WEDDING: Officiant for Outdoor Garden Ceremony in Pasadena, CA

Happy Trails Catering Garden Wedding, originally uploaded by dj venus.

The deck surrounding the camphor tree was a lovely garden setting for a wedding!

 

Congratulations, Gary & Shawna!

For more information: www.ceremonyceremony.com

WEDDING: Ceremony Officiant at Ace Hotel in Palm Springs




Ace Hotel Wedding Officiant in Palm Springs, CA
Originally uploaded by dj venus on FLICKR.

 Congratulations, Heather and Erica!

The V.O.'s, as the gorgeous couple are known, celebrated in beautiful and classy style at the infamous Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, CA.


venus with the happy couple!

 The wedding was attended by a small group of dear friends and family, and took place in the Commune area of the hotel.

The desert chic setting was made complete with a black and white colour theme accented with lemon yellow (and lemonheads and lemonade!), perfect weather and true love.  It was a dream come true!

Photography by LILY RO (not these).

WEDDING: Los Angeles Arboretum Officiant in Arcadia, CA

Congratulations, Pa. and Jn.!  This couple was married in a rose garden ceremony in front of a few dozen of their closest loved ones.

Arcadia Wedding Officiant

The wedding included a ringwarming and a ceremonial passage through archways, or gates, attended to by four sets of significant people, to mark the couple's transition from single to married life. (Please see the (horribly backlit) photo here. ---->)

It was a beautiful, and meaningful, ceremony, especially when the couple crossed the thresholds together.  Hope to have more photos soon!

WEDDING: Indian Wells Wedding Officiant at Miramonte Resort

Tree Strung with Origami Cranes, originally uploaded by dj venus.

Congratulations, Ki and Ke!

The television producers were married in an outdoor ceremony on a gorgeous Palm Springs afternoon.  The couple brought family and friends out to an Indian Wells spa and resort for an informal yet elegant celebration of their marriage.

One of the most striking components of the wedding was the Japanese tradition of one thousand origami, or folded paper, cranes!

Miramonte Resort Wedding Officiant
in Indian Wells, CA,
originally uploaded by dj venus.

The pair, who work in TV production and post-production of television commercials, enlisted their friends and relatives to assist with the folding process.  Dividing up the duty of crane-folding in this way provided a chance for Ki. and Ke. to share the wedding preparation process experience, with the people closest to them.

Many thanks to Shauna, Miramonte Resort's awesome catering director, and musicians Mari & Mike (violin / guitar duo)!

Long Beach Wedding Officiant at Jellyfish Cove

Congratulations Patty and Tim!  Married on 7 Aug. 2010, this couple chose to have their wedding ceremony right above Jellyfish Cove in Long Beach. 

Although the jellyfish weren't in full effect, the sun and the water were, providing a beautiful backdrop for the couple and their small group of guests, which consisted of their children and one close friend.

Also in full effect was the Long Beach Sprint Nationals powerboat race, which was taking place several neighbourhoods over at the Long Beach Marine Stadium. Luckily, the couple had a GREAT sense of humour, and didn't mind the sound of powerboat engines roaring away in the background!  :)

WEDDING: Malibou Lake Mountain Club Officiant in Agoura Hills, CA

Malibou Lake Officiant in Agoura Hills, CA, originally uploaded by dj venus.

This ceremony actually had a maypole dance at the end!

At the start of the ceremony, there were TWO aisles for the wedding party and couple to walk down, both sides simultaneously.

"T and J chose to enter together at the same time to honour the joining of their families, and, to symbolise their choice to enter into marriage willingly as partners and as equals, without being skewed by gender or role."

This wedding was SO beautiful, i cried.  Photography (not pictured) was by a friend of the groom.  Many thanks to Meredith of MALIBOU LAKE MOUNTAIN CLUB and dj ____  for their service and expertise!

Please see these other maypole photos:

ELEMENTS: Laughs are GOOD! - Using Humor in Your Ceremony

CONGRATULATIONS: Ste. and Jar.!  Married at Tustin Hills Racquet Club in Santa Ana, CA on 16 May 2010.  They first met at a stand-up comedy show...and since they love to laugh, why shouldn't they add a few laughs to one of the most important days of their life together? 

Photo by AARON HUNIU PHOTOGRAPHY.  Uploaded from Flickr by dj venus.










One way you can make an occasion your very own is to project your personality/ies through each element of the wedding: from the colours, the venue, the menu and especially the ceremony.  The following excerpts are actual examples taken from the ceremony:

"Seven months ago, S.J., Ste. and Jar.'s son, was born.  Ever since, he has been their dear little monkey..."

"...may you both enjoy a long life of happiness together, with S...and may you always be like a family of deer crossing a prairie in the sunshine."

