What is the most creative wedding you have officiated?

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Permalink Reply by Rev. Cheryl Hooten on July 24, 2009 at 9:47am

Last year I Officiated a pirate wedding for a couple; the entire Bridal Party including myself were dressed to the nines in our finest pirate costumes. They didn't want to go too overboard with the theme because the recognized that it was a serious event not something to joke their way through so it included just one or two "Aurg, Matey's"; the rest of the ceremony was written with the sea in mind but was done tastefully and without the "pirate speak". Even their cake was a large sailing ship! It was great fun but extremely hot as it was done in early August and I was wearing knee high boots, a hat and a heavy velvet coat.


Earlier this year I had the pleasure of Officiating over a Quaker Style Wedding in February on the beach. Quaker weddings are unusual because in the true Quaker Wedding the entire ceremony is silent and no one Officiates because Quakers believe we are all equals so they don't need the intermediary to speak to God for them; so they have leaders but not Reverends, Ministers or Pastors. They don't exchange vows and the couple meditates in silence until they feel that they have joined as one. So mine was a small gathering, just five of us, I spoke for a minute to fill the guests in the couple spent a few minutes soaking in the sun, wind and cold. Following tradition their guests spoke afterward, offering advice and their love & support, we signed the Official documents along with a Quaker Style marriage certificate I prepared for them and then we all ran for the warmth of out cars...after all it was February in Michigan!

Permalink Reply by Sarah Girard on July 25, 2009 at 12:12pm

The pirate wedding is so unique and the Quaker wedding just sounds beautiful.

Permalink Reply by Barbara Ann Michaels on July 24, 2009 at 1:40pm

Thanks, Cheryl, for joining us! I'm delighted by the pirate theme and would love to hear the story of how pirates came to be dear to your couple. "Aurg, I Matey you for life!" Feel free to post a picture of yourself in your high seas finery here.

The Quaker wedding sounds so beautiful. I especially appreciate the couple feeling inside that they have joined. I wonder if you could tell energetically when that moment was coming? This crystal cool moment on the beach seems a fitting place for clarity.

Permalink Reply by Carol J. Merletti on July 24, 2009 at 5:51pm

Fenway Park weddings. I've officiated at five and have four more coming up. I love them! I am also a huge Boston Red Sox fan, so being asked to marry people at Fenway has a special meaning to me. However, the best one at Fenway was on the Green Monster Seats during the 7th Inning Stretch. The couple had on Red Sox jerseys that read Bride and Groom! It was really cute. But I had to talk fast during their vows without taking out the important meanings. I did it and the crowd cheered us on. It was so much fun! People were looking up at us to see what what going on. People starting clapping.

Permalink Reply by Ceremonies by Bethel on July 30, 2009 at 9:33pm

Carol, this is absolutely wonderful! Reading this, all I could keep saying was, "Awesome!" I am a huge baseball fan, and now I soooo have to figure out how to get myself connected with the Padres to do this, whenever someone approaches them about using Petco Park for their wedding. Wow, I am honored to officiate for any couple, but would be incredibly honored to do it there! This is great!

And yes, I too can add a Go Sox! as I grew up on Cape Cod, a fan of the Sox in the 70s and early 80s, before moving out to warmer San Diego, CA. Keep enjoying those Fenway weddings!

Permalink Reply by Barbara Ann Michaels on August 3, 2009 at 11:16pm

Welcome, Bethel, thanks for your enthusiasm! Have you connected with the Padres? I'm also curious to hear from our members if others are affiliated with sporting teams, sports venues, and the like? Becoming the in-house officiant for your favorite team is a wonderful idea - and an ongoing source! Go Sox, Padres, Cardinals, and Giants!

Permalink Reply by Carol J. Merletti on August 10, 2009 at 11:15pm

I am so sorry that I did not respond to you sooner. I have been a bit crazy between my regular day job and weddings in this busy wedding season.

I love officiating at Fenway. Being such a huge Red Sox fan myself, I feel at home when I marry couples there. I (hopefully) have three more Fenway weddings coming up in September. Waiting to hear back from the couples. One is definately confirmed.

Perhaps on your website you can mention somewhere that you would be willing to marry a couple during a baseball game. That will help. Once I posted the photos of the weddings that I did at Fenway, I received hundreds of requests. The problem? It is extremely expensive.

Permalink Reply by Barbara Ann Michaels on August 10, 2009 at 11:43pm

Hi Carol, this is a great note to post items on our sites for specialty weddings we officiants would like to do more of, or even would like to do for the first time! I relay the wisdom that our websites can (and maybe should!) include what we'd like to grow into as well as what we're already great at offering. Newsflash: Sweet Caroline weds at Fenway! Carol J. Merletti officiates! Have you married anyone at Fenway named Caroline, yet? Smiles...

Permalink Reply by Barbara Ann Michaels on July 26, 2009 at 9:54pm

Go Sox! Hi Carol, welcome, glad you're with us. I lived in Boston for 10 years and the fans are so in love with the team... They did get the couple on the big screen, right? Marrying in a public crowd is a fascinating choice, and I'm curious to hear about others' experiences of weddings in public spaces, too, in which couples are welcoming the witness and even the participation of the public!

Permalink Reply by Carol J. Merletti on August 10, 2009 at 11:20pm

Hi Barbara,

Thank you for your welcome and I am glad to be with you as well. What a great idea you had with setting this up.

I have officiated all over Massachsuetts, however, besides Fenway, my other favorite place to marry couples is in the Boston Public Gardens. Every weekend, you can find brides in every corner of the Park. It is beautiful! I was also fortunate enough to marry two people stationed on the U.S.S. Constitution. It was so special. All military stationed there were somehow involved in the wedding. From the folding of the Flag to the gun salute.