A Week in the Life of a Venue Manager

A day in the life of a venue manager just won’t give you the full picture of everything we do – so here’s a picture of a week!

I spend the first part of the week putting together “the packet”. The packet consists of Banquet Event Orders – the paperwork that details menu selections, start and end time, setup, audio-visual, etc., for each event we have coming the following week. The packet varies from one page to forty pages, depending on the number of events and their complexity. Along with the packet, I create an Excel spreadsheet each week that lists all of the events and monetary details so the rest of the building is aware of what business will be coming in and where the events are located.

In between the packet and the spreadsheet, I am welcoming the clients whose event is onsite that day, answering questions for the staff, and answering the phones when the front desk cannot. (As we are a hotel, I serve a few more functions than just a venue salesperson would.) My role allows me to wear many hats; if an event also has group rooms, I take care of the booking and contracting of the rooms and the event. I often do tours upstairs of the sleeping rooms in addition to our banquet/meeting space. I also manage the changes to events where the packet has already gone out – whether that is a change in count for meals, the client needs to change setup, etc. Sometimes I work from home at night if I receive pertinent emails after hours to ensure the client’s needs are taken care of.

All week, I answer inquiry phone calls and emails about future events. We receive leads and inquiries from multiple sources, so I often have several events that I am bidding on or filling out a proposal for. Sometimes I’m needed by the staff to assist in setup or service at an event. I check in with them several times a day to see how everything is going, and run interference if a client has a question or billing issue. I try to be onsite for our major events, first to initially greet the client, and then to be present for the duration of the event to ensure they are comfortable and everything goes smoothly. I have a fantastic staff that I never have to worry about, but the client often feels better just seeing me. J

Thursdays are typically spent mostly in meetings. I have a meeting with the Chef and the Banquet Captain. It’s their chance to ask questions or give me feedback on the last week’s events, as well as review the upcoming events. After the Food and Beverage department meeting, we have our weekly staff meeting. The managers of each department meet once a week to go over any issues that have arisen, upcoming projects, upcoming events, maintenance needs, etc. Upon the completion of this meeting, the Sales Department (again, I wear multiple hats), meets to talk about strategy, groups we are bidding on, and sales activities we are planning on participating in. By the time I am out of meetings for the day, I usually have just enough time to respond to emails and voicemails, and then it’s time to go home!

Fridays are catchup and project day. Our newsletter and media projects are typically done on Fridays, along with any other items left until the end of the week.

Saturdays are almost always spent with clients, doing site visits and planning, and events! I am off Sundays and Mondays so I can work Saturdays, the most popular day for social events (weddings, auctions, anniversary parties, etc.)

By the end of Saturday I’m ready for my weekend, so I can start all over again!

Contributed by Puget Sound Member Kati Wright, The INN at Gig Harbor

Convertible Wedding Dresses

One thing I’ve heard several brides complain about is how difficult it is to dance in the long flowing wedding gowns – even when bustled.  The option has been to buy a second gown/dress for the reception.  With the costs involved in a wedding many can’t afford the two dress option.

The new trend is ‘convertible wedding dresses’, which gives you the classic wedding gown for the ceremony and then when it’s time to party, with a quick adjustment you are now free to dance the night away!

                                                       David Tutera for Faviana

                                                                Martina Liana

                                                          Morgan Boszilkove

Would you consider a convertible wedding dress or do you want to stick with a traditional dress or even have two dresses?  Please feel free to leave your opinion/thoughts below in the comment section.

Simple and Sentimental Solutions to Wedding Problems

I had a bride who wanted an outdoor ceremony and she did get just that and the weather was beautiful.  This bride hired me very late in the game and I needed to find out as much as possible about her dream wedding and do it very quickly.  I soon learned that they wanted a program placed on all of the chairs.  Are you thinking the same thing that I thought at that moment?  Outdoor wedding, programs on chairs.  Hmmmm.  I saw programs flying all over the place with any gust of wind.

