2013 Weddings recap
I would like to thank all of the 2013 couples that I have worked with for allowing me to share in their special day. 2013 was a very successful year for me and I hope for you too.
Don't hesitate to contact me if I can help with your special day in any way.
I hope 2014 brings you love, happiness, health and many smiles.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Happy Holidays
Winter is the slow time for weddings, especially beach weddings. Although I did have three weddings last week, which was a pleasure. I think most people are working on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's and wait for warmer weather to get married. But this is prime engagement season. Lots of people give and receive rings during the holiday season. So if that is what you are doing, don't forget to book your wedding date as soon as possible, especially if you are planning a summer wedding. Summer is the prime wedding time and we get booked up. Of course I always do my best to accomodate last minute weddings. :-)
I also wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year. I hope that you spend it with family and friends and make some wonderful new memories.
Congratulations to all the newlyweds for 2013 and to all the couples that are getting engaged this holiday season.
I also wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year. I hope that you spend it with family and friends and make some wonderful new memories.
Congratulations to all the newlyweds for 2013 and to all the couples that are getting engaged this holiday season.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Where to stay....
I get a lot of questions on where to stay while here on the Emerald Coast. My usual response is ... it depends. It depends on what you want to do while you are here, how many people you have with you and whether you have an adult party or you have children with you.
Most of the condos/houses require a min of 3-7 night stay. The chain hotels do rent for one or two nights though.
Some suggestions ....
If you have a large group of people that are going to be here with you usually renting a house is the best deal. It costs more per night but when you break it down by the bedroom or person, it is usually quite reasonable. By doing this, you are able to take advantage of cooking onsite as well, which can save quite a bit of money. If you have children, you can usually have a floor that is child friendly and then an adult floor for those that don't want to be woken up by the kiddies in the morning. A lot of the wedding parties that I do go this route with everyone staying at the house and then they have a reception at the house as well. You can check out www.vrbo.com for rentals by owner.
If you have a smaller group or people would like their own space, there a lots of condos on the beach. The condos on Miramar Beach (although the listing says Destin) are across from the beach, but it is an easy walk. There are quite a few townhouses on the beach for rent in Miramar Beach as well.
If you have children or want a quieter time, usually Miramar Beach is where you would want to stay or Holiday Isle in Destin. Destin condos are closer to the restaurants, bars and other activities.
http://www.emeraldcoastfl.com/the-beaches/destin.aspx
If you are not familiar with the area... there are three basic areas in the Destin area. Destin East (Miramar Beach, Crystal Beach, Henderson Beach), Destin Central (Destin, Holiday Isle) and then Destin West (Okaloosa Island, Fort Walton Beach). There are restaurants and activities all along these areas and with the exception of Fort Walton Beach (which actually is not on the beach) they all have the beautiful white sand and gorgeous water. When people (from out of town) refer to Destin they could be talking about any of these areas.
Destin Harbor is where the fishing boats and charters are, there are also rentals for pontoon boats, jet skis. This is also where you will find the parasailing and snorkling activities. But that is for another blog post.
If you have any questions, you can either submit a comment here or shoot me an email at jfrasernotary@yahoo.com.
No matter where you stay, I am sure you will enjoy your time here!
Most of the condos/houses require a min of 3-7 night stay. The chain hotels do rent for one or two nights though.
Some suggestions ....
If you have a large group of people that are going to be here with you usually renting a house is the best deal. It costs more per night but when you break it down by the bedroom or person, it is usually quite reasonable. By doing this, you are able to take advantage of cooking onsite as well, which can save quite a bit of money. If you have children, you can usually have a floor that is child friendly and then an adult floor for those that don't want to be woken up by the kiddies in the morning. A lot of the wedding parties that I do go this route with everyone staying at the house and then they have a reception at the house as well. You can check out www.vrbo.com for rentals by owner.
If you have a smaller group or people would like their own space, there a lots of condos on the beach. The condos on Miramar Beach (although the listing says Destin) are across from the beach, but it is an easy walk. There are quite a few townhouses on the beach for rent in Miramar Beach as well.
If you have children or want a quieter time, usually Miramar Beach is where you would want to stay or Holiday Isle in Destin. Destin condos are closer to the restaurants, bars and other activities.
http://www.emeraldcoastfl.com/the-beaches/destin.aspx
If you are not familiar with the area... there are three basic areas in the Destin area. Destin East (Miramar Beach, Crystal Beach, Henderson Beach), Destin Central (Destin, Holiday Isle) and then Destin West (Okaloosa Island, Fort Walton Beach). There are restaurants and activities all along these areas and with the exception of Fort Walton Beach (which actually is not on the beach) they all have the beautiful white sand and gorgeous water. When people (from out of town) refer to Destin they could be talking about any of these areas.
