Wedding Expos....... What Are They All About?

It seems like the wedding industry doesn't limit itself to the traditional month of June or to summertime. Wedding expos are being held in the fall and the spring. Often, I am asked if I attend these shows either as a vendor or to check out my competition. The short answer is no & no.

As I enter my 9th year in my field, I have been featured at an open house and as a guest vendor at the Tulalip Resort hosted bridal expo. At my mother's urging many years ago, I attended as a visitor with her. (She had gotten free tickets and I buckled under pressure.) Most often they are held on the weekend. As you can imagine, this is a conflict in scheduling if you offer services to a client base who more often than not get married on the weekend.

Although it can be seen as a great way to be exposed to brides & grooms to be, it also can seem like a day at the market. Generally, there are booths lined up elbow to elbow with each other while mesmerized guests, willing or unwilling, walk to and fro while vendors offer their pamphlets and samples. The cost to these events is also an expense, for all who are attending. Did you know that it is not uncommon for a wedding vendor to have to pay upwards of $400-$1000 a day at a booth? Yes! The venues which host these events are literally making money hand over fist. That kind of advertising is a bit rich for my taste.

With the exposure and power of the internet, it makes wedding expos almost seem like a thing of the past. The number of customers I can reach at the touch of a few key words can help me drum up business quicker than I could toss my business cards out. I like to work smarter, not harder. Don't mistake this for me being lazy -- there's only so many hours in one day. I am all about maximizing my time and my resources. I just find investing my money into advertising throughout the year to be a bit more effective than a weekend shot.

For the first time brides, eager mothers of the brides or grooms, and for those who want to "check out the competition" wedding expos can serve their purpose. Afterall, you can't hear the music from the different DJ booths live or taste cake samples when you are online!!

New Look To The Website!

Happy 2014!!


I hope that you all have had a good start to this new year. It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone.

I wanted to announce the official new look of my wedding website. Thanks to my brother Jason Mondares for helping me make the switch from my old website server to my new server. He was a lifesaver in helping me preserve the contents as I transitioned. In the move, I modified some of the information as well as included some new information. I have expanded my services to include my colleague, Debi, who joins my team. I also have listed additional services that I have offered over the years, including event planning, post-wedding marital working sessions, & premarital classes. All rates are shared on my site, making information easily accessible.

Check it out -- same website address at www.upbeatweddingofficiant.com

The End of Another Busy Wedding Season

My "peak" wedding season runs from February through September. I have been blessed with wonderful bridal couples once again. Thanks to the following bridal couples that I served during this time:
John & Deb
Beth & Charlie
Melissa & Eddy
Vu & Jessica
Araceli & Edgar
Brian & Linda
Jennifer & Michael
Jim & Carlette
Mike & Maria
Stephany & Derrick
Justin & Tana
Nikki & Frank
Edd & Wendy
Brandi & Jeff
Jenny & Anthony
Jim & Juvy
Holley & Chris
Jim & Debbie
Jasmine & Nathan
Dennis & Eva
Abdoulaye & Reine
Yolanda & Jamaal
Tina & Andy
Ron & Stephanie
Jamie & Juan
Joy & Jason
Nora & Richard
Jason & Jeannette
Alex & Aimee
Thao & Armand
Vicky & James
Chad & Blanca
Tracy & Rafael
Brandy & Adam
Jennifer & Ivan
Paula & Steven
Becky & Chad
Laura & Roland
Linda & Eric
Darren & Tina
Diane & Paul
Mitchell & Melissa
Marlon & Leah
Vince & Anita
Elaine & Marcel
Jessica & TJ
Holly & Frank
Trina & James
Laurren & Andy
John & Nicole
Angelica & Josh
Chris & Laura
Dean & Ming
Miranda & Spencer
Natasha & Lance
Scott & Carol
Christopher & Mariette
Launa & Vic
Brenna & Jesse
Scott & Tina
April & Damien
Holly & Keven
Billierose & Preston
Cheryl & Sal
Tammy & Curtis
Tasha & Steven
Tyffani & Damon
Dave & Jaime
Karen & Jose
Cindy & Ryan
Dani & Kelly
Tina & Leo
Amy & Jason
Jennifer & Phillip
Barbara & Wayne
Donna & TJ
Alex & Joel

