Something New Ceremonies
Ceremony Coaching & Vows for Nearlyweds & Officiants
Welcome to my services page!
At Something New Ceremonies, every custom ceremony is as unique as the love story it celebrates. When a couple hires me to design their wedding ceremony and coach their first-time officiant, the one-of-a-kind ceremony that’s perfect for them doesn’t exist yet. The process of crafting an original and heartfelt ceremony is different every time, but here are some of the things I offer to help you share your love story through every word and detail of your ceremony—whether you’re exchanging your vows, your officiant is pronouncing you “married,” or your loved ones are toasting to your eternal happiness.
Personalized Ceremony Script
A ceremony script is exactly what it sounds like.
It's a word-for-word, minute-by-minute breakdown of everything that will be said and done at the altar. The ceremony script is maybe the most crucial part of your wedding day because it ensures your officiant won’t skip any of the necessary steps to make your marriage official. It’s also one of the easiest ways to personalize your wedding day and create a lasting keepsake of what the day means to you. Every choice you make about your wedding ceremony will be reflected in the ceremony script I write for you, and I make sure it's completely thorough so it’s the only item your officiant will need to bring with them to the altar on your wedding day. I start drafting your custom script after meeting with you twice to talk about your love story and how you want the day to flow and feel. We meet once again to review the draft together so you can give me notes on what feels good and what still needs work—then I keep revising it until we get it just right!
Vows Coaching & Writing
You don’t have to write your own vows for them to be the best your guests have ever heard.
There's a lot of pressure for your vows to be perfect—heartfelt and personal, poetic and original. But your vows don't have to be stressful. Whether you and your partner want to surprise each other with your vows on your wedding day, or you want to collaborate with your partner on shared promises, your vows will be perfect as long as they're a reflection of you. And that doesn't mean you have to write them yourself either! Maybe you’d prefer to repeat the same traditional vows your grandparents exchanged, or maybe you'll find an example online that you absolutely love. No matter what dreams you have for your vow exchange, I'll help you write, find, or adapt the perfect vows for you. And no matter what, your vows will be unforgettable because they’re the promises you’ve chosen to lay the foundation for your future together.
Officiant Coaching
There are a lot of great reasons to have a friend officiate your wedding.
Choosing a loved one to perform your ceremony is one of the best ways to make it personal and meaningful. So it's okay if your officiant isn't ordained (yet) or doesn't know the first thing about weddings because I'll work with you and your first-time officiant to prepare them with everything an officiant needs to know—including getting ordained, composing a heartfelt message on marriage, running the rehearsal, looking the part, performing the ceremony, and filing the marriage license. I’ll make sure you and your officiant know what needs to happen to make your marriage official, and because you want your ceremony to do more than simply get the job done, I'll work with you to compose personalized remarks that capture the unique magic of your love story and create a ceremony that no one will forget. No matter what kind of ceremony you dream of, I've got you covered from "We gather here today" to "I now pronounce you married!"
Custom Rituals
Rituals do what words cannot.
It's simple, really. A ceremony is just a bunch of rituals (you might call them traditions), and rituals help us tell stories when words alone are not enough. Rituals are especially good at telling stories about where we come from, who we belong to, and the kind of people we want to be.
Wedding rituals tell stories that are as varied as the people who perform them: think of Celtic handfasting, Jewish glass breaking, Hindu rice toss, Christian eucharist, German log cutting, Spanish wedding lasso, Chinese tea ceremony, Italian serenade, American unity candle.... the list goes on! Rituals tell stories that help us navigate change, embrace mystery, and remember the things that make life worth living. Rituals are inherited, but they're also always being reinvented to tell new stories.
Your wedding is an opportunity to tell the version of your love story that can't be told with words alone. Whatever version of your story you want to share on your wedding day, I can help you design the custom rituals that will help you tell it.
Marriage License How-To
Planning a wedding is a big job, but making sure everything is official can feel even more daunting.
Getting your marriage license can be complicated, and you might have lots of questions. Where do we submit our application, for example, and do either of us need to go in person? How far in advance of our wedding day do we need to apply, and is it possible to apply too early? What's the difference between the marriage license and the marriage certificate? How many witnesses will we need? If I'm changing my name, do I need to do it now? Does our officiant have to do anything after our wedding day before everything is considered official?
Requirements vary by state and county, and getting it all right can be overwhelming—especially if you're working with a first-time officiant or tying the knot in a different state or county than the one you live in. That's why I offer a personalized checklist and timeline based on your wedding plans to make sure you actually get married on your wedding day!
Toasts
Give the spectacular toast that no one will forget—and no one will want to follow.
Whether you're preparing to share the floor with some excellent public speakers at the reception, or you're simply looking to take your remarks as father of the bride to the next level, I'll work with you to produce a personal and memorable toast in honor of the newlyweds!