Destin Harbor is where the fishing boats and charters are, there are also rentals for pontoon boats, jet skis. This is also where you will find the parasailing and snorkling activities. But that is for another blog post.
If you have any questions, you can either submit a comment here or shoot me an email at jfrasernotary@yahoo.com.
No matter where you stay, I am sure you will enjoy your time here!
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Sand ceremony ideas
I just wanted to share a few ideas for the sand ceremony. Some folks are intimidated on what kind of keepsake vase to get. There are many types of vases out there and you can get many types. My first suggestion to think about is if you are travelling here for the wedding, then you will want to get a vase with a stopper or top. This will make it easier to travel without worrying about it spilling.
Another thing to think about is how many people are participating in the ceremony. If it is for two people you don't know a really big vase, but if you are including your children then you might want something a little bigger so that all the colors will show.
Some folks get the vase engraved with their names and the date and others don't. It is another personalized decision that you will make for the ceremony.
Below are some samples of ones that we have used at the ceremonies that I have done.
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Another thing to think about is how many people are participating in the ceremony. If it is for two people you don't know a really big vase, but if you are including your children then you might want something a little bigger so that all the colors will show.
Some folks get the vase engraved with their names and the date and others don't. It is another personalized decision that you will make for the ceremony.
Below are some samples of ones that we have used at the ceremonies that I have done.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Ups and Downs
Since my last post, I have done a few more closings... that time was well spent getting certified and listing with the notary sites. I am so very glad that I did that.
I have done quite a few weddings lately as well and with each wedding there is always something that doesn't go quite as planned, from dropped rings to missing licenses to people coming up to us on the beach while we are doing the ceremony and then of course, the weather is sometimes an issue especially here on the coast. Whenever these things happen, I remind the bride and groom that every wedding needs a story and whatever went not as planned (I won't say went wrong)... it adds to the story of their wedding. Don't worry about the little things that go different than you planned, and keep the big picture in mind. Most of the time, the bride and groom are good sports and laugh off whatever the issue is and carry on. Just remember that life rarely goes as planned and if you let the little things bother you - life will be much more difficult. You have to have a sense of humor about life and all its ups and downs.
Remember the reason that you are there is to marry your love and as long as you are hand in hand, it will all work out and you will have a good story to tell down the road.
I have done quite a few weddings lately as well and with each wedding there is always something that doesn't go quite as planned, from dropped rings to missing licenses to people coming up to us on the beach while we are doing the ceremony and then of course, the weather is sometimes an issue especially here on the coast. Whenever these things happen, I remind the bride and groom that every wedding needs a story and whatever went not as planned (I won't say went wrong)... it adds to the story of their wedding. Don't worry about the little things that go different than you planned, and keep the big picture in mind. Most of the time, the bride and groom are good sports and laugh off whatever the issue is and carry on. Just remember that life rarely goes as planned and if you let the little things bother you - life will be much more difficult. You have to have a sense of humor about life and all its ups and downs.
Remember the reason that you are there is to marry your love and as long as you are hand in hand, it will all work out and you will have a good story to tell down the road.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Notary work
Sorry I have not been on here lately but I took a couple of weeks off during a slow period and went to visit my 92 year old mother. She is doing great, thanks for asking! :-)
Most of my posts are about my wedding officiant side of Destin Notary but I have to share something that happened today. I have decided that this is going to be my full time job going forward and such I need to get the Notary side of the business going stronger to cover the slow months of the wedding side of the business. So today I went on to the National Notary Association (which I am a member of) website and watched one of their webinars on branding/increasing your business. It was a great webinar! If you are a notary out there, you really need to belong to the NNA... they have great information on their website. Anyway, I have done most of what they were recommending but had not followed up by registering on some the websites that closing/signing companies go to when they are in need of a notary signing agent. So off I went to the websites, registered and put down a little description of myself and what I do. I figured maybe someday, someone might call and I would get some extra work out of it. Was I wrong!! Two hours later, I got my first call and set up my first appointment for tomorrow. For those of you interested, the website that they found my name on is www.notaryrotary.com. The company that called me is based out of California and needed a notary to do a signing here in Florida for a property in Georgia, talk about being a national company!