Since I knew that this bride was very much into doing what was "green" for her wedding, I suggested that they put nature into the wedding ceremony to solve the potential problem.  I explained to them some of the ways a rock ceremony can be a part of a wedding.  I was also thinking that rocks could hold those programs securely in the chairs!  This bride was very creative and turned it into a very sentimental part of their ceremony.  Her family had property on a beautiful lake with a type of stones on its shore that were flat.  This lake had special meaning for many family members as you can only imagine all the good times they had together, probably tossing these types of stones into the lake as kids.

After the ceremony, all of the guests who had been instructed to hold the rock and make a good wish for the bride and groom and place the rocks into a special box.  I love the picture of the bride and groom walking through a meadow with the groom carrying the box filled with good wishes.

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional member Janis Flagg, Greatest of Days

Planning for Wedding Shows

Are you planning for your wedding?  Wedding shows are one of the best ways for a future bride to get to know the latest fashions, meet wedding vendors and get dozens of tips.

Are you planning for your wedding? 

Wedding shows are one of the best ways for a future bride to get to know the latest fashions, meet wedding vendors and get free consultations on just about anything that you would require for your big day whether it is the bridal gown, the wedding venue, the wedding cake, the floral arrangements, the bridal bouquet and the list goes on. Whatever it is you might be looking for, you are sure to find it and much more at a wedding show.

The best reason for attending wedding shows is that you can compare the various wedding vendors all under one roof while you would have to rush from one place to another otherwise. It is basically a place for you to know what your options are and to get familiar with the wedding vendors so you can decide on whether you want them to be part of your wedding day or not. You can make appointments with those wedding vendors that you might be interested in. This will save you a lot of time and effort.

Before you go to a wedding show, arm yourself with a little notebook and pen.  There will be plenty of things for you to write down. It would be a good idea not to carry a handbag but to put the cash and other things you require in your front pockets in case you leave it somewhere or have it stolen. When you enter the wedding show you are generally greeted by a somebody with a bag filled with all kinds of brochures inside. This is just right to collect all the extra information that the wedding vendors are more than willing to give you.

At wedding shows, you will find a lot of wedding vendors including bakeries to provide you the wedding cake, bands to provide you music, designers for your wedding dress, vendors selling you wedding venues, caterers for your wedding buffet and many more. Many vendors offer free or discounted coupons so make sure you don’t pass up these offers. Make sure you take a look at every booth at the Expo unless of course you have already placed your order for the item they are dealing with elsewhere.                                                                                   

Generally there is a fashion show; here they will showcase the latest wedding gowns as well as other fashion accessories and jewelry including wedding bands. There almost always is some entertainment so the entry fee that you pay covers that. Make sure you know the timings of the important events that you are interested in when you visit a wedding show.

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Brad Buckles of Bridesclub and the Bridesclub Wedding Expos.

DJ Interview

We’ve been given the opportunity to share a few snippets from the following interview on our blog.  To view the entire interview please check out Red Letter Events “Behind the Veil". 

RLE: What is the biggest misconception that brides have before they meet with you for the first time?

Ollie of Gen X Productions: The biggest misconception that we run into is the difference between a DJ playing music at their wedding or having a professional DJ company that helps with planning, day-of coordination of the Ceremony and Reception, keeping the flow and being very professional. DJ’s have an incredible amount of control at a wedding and can really affect its overall outcome and success. Lots of our clients are amazed as we walk them through our planners at the amount of details that weddings can have.

RLE: What are some questions that brides should ask when interviewing DJs?