You don't have to settle for the usual, less-than-memorable ceremony.  Humour does not detract from the seriousness of the commitment being made, nor does it make light of the person or persons being honoured.  Your ceremony can, and should be, FUN, if you want it to be!  For more information, please contact A NON-DENOMINATIONAL CEREMONY.

WEDDING: Officiant at Lindley-Scott House in Azusa, CA

Azusa Wedding Officiant at Lindley-Scott House, originally uploaded by dj venus.

Congratulations, Nikki and Chris! Married on 30 April 2010...

A historic home in Azusa, CA was the setting for this self-professed science fiction and fantasy loving, book and reading addicted couple!

Many thanks to Leo of the Lindley-Scott House for his professionalism and help in pulling off a lovely outdoor wedding ceremony!

Officiant for WEDDING: Outdoor Ceremony at Griffith Park in Los Angeles, CA

CONGRATULATIONS, Jessica and Matt!
This was a perfectly simple and lovely ceremony, tucked away in the MINERAL WELLS PICNIC AREA of Griffith Park. The bride and groom stood alone and exchanged vows in front of their friends and family, with the trees and grass and sky as their backdrop.

One of the beautiful things about this particular wedding was how the ceremony text itself was created.  Most all of the wedding words and ceremony sentiments were from the couple's letters to each other, over the years. They also incorporated a poem written by David Whyte, which was read by a friend.

After the ceremony, Hall & Oates' recently revived You Make My Dreams Come True was blasted through a portable powered speaker.

Photography by LISA DRAGANI.

Officiant for WEDDING: Outdoor Ceremony at Franciscan Gardens in San Juan Capistrano, CA

CONGRATULATIONS: Tiffany and Wendell!

This venue is tucked into a beautiful little space next to the San Juan Capistrano train station. The ceremony and reception took place with a gorgeous black and white colour scheme that looked so elegant!

DJ services provided by _________ and photography by GREG WYATT.

WEDDING: Outdoor Ceremony at Kellogg West, Cal Poly Pomona CA

CONGRATULATIONS, Tava and Jon!

One of the most touching points of this ceremony was the presentation of the bride. When asked "Who presents Tava to be married to Jon?", Tava's grandfather replied "I do, her grandfather, in honour of her father David." There was also a corsage left on the seat next to the bride's mother in her father's memory.

As an officiant, i am constantly learning new things, whether to engage the audience, comfourt the participants, or in this case, to scope out possible auditoury issues or environmental noise problems...!?

At the rehearsal, the onsite coordinator warned of the potential for cows to moo, since Kellogg West is surrounded by Cal Poly's agriculture fields. However, the ceremony itself was interrupted by the screeching of tires and revving of engines, as an apparent racetrack is laid out just behind the hill, down from where the ceremony took place. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done, and the couple and their families had a good sense of humour about things.

Many thanks to Cori and her team at Kellogg West. Photography by __________ .

WEDDING: Outdoor Ceremony at Serra Cross Park near Grant Park in Ventura, CA

CONGRATULATIONS: Kelly and Brandon!

The ceremony was held high atop Grant Park, overlooking the entire town, at SERRA CROSS PARK in Ventura, CA. These two surfers had their own take on the blending or unity ceremony by combining water and sand to represent the ocean they both love. There was also a reading of the Apache Blessing and a prayer led by an aunt.

Booking this venue seems easy and the view is absolutely stunning.

The rehearsal dinner and reception site also served as headquarters for the couple and wedding party. They rented a beautiful home in Ojai for this purpose. The family also chipped in and cooked/served the food for the entire occasion. What a great way to save money, and guarantee a very special, unforgettable time! Photography provided by JIMMY CALLIAN PHOTOGRAPHY.


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WEDDING: Oceanfront Ceremony in Laguna Beach, CA

CONGRATULATIONS, Kendra and Scott!

My workmate and his lovely wife were married at Crescent Bay Point Park in Laguna Beach, CA yesterday evening. As they were both previously married, this wedding created a new family, with a total of five children! In honour of this occasion, we created a special family blending or unification ritual: one by one, each of the five children, and husband Scott, handed Kendra a different flower. Once she tied together the six flowers with her one, she was left with a lovely bouquet of seven flowers, to symbolise the new family!

Professional photography (not above) by: Cindy Meadors Photography. (BTW You can see the cement semi-circle where everyone was seated at Radified.com's site here.)

WEDDING: Outdoor Ceremony at the Clubhouse in La Mirada, CA

CONGRATULATIONS: Shonna and Danny!

This ceremony focused on the importance of family, and celebrated the coming together of two wonderful families. There was also a special tribute included, honouring the bride's dog Ginger, who had to be euthanized the week before the wedding:

At this time of coming together, it is also a time of transition and change in Danny and Shonna’s lives, but one constant, unfortunately, is no longer here with us. Therefore, before we continue, we must take a moment to pay a very special tribute to a very special dog. Ginger came into Shonna’s life when Shonna was just nine years old. She was just the most amazing dog Shonna had ever come in contact with, and she was the one, at least until Danny, to provide Shonna with unconditional love, loyalty and companionship. Ginger will be missed more than anyone can imagine.