So that little exercise and the hour I spent listening to the webinar, were very much worth my time.
I have two weddings this Saturday so I will be enjoying the Labor Day weekend on Sunday and Monday. I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!
Most of my posts are about my wedding officiant side of Destin Notary but I have to share something that happened today. I have decided that this is going to be my full time job going forward and such I need to get the Notary side of the business going stronger to cover the slow months of the wedding side of the business. So today I went on to the National Notary Association (which I am a member of) website and watched one of their webinars on branding/increasing your business. It was a great webinar! If you are a notary out there, you really need to belong to the NNA... they have great information on their website. Anyway, I have done most of what they were recommending but had not followed up by registering on some the websites that closing/signing companies go to when they are in need of a notary signing agent. So off I went to the websites, registered and put down a little description of myself and what I do. I figured maybe someday, someone might call and I would get some extra work out of it. Was I wrong!! Two hours later, I got my first call and set up my first appointment for tomorrow. For those of you interested, the website that they found my name on is www.notaryrotary.com. The company that called me is based out of California and needed a notary to do a signing here in Florida for a property in Georgia, talk about being a national company!
So that little exercise and the hour I spent listening to the webinar, were very much worth my time.
I have two weddings this Saturday so I will be enjoying the Labor Day weekend on Sunday and Monday. I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!
Friday, August 2, 2013
Cancellations
I haven't been on to post anything for awhile but that is a good thing (at least for my business). I had 19 weddings in the month of July! That is a record month for me. I am so happy that my wedding business is growing so well. I love this job and meeting and working with the most wonderful people.
Of course, there is always a down side and luckily for me and the other officiants that I know, this is a rare occurence. Cancellations... they can be handled professionally and with courtesy or they can be handled wrong. We all understand that plans change, situations happen or circumstances change. We don't want to get too involved in your life, but if you contract with an officiant to perform the ceremony, you should have the courtesy to inform your officiant, as soon as possible, if the ceremony is going to be cancelled. We set aside the date and time, and do not book anything else within a certain timeframe. If you need to cancel, and if you let us know as soon as possible, then we can open up that date and time and schedule something else. This is our business, after all.
In the last little while, I have had one bride cancel the morning of the ceremony and another didn't call or contact me at all. Another officiant I know had two brides cancel on him the day before the ceremony. I am sure that these brides knew more than a day in advance that they were not going to get married that day.
We typically require a deposit to hold the date and time. If you do not cancel within a reasonable time ( a week or so would be minimum), please don't expect to get your deposit back. If you give us enough time to book another wedding, we will be glad to refund the deposit or apply it to another date, if you need to reschedule.
I have had people cancel with reasonable notice and was glad to refund their deposit and was able to schedule another wedding. Those situations were a win-win for both parties.
Please if you need to cancel, please have the courtesy to let your vendors know as soon as you know.
Of course, there is always a down side and luckily for me and the other officiants that I know, this is a rare occurence. Cancellations... they can be handled professionally and with courtesy or they can be handled wrong. We all understand that plans change, situations happen or circumstances change. We don't want to get too involved in your life, but if you contract with an officiant to perform the ceremony, you should have the courtesy to inform your officiant, as soon as possible, if the ceremony is going to be cancelled. We set aside the date and time, and do not book anything else within a certain timeframe. If you need to cancel, and if you let us know as soon as possible, then we can open up that date and time and schedule something else. This is our business, after all.
In the last little while, I have had one bride cancel the morning of the ceremony and another didn't call or contact me at all. Another officiant I know had two brides cancel on him the day before the ceremony. I am sure that these brides knew more than a day in advance that they were not going to get married that day.
We typically require a deposit to hold the date and time. If you do not cancel within a reasonable time ( a week or so would be minimum), please don't expect to get your deposit back. If you give us enough time to book another wedding, we will be glad to refund the deposit or apply it to another date, if you need to reschedule.
I have had people cancel with reasonable notice and was glad to refund their deposit and was able to schedule another wedding. Those situations were a win-win for both parties.
Please if you need to cancel, please have the courtesy to let your vendors know as soon as you know.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Vow Renewals
I am getting quite a few requests for vow renewals lately. I think this is a wonderful way to celebrate a successful marriage, rekindle a marriage or to recomitt when things have been rocky.