Ollie of Gen X Productions: There are many but here are some of the most important ones that are asked when meeting a Professional DJ Company:

• Are you the DJ that will be at my wedding? If not, will I be able to meet them before I book with your company?
• How long have you been in business and could I read some recommendations of some of your past clients?
• Do you have a contract or agreement; are you insured and do you have a business license?
• Are there any extra costs with equipment and meetings of what we have gone over?
• Do you drink or take smoke breaks at weddings? (We never do)
• Do you provide both MC & DJ services? (They should)
• Do you have backups in place for unforeseen circumstances? (Most companies don’t like this question)
• Do you use professional grade equipment, microphones and speakers? (Just gage how they respond, if they are confident,then you’re OK)
• Do you charge for setup & take-down and how early do you show up on the day of the wedding? (No charge & 1-1.5 hours is recommended)
• What do you wear at weddings and are there any options?

There are many more questions but these are the most common.

Contributed by Puget Sound Members Generation X Productions and Red Letter Events.

Becoming a Wedding Photographer

Often times we, as wedding vendors hear from people stating that they want to become a wedding photographer, DJ, florist, wedding planner and so on.  Over the next several months we will feature entries on becoming a wedding _______ (florist, DJ, etc.) written by current professionals in the field . We will start this series with ‘Becoming a Wedding Photographer’, contributed by Monica of Family Affair Photography.

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Many times I get the impression that those wanting to get into wedding photography think it’s an easy way to make big money and that it’s going to be one big party.  Before I go into ‘becoming a wedding photographer’ I’m going to share how I ‘fell’ into this profession.  It actually started with an offer to photograph my nieces wedding.  I refused several times, they repeatedly offered and finally sweetened the deal and I said yes. 

Immediately, I started reading everything I could get my hands on about wedding photography, and I also spent a considerable amount of time studying the work of other wedding photographers.   The exhilaration, the adrenalin rush of the wedding day is what inspired and motivated me into starting my own business.  I think to this day that it was my sheer eagerness and JOY of the field that propelled me and not aspirations of making big money or parties.  When I talk to other successful wedding photographers I often hear the same thing, this is a career that brings them joy and often times the first weddings were those of friends or family.

Since that first wedding, I have learned a lot from experience and from talking to other wedding professionals who were willing to offer some guidance.

Let’s get this out there:  Great camera’s don’t make great photographers!  Learn photography before anything else.  A wedding photographer is responsible for capturing the most precious moments in life, and a wedding is NOT the place to learn photography!  As a wedding photographer you are expected to know your camera intimately, to be a master of your chosen craft.  Unfortunately having a new camera doesn’t automatically make you an efficient and reliable photographer.  Learn composition and develop your artistic vision. 

Things don’t end once you’ve photographed a wedding.  In fact it’s after the wedding that the work starts.  I’ve heard from several photographers who have said that for every hour shooting at a wedding it will require about 2 additional hours in post production work.  This means learning and mastering digital workflow, processing the RAW images, file management, image correction, color management and enhancement.  Even great images often need a little something more. It’s pretty much expected you’ll be doing some correction. Don’t think you can shoot and burn and get a reputation for great work.

LOVE photography more than anything else.  Don’t come into the wedding photography field filled with aspirations of making BIG money.  While it’s true, there are many successful wedding photographers that make a lot of money.  Many of those photographers are also successful speakers, teachers, mentors, etc. to other wedding photographers.  According to the Professional Photographers of America, the average photographer in America makes about $24,000.00 a year. 

When you start photographing a wedding learn to focus on QUALITY vs. quantity.  Is there really a need to take 2000 photos per hour?  No bride is going to want the quantity, they much rather have the heartfelt and beautiful images.  Think about your shots, look for the special moments.  Keep your eyes and heart open to capture the unique and beautiful moments that naturally occur during the day.  Remember that long after you have moved on, your photographs will last forever and will someday be viewed by future generations of that family. 

During the wedding day, keep moving even if your tired of being on your feet for 8 plus hours, you need to be ready and alert what is happening around you.  There is a fine line you need to learn as to when you hide and become ninja like and when you get out and interact with the guests.  Knowing this will produce some wonderful images of the day.  Experience is going to be your best instructor on this.  Starting off as an assistant for a photographer would give you an edge on this, you can learn by observing the pro and by asking them questions after the event.

