Marriage
One of my favorite books to recommend to couples is "The Seven Principles For Making Marriage Work" by John Gottman, PhD.
In chapter one page 4 he shares some insights on marriage and divorce. Let' read some of his thoughts:
"The chances of a first marriage ending in divorce over a forty-year period is 67%. Half of all divorces will occur in the first seven years. Some studies find the divorce rate for second marriages is as much as 10 percent higher than for first-timers."
"The chance of getting a divorce remains so high that it makes sense for all married couples-including those who are currently satisfied with their relationship-to put extra effort into their marriages to keep them strong."
One reason that I provide premarital and post-marital coaching is that I really care about your relationship and want your marriage to not only survive, but thrive.
Don't be fooled. No matter how much you love your fiance or spouse, to keep your marriage strong requires knowledge, work, and effort. It will not "just happen" all by itself. The work however, is well worth the lasting benefits of a strong and happy relationship that will affect so many areas of your life.