It is not necessary to have a officiant/notary perform a ceremony for the vow renewal but a lot of folks want to have that wedding feeling and professional feeling so they hire an officiant to perform these ceremonies. There is no paperwork involved so it is more of a spiritual bonding or re-bonding for the couple.
Sometimes after a couple has been married for quite a few years, raised a family and find themselves on their own again, they re-evaluate their relationship and wonder if they would marry this person again, knowing what they now know of each other. If that answer is yes, then a vow renewal is a great way to do that. They are starting into a new phase of their lives and it seems important to let the other person know that they would and do choose that person again.
During a marriage sometimes it feels like you have no time for each other... alone time with each other. Work, kids, family and all the other responsibilites seem to come first. Doing a vow renewal is nice way to get that "honeymoon" feeling again and to reconnect with your partner and remember that special feeling that brought you together in the first place.
There are times when life gets rocky. It could be an illness, family responsibilites, or bad decisions, and the couple needs/wants to celebrate that they have struggled and overcome those adversities. They want to say to each other, see we made it through those tough times and we are still here, still together.
Some couples use the same vows that they spoke on their original wedding day, and others choose vows that represent their present day circumstances and celebrate their accomplishments.
Some couples exchange their wedding rings again or use replacement rings if their original ones have been lost or damaged over the years.
Some couples include their children in the ceremony.
There are many ways to celebrate the renewal of the vows that you took in the past. The ceremony should be as individual as you are as a couple.
If you are thinking of renewing your vows.... give me a call and we can work together to make it a beautiful ceremony to celebrate a marriage that has stood the test of time!
It is not necessary to have a officiant/notary perform a ceremony for the vow renewal but a lot of folks want to have that wedding feeling and professional feeling so they hire an officiant to perform these ceremonies. There is no paperwork involved so it is more of a spiritual bonding or re-bonding for the couple.
Sometimes after a couple has been married for quite a few years, raised a family and find themselves on their own again, they re-evaluate their relationship and wonder if they would marry this person again, knowing what they now know of each other. If that answer is yes, then a vow renewal is a great way to do that. They are starting into a new phase of their lives and it seems important to let the other person know that they would and do choose that person again.
During a marriage sometimes it feels like you have no time for each other... alone time with each other. Work, kids, family and all the other responsibilites seem to come first. Doing a vow renewal is nice way to get that "honeymoon" feeling again and to reconnect with your partner and remember that special feeling that brought you together in the first place.
There are times when life gets rocky. It could be an illness, family responsibilites, or bad decisions, and the couple needs/wants to celebrate that they have struggled and overcome those adversities. They want to say to each other, see we made it through those tough times and we are still here, still together.
Some couples use the same vows that they spoke on their original wedding day, and others choose vows that represent their present day circumstances and celebrate their accomplishments.
Some couples exchange their wedding rings again or use replacement rings if their original ones have been lost or damaged over the years.
Some couples include their children in the ceremony.
There are many ways to celebrate the renewal of the vows that you took in the past. The ceremony should be as individual as you are as a couple.
If you are thinking of renewing your vows.... give me a call and we can work together to make it a beautiful ceremony to celebrate a marriage that has stood the test of time!
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Alternate Locations - Eden State Park
If you are looking for alternate locations to getting married on the beach here in the Panhandle area, I would recommend looking into Eden State Park. I have done a few weddings there (including one this afternoon) and it is a beautiful location. It is a true Southern location. There is a big plantation style home (I think it is a museum) with a porch and rocking chairs. There are beautiful trees and gardens. Most people get married under the "wedding tree". There is a also a dock overlooking a small bay. It is very picturesque, and usually very private. I believe that you have to book the location if you would like a wedding there. It is a very nice alternative to the typical beach wedding.
http://www.weddingwire.com/reviews/eden-gardens-state-park-santa-rosa-beach/587ac0e40c0f185f.html
http://www.weddingwire.com/reviews/eden-gardens-state-park-santa-rosa-beach/587ac0e40c0f185f.html
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Rip Tides
A lot of the couples that I perform wedding ceremonies for are from out of state and may not be aware of the danger that the rip tides are. There are flags on every beach area along the Panhandle. Please take a look at them when you get to the beach...
Red flag means stay out of the water- there are riptides present or the surf is very high.
Double red flag means that it is very dangerous to be in the water, even at ankle depth.
Yellow means use caution and a floatation device.
Green means there are no riptides present and the surf is calm.
Purple means that there is marine life in the area that can bite you, such as jelly fish.