There is an old rule for the successful photographer and it’s one I admit that I still struggle with to this day.  The rule is “80% business, 20% photography”  Sometimes it feels like it’s 90% business and only 10% photography.  Unfortunately if you want to make photography your business you have to be much more than a photographer while still excelling at offering your customers great images.  If you want to get hired you need to sell yourself, make your customers happy and promote your abilities.  Being a great photographer is much more than clicking that shutter!  If you aren’t ready to handle the business end of photography, you can always work with other photographers.

Lastly learn something new everyday by taking classes, reading or getting out with your camera.  Join different photography groups.  There are many professional photography organizations that offer different levels of membership based on your skills and knowledge.  Some worth checking out:  Professional Photographers of America (PPA), and Wedding Portrait Professionals International (WPPI).  Attend their workshops, seminars, and meetings.  Learn and share tips, techniques from other professionals in the industry.  Never stop learning. Always practice, observe and study.

There is so much to share when talking about becoming a wedding photographer.  It IS a joyous and rewarding career.  If you decide to pursue wedding photography, always remember that as a wedding photographer you’re in a service business.  Always serve your clients with care and attention to detail that you would expect on your own wedding day or daily life for that matter!

Exploring the Possiblities

Puget Sound Wedding Professionals is proud to announce to upcoming events that are being produced by a couple of our members.   The first is the inaugural Wedding Walk Tacoma on Sunday February 20th, followed by the Bridal 4-1-1 workshops that will be held in Tukwila and Tacoma in March.

       

                Wedding Walk Tacoma

Wedding Walk Tacoma is a one day event that will introduce prospective brides, grooms, wedding attendants and their family and friends to Tacoma, as a one-stop shopping destination for weddings, while sampling excellent food, wonderful beverages and touring Tacoma’s most beautiful places to get married.

Brides, grooms, friends and family will walk the Downtown Tacoma Business District, stopping at the Marriott and Pacific Grill Event Center,  then walking down Pacific Avenue to the Tacoma Art Museum, Union Station, and the History Museum before crossing the Chihuly Bridge to the Museum of Glass on the water.
There are approximately 60 premier businesses and sponsors participating from categories such as floral design, formal wear, hotel and banquet halls, invitations and printing, jewelers, photographers, salons and spas, shoes and accessories, and bakeries.

Participants can choose to walk, ride in a limo, or hop on Tacoma’s Link light rail to the featured venues. After visiting all locations, participants will be entered to win a Grand Prize Raffle.

http://www.weddingwalktacoma.com

 

  

                    Bridal 4-1-1 Workshops

• Wedding Tips from Professionals
• Planning Advice for your wedding
• Q & A with up to 16 different vendors
• Wedding Checklists, Giveaways, DIY Advice

If you are planning your wedding and have questions or concerns, these workshops are for you! Every bride has questions and sometimes no one to ask. Come listen to wedding professionals with answers. The workshops are designed to help you learn to interview potential vendors such as photographers, florists, DJs, wedding planners, officiants, caterers, etc. The workshops will provide you with information to make wedding planning decisions with ease, choose the best wedding dress or wedding flowers for you, and connect you with wedding professionals with DIY solutions.

Each workshop is a series of four 2 hour sessions with up to four wedding vendor presentations each session. Sign up for one session or all four. The first workshops will be held in Tacoma and Seattle/Tukwila starting in March 2011 . Future workshops are planned for Auburn, Gig Harbor, Sumner and other upcoming locations .

$10.00 per person for each session through January 31, 2011. Starting February 1, $15.00 per person.

Call 206-601-6957 or email nancy@simplycelebrations.com

For more information and to buy workshops, go to www.bridal4-1-1workshops.com

Unusually Unusual

We recently asked our members of the Puget Sound Wedding Professionals group to share memories from weddings that had an unusual, different or creative twist on their event.