Chris & Angela (Bellingham wedding couple)

Chris & Angela married on their first year anniversary back on April 22nd, 2009. Believe it or not, but "team Angela" planned this wedding in less than a month! Angela and Chris are a fun-loving couple who married in the backyard of Chris' parents home in Lynden.
Angela is another DIY bride. I think that there are many positive notes that can be made for a "do it yourself bride". For example, many brides like to be hands on in the event planning. Who knows better than you when it comes to your likes and dislikes? Angela included her husband, Chris, in the planning as well from meeting with me, their photographer Denise Lee of Hope Haven Photography (you can see her work by visiting her website www.hope-haven.net), even down to the selection of their yummy organic cupcakes!
Angela also had wonderful support from her in-laws, Tom & Joyce. Not only did they host this wedding celebration in their home but they also went above and beyond to create a picturesque venue. Tom, recently retired, brought back to life a beautiful wrought iron arch. (You can see it in the above photo.) He also did extensive work on the yard and deck.
Chris and Angela, you were wonderful to work with! May you have many happy years together.

Rat City Roller Girl Gets Married! (Juan & Jaime of Everett, WA)

Memorial Day weekend is traditionally a very busy wedding weekend for me. This year was no exception! This was the first Memorial Day weekend when I didn't perform one single ceremony in the rain. I think I was more excited than my couples!

Juan and Jaime were one of the four couples that I served. Juan, Jaime and I had been working on the planning of their ceremony for nearly a year. Jaime, who works in the event planning industry, is a bride who wanted to see to it that no rock was left unturned for her special day. Their ceremony was held at the Monte Villa Farmhouse in Bothell, WA (www.montevilla.com).

When Jaime isn't working as an event planner, she moonlights as Anya Heels, a Rat City Roller Girl! (Check out their website at www.ratcityrollergirls.com for more information.) Her husband, Juan, actually proposed to her after a championship game. Many of her Rat City Roller Girl friends attended. Her wedding assistant, Jessica, is also a teammate. The photographers who shot their wedding were also photographers for the team. This definately was a team effort!

Best wishes to all of my couples who married this weekend, including:

* Ron & Stephanie, who renewed their vows in Snoqualmie, WA
* Jason & Joy, who married at the Kellogg Grange Hall in Marysville, WA
* Marina & Rafael, who took a drive from their Sea-Tac home, to get married at my home here in Marysville, WA

Having Your Reception Dinner Before Your Ceremony

I worked with Jasmine & Nate on their wedding last Friday. This Burlington wedding couple selected "A Country Location" in Smokey Point as their wedding and reception venue. When I first met with them during our planning session, they mentioned a unique idea for their special day -- they were planning on hosting their reception dinner before their ceremony. In all of the ceremonies I've performed (and I'm tipping the scales at 220 couples to date) this was a first!

There were a few different reasons that they shared with me for why they chose this layout. The first was the number of hours that they had their venue for. Being a budget conscious couple they scheduled their event on an off-peak wedding day, which is a great tip. Second, they took into account the time of day and wanting to give everyone the opportunity to eat and be comfortable before the ceremony including themeselves. Their celebration was early in the evening on a Friday. Many people had come from work and it being around most people's dinner time made it a decision that was courteous to their guests. Besides, who wants to hear guests complaining about how hungry they are or that infamous question......"When do we get to eat??!!"

Jasmine and Nate also wore different outfits to their reception dinner. They saved their wedding clothing for the ceremony. Jasmine, wearing a cute black with red polka dots dress, and Nate, who was casual in his dress shirt, slacks and a tie, had a chance to mingle with friends and family and still stunn their guests with their transformation into the wedding dress and tuxedo after dinner.