What this means is if the flags are RED... stay OUT of the water...ankle depth or knee depth is NOT safe. The riptides can pull you off your feet and take you out very quickly. In the past week, we have had at least 5 drownings that I have heard of ... all of them while red flags were flying. Not only is this dangerous for you, but you are also putting our lifeguards or any other person who attempts to rescue you in danger.
Everyone is here is for a good time and to enjoy the beautiful beaches, please, don't turn it into a tragedy. If you think you are a strong swimmer or that being up to your knees is ok, it is not... enjoy the beach, but swim at the pool.
Red flag means stay out of the water- there are riptides present or the surf is very high.
Double red flag means that it is very dangerous to be in the water, even at ankle depth.
Yellow means use caution and a floatation device.
Green means there are no riptides present and the surf is calm.
Purple means that there is marine life in the area that can bite you, such as jelly fish.
What this means is if the flags are RED... stay OUT of the water...ankle depth or knee depth is NOT safe. The riptides can pull you off your feet and take you out very quickly. In the past week, we have had at least 5 drownings that I have heard of ... all of them while red flags were flying. Not only is this dangerous for you, but you are also putting our lifeguards or any other person who attempts to rescue you in danger.
Everyone is here is for a good time and to enjoy the beautiful beaches, please, don't turn it into a tragedy. If you think you are a strong swimmer or that being up to your knees is ok, it is not... enjoy the beach, but swim at the pool.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Hurricane Season
Hurricane season began on June 1 and on June 6th Tropical Storm Andrea hit Florida. That didn't take long. This may be a long summer of storms if we are starting this early. The gulf is a little cooler than it usually is this time of year, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. I am not a meteorologist. Usually around Labor Day is an active time for storms here in the Panhandle.
Luckily for us, the storm went east of us and didn't affect us other than a bigger surf and stronger riptides. This is a reminder though that storms can hit anytime, although we do usually have quite a bit of warning. Brides need to have a backup plan in case of bad weather though.
Sometimes we can alter the time of the ceremony in order to get ahead of a storm or wait one out, when they are small, quick rainstorms. When it is a bigger, longer storm, we need to have a plan B in place. Some of the options that I have used in the past are: at a pavilion at the beach when it is available, on the balcony of the condo that the couple is staying at, in the livingroom of the condo or home that the couple is staying at or a few times we have actually got out the umbrellas and had the ceremony in the rain! The last option is only workable when the rain isn't too bad and the wind is pretty mild and of course, when there is NO lightning. We certainly don't want an electrified wedding!
So if you are planning a beach wedding in the next few months, think of a backup plan and keep an eye on the weather.... just in case!
Luckily for us, the storm went east of us and didn't affect us other than a bigger surf and stronger riptides. This is a reminder though that storms can hit anytime, although we do usually have quite a bit of warning. Brides need to have a backup plan in case of bad weather though.
Sometimes we can alter the time of the ceremony in order to get ahead of a storm or wait one out, when they are small, quick rainstorms. When it is a bigger, longer storm, we need to have a plan B in place. Some of the options that I have used in the past are: at a pavilion at the beach when it is available, on the balcony of the condo that the couple is staying at, in the livingroom of the condo or home that the couple is staying at or a few times we have actually got out the umbrellas and had the ceremony in the rain! The last option is only workable when the rain isn't too bad and the wind is pretty mild and of course, when there is NO lightning. We certainly don't want an electrified wedding!
So if you are planning a beach wedding in the next few months, think of a backup plan and keep an eye on the weather.... just in case!
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Memorial Day weekend
Here we are at the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend! I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend. :-) Also take a few minutes to remember what the weekend is really about.
I have had no weddings this week ... zero... and none this weekend. Normally I would be a little concerned about this but I am going to take advantage of the little break especially when I am looking at my calendar for June... it is busy!!!
I have been a beach bum this week and enjoyed every minute of it and I will be out boating this weekend. For those of you who have been here on vacation, you know what I am talking about and for those who coming here... you are in for a treat. The beaches are perfect and the weather has been wonderful. The water is a little chillier than normal for this time of year, but that is a good thing. The water is cool enough to be refreshing but warm enough to be comfortable.
We haven't entered hurricane season yet, and are thinking of those in Oklahoma who are suffering this weekend after the tornado this week. Tornadoes are a lot scarier than hurricanes, because they come with little warning. At least with hurricanes, we have lots of warning and can evacuate or prepare for these events. Let's hope for a quiet weather weekend everywhere in the country.