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I'm not sure how common this practice is, but I was exposed to it for the first time last year and thought it was a great idea.  After receiving their engagement session images, my clients spent an afternoon at a local winery where they took part in a wine tasting and then made small batches of their own unique wines for the upcoming summer wedding.  The winery tended their wine until the fermentation process was complete, at which point the couple returned to bottle, cork, and label the wine.  They were able to select several photos from our engagement session to create gorgeous bottle labels.  The guests loved the personal touch and everybody wanted to take a bottle home!  These wines would make great guest favors or bridal party gifts as well.  Two Puget Sound Wineries I know of that provide this service are Classic Winemaker's in Lacey and Castle Bridge Winery in Kent.  

Katie Cann-McTaggart

R e d  S p a r r o w  P h o t o g r a p h y

www.redsparrowphoto.com

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We photographed a wedding several years ago where the guests at each table had to sing a love song of their choice before they would get released to the buffet line.  Most of the tables would all sing a verse together while other tables would let one brave singer sing solo and allowing that person to go to the head of the line. 

The bride and groom, along with all the guests were laughing and enjoying the selection of songs, some were sung off key, some with verses wrong, but it made for a fun way to get released to the buffet line.

We didn’t hear any objections to the singing from any of the guests, even the ones without singing voices since this was a group participation activity.

Monica

Family Affair Photography

www.familyaffairphotography.com

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Here are two great unique ideas that a bride of mine an I came up with. The boxes that look like a wedding cake are for cards that guests bring to the wedding. It was super cute and different than the usual basket etc. The other was the wall banner. What to do with a big ugly wall? Her theme was monograms so her friend painted the plain muslin and hung it on a dowel and then we up-lit. It was a great backdrop to the head table instead of the plain wall.

 
Melanie Benson

Melanie Benson Floral Design

http://melaniebensonfloral.com

 

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I’d love to see a wedding catered by one of Seattle’s award winning food trucks – www.marinationmobile.com. They have the BEST food. The wedding could take place at a nice outdoor location with a place for the truck. The reception area could be decked out Hawaiian – Korean Style. Paper lanterns and grass skirts! Bright colors. I think I would be a fun, casual, delicious event. Maybe I’ll do it for my birthday!

www.marinationmobile.com.

Cheers! Rachel

www.rachelrauschphotography.com

www.photomusela.blogspot.com

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1. We have an upcoming wedding that will have the ring bearer carrying a pillow with the bride’s ring and the flower girl carrying a pillow with the groom’s ring.

2. I’m seeing more rainbow weddings. The latest example is a bride that picked black dresses but then gave her bridesmaids a swatch of ribbon in either yellow, orange, pink, purple or blue and asked them to buy whatever shoe they wanted in that color. Their flowers will be that same color and the groomsman they are walking with will have a tie that is predominately that color and a matching boutonniere.

Barb

Top Hat

  http://www.tophatfw.com/index.html

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A while ago I got to photograph an Afghani wedding.  I also did the engagement party, which, though these are common in their culture, was bigger than most regular weddings I shoot! So while the music, food, and traditions were all different and a lot of fun, there was one in particular that was REALLY enjoyable to watch.  Dance battle for the cake knife.  When it came time to cut the cake, the groom's cousin danced onto the dance floor carrying the knife. Every attempt at retrieving the knife on Ajmal's part resulted in a graceful twirl away and no knife!  Thankfully, as the night had progressed, Ajmal's parents had been stuffing his pockets with moderately sized bills. Very quickly, a rhythm was established to the dance-- bribe, rejection. Bigger bribe, further rejection! By the time she decided to give in, I counted the dancer to have made somewhere between $150-$250!

And all for a piece of cake. I hope it tasted good!  I have to tell ya, I WOULD love to see this at more weddings.  (And maybe more traditional Afghani food!)

Jason Comerford Photography
http://www.jasoncomerford.com
http://jcomerfordphoto.blogspot.com/

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Feathers and fishnet are a few other popular trends brides tend to overlook. Remember ladies, your the star of the show!

The Bella Look

Http://www.thebellalook.com

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Popcorn stand. Latte stand.