Many couples don't have the chance to visit with their guests during their reception. Having the chance to do this pre-ceremony is a great way to thank your guests for coming and actually interacting with those who are attending your special day.

Overall, this unique idea is a great one to consider when planning your own celebration. Kudos to Jasmine & Nate!

Marriage Paperwork

Many couples ask me about "the paperwork". When do you get it? Do you (meaning me, as the officiant) buy it? How long do we have before we can buy it? These are all very good questions to ask.

The marriage paperwork is a small, yet important, factor on wedding day. I like to say that without the marriage paperwork it's just a nice get together with friends or one big party. With that being said, the marriage paperwork places an important role after the I do's and before the reception gets underway.

A marriage license can be purchased anywhere in Washington state and can be used anywhere in Washington state. You also don't have to be a resident of Washington state to purchase paperwork. Each county has their own rules and regulations that they follow. What is consistent in each county is this: there is a three day wait period before you can use it (WA state law). You also have up to sixty days to be able to use the paperwork, once the waiting period has been met.

Something I offer to each of my couples is the option of having me file the completed paperwork. Regardless of what county you've purchased the paperwork in, I will see to it that the final paperwork is forwarded to the county of origin. This is part of each wedding package I offer. My thought is wouldn't it be nice to be able to go on your honeymoon without the added worry of turning in your paperwork?

For any paperwork purchased in Snohomish county, I hand deliver each document and also offer to pick up any certified copies of the marriage certificate at no additional charge. (The clerks at the Snohomish county auditor's office know me by name!) Just another service I offer to my couples.

I also answer any questions that my couples may have regarding name changes or what to do next, once the paperwork has been filed. For me, it's important to be able to finish my journey with my couples and giving them peace of mind that all i's are dotted and all t's are crossed.

So, rest assured, if I am serving as your officiant I will help you in the process from beginning to end, and sometimes even in the days after wedding day!

"Green" Weddings (or "enviornmentally-friendly")

I have heard of many couples looking to be more earth-friendly in their celebrations. I came across a great article about how couples can incorporate some very practical ideas while considering the environment in their celebration. Here's a summary:

Ceremony
1. Keep the ceremony small - limit the number of guests.
2. Choose a venue that uses environmentally responsible practices --- pesticide-free lawns, clean energy, etc. Look for a LEED-certified location.
3. Keep the location natural.
4. Choose an indoor venue that has lots of natural light.
5. Keep it local - less travel, and support your local economy!
6. Have the ceremony and reception in the same place or within walking distance of each other.


Reception
1. Set out recycle bins at the reception. Quick and easy -- all you need are a few pieces of paper to label "cans", "plastic" and "paper". Want to take it a step further? Offer an extra can and mark it "compost" for food scraps!
2. Choosing organic or locally grown -- they can provide environmentally-friendly options.
3. Put the "green" theme into your centerpieces. Table decor can take the form of small perenials or baby bushes that can later by planted by your guests. If you are looking for a vessel for the center of your table to hold sea shells or colorful rocks, consider vases made from recycled glass or a bamboo bowl, which are renewable. (There are many options if you want to give small trees, seeds, bulbs or plants.
4. Earth-friendly products and services are growing and often as simple as buying local. Supporting a local artist is much more earth friendly than having cheap trinkets shipped half way around the world. An easy wedding favor idea? Give something organic!

Dresses, Tuxedos & Accessories
1. Choose a vintage or used gown.
2. Choose a dress made from organic cotton, organic silk, hemp or hemp/silk blends.
3. Rent a dress.
4. Choose a dress that can be repurposed later (cocktail dress, etc.).
5. Donate the dress after the wedding.
6. Sell the dress afterwards through eBay or a consignment store.
7. Encourage bridesmaids to choose their own dress that they can reuse later.
8. Rent a tux.
9. Avoid leather shoes.
10. Buy jewelry made from recycled precious metals and stones. And don't forget the possibilities of transforming vintage pieces into radiantly recycled classics.


For more great ideas, visit http://greatgreenwedding.com/blog/.



Happy planning!