The entire affair was run, seemingly single-handedly, by Natalie at LA MIRADA GOLF COURSE. She is a truly hands-on coordinator, whether it involves shuttling guests and wedding parties, or laying down the runner before the ceremony started. A beautiful string duet was played by Missy and Nancy of ___________. Photography (but not photo below) provided by ____________.

WEDDING: Outdoor Ceremony at the Marriott Hotel in Newport Beach, CA

CONGRATULATIONS: Jean and Mike!

With the Pacific Ocean in the distance, these two awesome people exchanged marriage vows on the lovely grounds of the Newport Beach Marriott, near Fashion Island. After their ring vows, they chose to honour their Japanese-American heritage with the San San Ku Do tradition.

Many thanks to Candice, Lana (Lan?) and Julie of the NEWPORT BEACH MARRIOTT. In their capable hands, things went off without a hitch!

WEDDING: Outdoor Ceremony in Fullerton, CA

CONGRATULATIONS Jeanna and Mike!

In true do-it-yourself fashion, this couple was wed in the park of their housing tract. They met at the Renaissance Faire, and included a bit of their personal story in the ceremony text:

In front of her booth at faire, Jeana tied a braided strand of ribbon onto
a little sapling so people would see it, and not drive over it or trample it. At
the same time, Jeana made a wish upon that ribbon to meet the man she was to
marry, so that while protecting the tree, the tree’s energy would/could
bring her future husband to me. And it did! Shortly after she tied the
ribbon on the tree, Jeana met up with Mike again after 6 or 7 years of not
hearing or speaking to each other. She doesn’t believe in coincidences...
and attributes it all to destiny.

WEDDING: Outdoor Ceremony at Puddingstone Resorts in San Dimas, CA

CONGRATULATIONS, Laura and Richard!
It was an honour to marry these two, who have known each other since high school. Many of their friends were in attendance, for a reunion of sorts... There was lots of family in attendance, and many of them chipped in to help out with all the little details.

Up in the hills above Fairplex Drive near the Pomona Fairplex is a truly lovely outdoor venue at PUDDINGSTONE RESORTS, close to the communities of Upland, Covina, LaVerne and the 10, 57 and 210 freeways! Wedding manager Patricia is one of those perfect blends of professional and friendly...there was nothing bossy or control-freak about her. While the wedding ceremony was held on the Mesa site, the reception took place at the famous Ocean Star Seafood restaurant in Monterey Park. Music provided by Jeff of 'N'Style Entertainment, who is a dj that shows up at the rehearsal, which is really unusual and a great bonus. Photography by Pesh.

WEDDING: At Coco Palms Restaurant in Pomona, CA

CONGRATULATIONS Krystle and Eric!

This weekend's third wedding was at the Coco Palms Restaurant, in a setting complete with waterfalls (and exotic birds in the entryway of the building, but i will restrain myself from complaining about their enclosure...)

The couple chose to include traditions from several different backgrounds and cultures:

• Unity candle - So difficult to keep lit in the very windy outdoor setting!
• Sharing wine - A tradition rich with the symbolism of drinking from the same cup, and as a tribute to abundance and good fortune.
• Breaking of the glass - A symbol of love's fragility, and the irrevocable nature of the vows the couple makes to each other at their wedding.

And, after it was all over, they were driven away in a vintage automobile, driven by a man in a zoot suit!

WEDDING: Outdoor Ceremony at Temescal Canyon Park in Santa Monica, CA

CONGRATULATIONS: Karen and Brian!

This wonderful couple was surrounded by their family and friends in a lovely outdoor setting. They were a wonderful example of love prevailing over all, despite long distances and foreign countries.

In addition to a sand ceremony, the wedding included an Irish blessing, different from the 'typical Irish blessing':

May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace.
May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase.
May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.
May your hands be forever clasped in friendship and your hearts joined forever in love.

The ceremony concluded with the breaking of the glass.

The bride is a photographer herself, but in this case photographer Yukiko of Mission Viejo and her assistant Megumi documented the event. Hopefully, i will have images to show later! Many thanks also to Cleon at Allan Video Productions for filming the ceremony, and _________ for providing the lovely flowers...

VENUE: Strawberry Farms in Irvine, CA

A colleague at work attended a wedding at Irvine's STRAWBERRY FARMS this weekend. He mentioned how there is a barn onsite (modern, not rustic), where the reception took place after an outdoor ceremony!

i am always on the lookout for unusual wedding venues, and i love to discover places i have never heard of, especially since there are SO MANY unique places in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas.

If you are looking for a modern, individualized approach to the ceremony tradition, please contact A Non-Denominational Ceremony! I am a certified Celebrant and ordained wedding officiant, clergy, reverend or minister serving Southern California.