Angie

www.angiedphotography.com

http://angiedphotography.blogspot.com/

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One of my best girlfriends got married at the Pantages in downtown Tacoma.  The ceremony was on the stage and the reception in the gorgeous lobby. That made it a unique wedding but she had other touches that made it a wedding to remember. They had decided early in planning they didn’t want a traditional cake so when it came to that reception moment for cake cutting the D.J. quieted everyone down and told us to listen. Off in the distance we could hear  the ice cream truck music and it was getting closer! The truck pulled right up to the door and everyone was invited to go out and pick whatever they wanted. It was such fun!

Barb VH

Top Hat formal wear    

  http://www.tophatfw.com/

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I recently saw this at a wedding, they had a ‘ring warming’ ceremony.  During a ring warming, the couple’s wedding rings are passed among their guests, who are asked to say a prayer or make a wish for the couple over the rings while holding them.  This intimate exchange injects all of the loving energy of the couple’s friends and family into the rings that they’ll be wearing for a lifetime.

It makes for a very inclusive element of the ceremony and further connects the couple with their loved ones in attendance. 

Nancy

Simply Celebrations

http://simplycelebrations.com/

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Many weddings will have guests throwing bird seed or blowing bubbles as the couple exits and leaves the reception. 

At a wedding we photographed, the wedding party went out and stuffed the get-a-way car with helium balloons.  So, before the couple could make their escape, they had to let all the balloons escape from the car!  It had all the guests cheering and laughing.

Monica

Family Affair Photography

www.familyaffairphotography.com

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In reality all weddings are unique in their very own way, just as no two snowflakes are the same, no two weddings are the same either. 

Not all of my groomsmen live locally. What should I do?

                                                         “Are you nationwide?”

                  

Almost every bridal party has someone coming to the wedding from out of town. One of those guys standing up there with the groom lives in another city, state or even another country. This groomsman is probably not going to arrive until a couple of days before the wedding.

How do you make sure that he will be wearing exactly the same thing as everyone else is, that it fits him and it is ready for him when he arrives in town for the big day? Simple, keep it all in one place. Let one store, the one you trust to get the job done, take care of everything. The only thing your out of town guy needs to do is get his sizes taken by a formalwear specialist.

A simple internet search of the International Formalwear Association (www.formalwear.org) website will guide him to where he can go get professional measurements in or near his town. Once he finds a store he asks them for a complimentary fitting. It is a service that tuxedo rental businesses provide for each other. If there is no listing in his area he can go to any store that rents tuxedos and they will do it. No one wants to have him come into town and not have his tuxedo fit because he measured himself.

That being said I know the next question is why can’t he just get his tuxedo there? Let your formalwear specialist do the work for you. Don’t burden yourself or your groomsmen with style names, color and pattern combinations of the tuxedo. Once you have selected what you want let us take care of the rest. Our job is to audit each and every detail of each and every order making sure it’s what you want. Every tuxedo ordered for your wedding is going to be checked and inspected by one set of quality control standards. One call can let you know which groomsmen have their sizes in and which might need a little extra prodding.

Your wedding is the biggest day of your life, but weddings are our life. Let us help you make it as easy and beautiful as possible for you. Trust in a formalwear professional.    

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional member – Barb of  Top Hat formalwear

Children At The Wedding

It's been nearly 25 years, and I still remember this event: After having sewn half of the bridesmaids outfits, designed most of the flowers, and generally bent over backwards to be a very supportive sister and bridesmaid, moments before the wedding (and not well beforehand), her groom insisted that our 4 month old (still nursing) baby was not welcome in the sanctuary during the ceremony. He said that a baby crying during their vows would ruin the experience for him.

My husband slipped out of the sanctuary and remained throughout the entire wedding in the cry room of the church, with a baby as good as gold. We paid a sitter for our older son, but the babe-in-arms needed to be with mommy, because I'd have to be at the wedding and reception from set up to clean up -- about 11 hours. No other babies or children were present that evening.  My truly biased opinion is this. You are more likely to have your vows interrupted by a ringing cell phone than a crying baby.

