Oh as a wedding officiant and wedding planner you experience so many beautiful moments. Moments of the first look. You know the one – the moment when the bride sees the father, the groom, the company.
Yes you would think – what is memorable about that. Well, that is the moment when the bride steps forward in her beautiful gown or suit. The moment when the bride’s father, the bride’s partner or all the guests see it all. Because that it is special, it certainly is.
It is an emotion, an emotion of release of tension. What does one think of the dress or suit, how will my partner react to it? Isn’t the train too much, isn’t that top too tight, isn’t the dress too long….always those doubts.
But as soon as the bride sees the reaction of her partner, the father or the guests – those doubts melt away like snow in the sun. That’s magic.
Or the moment when the bride walks forward. The guests are anxiously waiting. But also the partner-to-be – excitement, nerves…So special, because there is that moment when everyone looks at 1 person. The bride.
But the partner also comes into play – because as soon as the bride walks forward, that’s the partner standing there. Waiting, by the gazebo, by the wedding officiant…and slowly the guests look that way. Then they see the emotions in the partner, still that tear that is quickly blinked away.
And when I stand there as a wedding officiant or wedding planner, I get to witness all of this. Then I also feel all those emotions, because I see it so vividly before me. There are moments when I, too, shed a tear, or swallow a lump. It is always beautiful, always special.
Everything is love, then everything is beautiful and then you also want everything to run as smoothly as possible. For that, you also have a script. You go through everything in advance. With the suppliers, with the bride and groom and with those who have an important contribution on that day.
Well, what could go wrong…with what…everything is well arranged, right? Yes indeed, during a wedding, a wedding party or a ceremony everything is also well arranged. But mind you, we are human beings so anything can always go wrong.
I have experienced bloopers a number of times. And that can happen to anyone. But to handle this well, without delay or irritation, well, you have to be inventive.
One time I had a ceremony, a wedding of 2 very sweet people. The mother of the groom would have the rings, the children of the bride and groom would sign a children’s certificate and the mother of the bride would sing at the vows. Everything had been gone through several times.
And then comes the moment when the bride and groom stand up, I start saying the vows and the singing starts.
So far everything is running smoothly….and then suddenly I see the groom’s mother looking startled and she quickly slips away. Hand in front of her mouth, she runs past the bride and groom to the back, I see her grab her keys and signal to me….oh no…she forgot the rings.
No one had figured it out yet, so I quickly set up a talk – compliment the singing, and joke toward the children that they can already grab their pens to draw like this. And I can just stretch this all out until I see the mother coming running back. Or actually running…out of breath she gestures to me and shows me the ring box.
Pfeuh – just in time….and then I immediately joked – what luck that rings are always well preserved for such a moment….
The mother of the groom came up to me afterwards and thanked me so much more for saving, or was it stretching, this for her.
This does happen often – rings forgotten. So at a wedding somewhere on a landscape. And here everyone had it. The bride’s son had completely forgotten about this. He found this out when I started talking about the rings, and that it was so special that the son picked these out.
Luck was – he was able to borrow his bonus father’s car, a very sporty convertible. It was no punishment for him to borrow it to pick up the rings. After all, it was a beautiful day….
Everything turned out well. Everyone happy and married, with ring and all.
Such moments are special, and when this can be laughed at afterwards, it makes everything even more beautiful
On to a new year, where hopefully I get to do many more weddings and arrange many more weddings. Want to know more about how I can make your day memorable…..let me know.
Just Say Yes weddings wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas and may 2025 be a memorable year. With beautiful moments that will last a lifetime.
