The Melody Lingers on!

by | Jun 24, 2010 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Aria Melody, that is!  My colleague John has the coolest, most sophisticated DJ company in the New York area, and he was kind enough to post a blog about yours truly, just a few days ago.  He was ALSO kind enough to write a wonderful blog for me, all about what makes Aria the best, “No Cheese, No Fog, No Chicken Dance” DJ company you could possibly want to have providing the soundtrack for your wedding celebration.  His blog is chocked full of great suggestions  

 

Here ya go! Thank you, John!!!

One of my new favorite wedding colleagues I’ve met recently is North Jersey / NYC Wedding Officiant Celia Milton. We’ve all been to weddings where the minister or officiant seems to have met the couple for the first time that day.  And you can drop in his/her names, wrap the ceremony up with that “Love is Patient, Love is Kind…” reading and move on to the cocktail hour.  And surprisingly, the most personal, touching, important part of day — the heart of the celebration — is over without feeling very personal, touching or important at all.That’s what makes Celia so unique. And why she gets rave reviews from happy couples and wedding professionals alike!  She has an amazing ability to capture all that is *you* and preside over a ceremony that’s all about YOUR love, family & friends.  Read more… 

John: What makes your ceremonies so unique? 

Celia: Well, truly, they are not my ceremonies; they are ceremonies that are all about the couple, and THAT’s what makes them unique.  Their love story is a large part, but we also include readings and music that they love, ritual elements that express their heritage, and touches that tell their story in many ways.

J: What can couples do to create a truly personal ceremony? 

C: The easiest way is to think about the things that make them unique; do they love dogs? Did they meet while skydiving? Are they both artists or musicians? Is the bride Jewish, the groom Hindu? All the things that make them the individuals that they are can find a way into the ceremony to make it truly theirs.

J: How can couples incorporate other family members or friends into their ceremony?

C: Many of my couples choose to keep their bridal parties small (or eliminate them all together) to eliminate the hurt feelings, political tussles and extra expense of having numerous people on each side. For many  friends and family, just being asked is honor enough. They may not have the time, the money, or (and I know this hurts….) the desire to be part of the bridal party with all the responsibilities that go with that request. They should have a gracious way out; that is a great gift to them.

But let’s say they’re in.  Unity candles and sand ceremonies often include different people to pour sand and light candles that are blended to symbolize the intermingling of each partner’s lives. A traditional Celtic hand fasting can include as many as six people to drape the different cords that will ‘bind’ the couples’ hands. Readings can be included; and many are appropriate and very cute for children if they are old enough to enjoy that spotlight. (Dr. Seuss’ ‘ Oh the Places You’ll Go” and Taylor Mali’s, “Falling in Love is like Owning a Dog”, are two that are great for kids.) Some readers may even want to write their own. 

Almost every wedding has ushers (or usherettes!) who will welcome the guests, guide then to their seats, and tell them, (nicely of course) to turn off their cell phones. They can hand out programs, rose petals or bubbles for the recessional. They can also let alert the guests to anything unexpected they’ll be participating in;  a ring warming, for example.

One of my couples had two children who were a little too old to be ring bearers or flowers girls. They had a big banner made, and the children preceded the bride in the processional with the side that said, “Here comes the bride!” and then followed the married couple with, “Just Married”. It was adorable, and they wore normal dressy clothes, not outfits that matched the bridal party.

J: Whats been the most unique thing you’ve seen included in a ceremony?

C: I had a bride roar up to the end of the aisle (a flower strewn aisle down the middle of an apple orchard…) in a white convertable Mustang. Her and her dad hopped out (engine running, lol) and walked down the aisle together!  I’ve had guests do interpretive dance presentations (the jury is out on that one…), and one very memorable “reading” by the couples’ dogs, via a powerpoint presentation and cartoon bubbles.  It was a riot…very hard to follow.  People think that when one of the bridal party faints it’s unique. That happens about once a month…..

J: You’ve presided over a lot of weddings but for many  couples, this is their first.  Any suggestions or tips?

C: Approach the ceremony planning just like the reception planning; with the goal of creating a meaningful, fun, personal celebration of your life together. Find someone who shares your vision and will let your wedding be about YOU, not about what “has” to happen during a wedding; if you’re not in a church or a synagogue, nothing really does, except your vows and a pronouncement.