However, if you are still worried, try to place yourself emotionally in the shoes of the mother who may still be nursing the baby. Give her plenty of notice to make plans. Offer to have a sitter on site during the ceremony, so she and her partner can enjoy the wedding together.  Little children bear no malice, and will only "ruin" your wedding if your heart is not open to them, or if you have not planned in advance to make any kind of accommodation for them. Most parents will be responsible for their little ones, so check your worries at the door.

I'm sure the wedding planners of our blogging community will have more ideas-- this is just what happened to me.  By the way, he (groom) never did stop trying to control -- and they are now sorting out the final details of their divorce.

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Julia Miller of Julia’s Floral. 

What if I Don’t Want Kids At My Wedding?

There is nothing worse than imagining the day of your wedding and during your vows a child starts screaming or crying! Your moment is interrupted and you will be reminded of that moment every time you watch your wedding video.

What is the best way to ask people to not bring their children?

First of all, when addressing your invitations, you only address it to the parents and do not include the children’s names or “and family”. That is the first hint that only the adults are invited.

Secondly, you can put on your invitation at the bottom when mentioning the reception - “Adult Reception to follow”.

Lastly, consider making arrangements with a nanny service to have on-site care for the guests’ children so that they can enjoy themselves and be able to check on their children at points during the evening.

If you are inviting children, be sure and have activities, special meals and treats. Consider an area with tables and maybe an “Activity Director” for them so that everyone can enjoy the evening!

Submitted by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Member Valerie of Valerie's Invites.  You can also find her on Facebook.

What Do You Mean By Officiant?

You can go online and anyone can become an officiant if they register through Universal Life Church to fulfill the legal qualifications to become ordained and choose whatever title you prefer from a selection of categories.  Many people do it just to be able to perform wedding ceremonies for friends or family.  You have to promise to honor all beliefs and comply with all state laws.  In Washing State, you have be ordained through some church.  It's about 10-minute process through ULC which has been around since 1959.  We could do any kind of ceremony, but we stick to weddings.

My husband and I have both gone through ULC to be able to officiate for weddings.  I enjoy helping people design their wedding ceremony.  Many people just want a very small wedding, have mixed beliefs in their families, don't want to go through months of counseling through a church so an officiant is a great solution to these situations.  Some people are widowed or divorced and don't want to go through all the pomp and ceremony that come with traditional weddings.  We have performed wedding ceremonies where there were hundreds of people, however.  Some people choose an officiant simply because they want to be able to customize their ceremony more than what they could in a regular church.  We let family members of friends of the bride and groom participate in any of the religious aspects to the wedding.  We choose to remain very neutral.

I won't speak to other states, but there are only two lines (never seen or met anyone who performed this type of ceremony) that are necessary in Washington State to make a couple legally married.   The, Do You?, Do You? (questions to make sure they aren't entering the marriage under duress), and then pronouncing them as husband and wife.  Really, that's all!  We would do those too, if people wanted it that way, but people like to personalize it.  We avoid ceremonies that take on the feel of a theatrical performance rather than a solemn occasion.  Speaking from experience, we were disappointed to get a review on not being theatrical enough.  Sorry, that is not why we do perform wedding ceremonies!  At that same wedding, people said it was a wonderful ceremony.  Go figure!

Some people choose an officiant to make it a legal marriage and then have a more elaborate wedding (sometimes even with an officiant) months or years later when they can afford a bigger wedding, when someone has returned from being overseas, or any number of reasons.

You won't believe this, but when we say that we can officiate, some people really think that we are qualified to officiate at sporting events!!   No!  That's a totally different game!!

You should always check into your own state's laws.
Wishing you the greatest of days!

Contributed by Puget Sound Wedding Professional Member: Janis Flagg of Greatest of Days Events & Wedding Planning.