So this week I officiated one of my favorite wedding ceremonies ever. This great couple from California found me online, contacted me about being their wedding officiant, said they liked my style because of the Chuck Taylors in some of my pics (the shoes), and we knew pretty quickly it was a perfect match (the Foo Fighters shirt I was wearing in our pre-ceremony consultation sealed the deal for them). It's one of the most valuable things a couple can request, in the beginning of the process, to have a Zoom call to get an idea for "fit", because not all wedding officiants are made the same, and not all couples want the same vibe at their wedding ceremony. For a lot of people, traditional is good. A bishop or cardinal or pastor works great, and I myself have actually performed a ton of very traditional wedding ceremonies (the majority are this way in fact). With that said, it doesn't have to be that way, even though a lot of people don't realize that it doesn't. These guys were all about music, all about celebration, all about having a good time...and as long as that's the clear expectation, I am always thrilled to accommodate.
We had been talking for months in advance of the big day, just to make sure we were on the same page, especially important for me because I was getting myself ready to write a completely custom wedding ceremony (these guys were very unique), they had asked me to work in some of their favorite bands and lyrics into the service. A lot of things are communicated in that initial call that don't make it to the final cut though, so I hadn't given it too much thought leading up to the week of. As a non-denominational minister, wedding officiant, and justice of the peace, my job is to find out what a couple wants, exactly in their wedding ceremony, and build a service around that. So that's what I did. About a week before go-time, I texted the bride to confirm the music request was still firm and to find out her top 5 favorite bands, thinking I could start writing the script and building in the lyrics. And her response? I was thrilled...Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys, Tool, Van Halen, and Red Hot Chili Peppers, absolutely my wheelhouse, and totally badass.
Then the week of the wedding ceremony, to add another layer, I was volunteering at the Food Bank, and had an allergic reaction to something, so my eye swelled up. Like noticeably swollen. And it didn't swell down in time for the wedding, so my solution was on the day of was to offer to wear an eye patch during the service, thinking Bond Villain Wedding Officiant might be kind of cool for these guys, but of course that was their call. Groom loved it, Best Man loved it, Bride said "whatever Josh wants", ha, so "they" agreed, and the result was one of the most enjoyable services I've participated in during my tenure as a wedding officiant. All the love in the world framed around amazing kids and family and music and commitment. I can't express how much I love what I'm doing, and how grateful I am to have found my calling. Check the pics below and the video on YouTube at the link below that. So cool. And let me know if you want to chat.
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