I will be back here after the weekend is over... in the meantime... be safe, everyone!
I have had no weddings this week ... zero... and none this weekend. Normally I would be a little concerned about this but I am going to take advantage of the little break especially when I am looking at my calendar for June... it is busy!!!
I have been a beach bum this week and enjoyed every minute of it and I will be out boating this weekend. For those of you who have been here on vacation, you know what I am talking about and for those who coming here... you are in for a treat. The beaches are perfect and the weather has been wonderful. The water is a little chillier than normal for this time of year, but that is a good thing. The water is cool enough to be refreshing but warm enough to be comfortable.
We haven't entered hurricane season yet, and are thinking of those in Oklahoma who are suffering this weekend after the tornado this week. Tornadoes are a lot scarier than hurricanes, because they come with little warning. At least with hurricanes, we have lots of warning and can evacuate or prepare for these events. Let's hope for a quiet weather weekend everywhere in the country.
I will be back here after the weekend is over... in the meantime... be safe, everyone!
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
How long ahead of time.....
If you go by all the websites about planning a wedding, they will tell what you should be doing a year in advance, 9 months in advance etc... If you are planning a large beach wedding with chairs and arbors etc, you probably should plan that in advance as much as you can. BUT if you are planning on a simple wedding on the beach with a few close friends or family.... you can almost get away with planning it the day before (providing you can find an officiant available). I have had people call the day before and luckily I was available and the ceremony turned out beautifully.
In the last few days I have booked 2 weddings into 2014, so these brides are thinking ahead.
If you decide that you want to do the wedding at the last minute, you can usually pull it together pretty quickly. Your officiant should be able to help with any last minute details that you need and you will save yourself months of stress! LOL
In the last few days I have booked 2 weddings into 2014, so these brides are thinking ahead.
If you decide that you want to do the wedding at the last minute, you can usually pull it together pretty quickly. Your officiant should be able to help with any last minute details that you need and you will save yourself months of stress! LOL
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Beach wedding variations
On Saturday I had the pleasure of officiating a wedding for a wonderful young couple. They had, what I would call a formal beach wedding. The house that they had rented was on the beach with dunes between the house and the beach. The house also had a large patio and sandy area between the house and the dunes. They had set up the patio area for the reception, with lights and tables. The mother of the bride provided all the decorations herself and it was absolutely beautiful. They had an arch and flowers creating an aisle and then an arbor for the ceremony. The groomsmen met the bridesmaids and escorted them "down the aisle". The father of the bride escorted her to her groom. The entire group had tears in their eyes at this point. When the bride and groom exchanged vows, there wasn't a dry eye anywhere, including them. It was so emotional and so sweet. After the pronouncement, the groomsmen escorted the bridesmaid back down the aisle and as there was an extra groomsman, he escorted me up the aisle. That was the first time that I had been escorted at a wedding that I officiated. :-)
The point of this blog was that they chose to have their beach wedding, not on the beach but on the sand behind the house. This was a good decision - as it was a very windy day and the dunes and the house blocked most of the wind. It was a beautiful ceremony and set up.
Don't be afraid to think outside of the box when planning your wedding.
The point of this blog was that they chose to have their beach wedding, not on the beach but on the sand behind the house. This was a good decision - as it was a very windy day and the dunes and the house blocked most of the wind. It was a beautiful ceremony and set up.
Don't be afraid to think outside of the box when planning your wedding.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Interesting call of the day
I get lots of interesting calls and I will share some of them with you. I am not making fun of anyone just sharing the variety of calls that come my way.
I had a call from a lady who is looking to get married on the beach on a Sunday evening. She asked if I was an ordained Baptist minister. I am not. She wanted to know if I knew of any ordained Baptist ministers. I have not attended a Baptist church since moving to Florida so I do not know any Baptist ministers (at least that I know of ). In order to assist this lady, I looked up the Baptist churches in the area and gave her some numbers and suggested that maybe they could help her. I would think that most ministers would be doing their evening services on Sundays but what do I know?
The lady thanked me very much and said that I had been very helpful and that if she was unable to find an ordained Baptist minister that she would call me back. I guess she found someone as I haven't heard from her.
You just never know what people are going to ask for. :-)
I had a call from a lady who is looking to get married on the beach on a Sunday evening. She asked if I was an ordained Baptist minister. I am not. She wanted to know if I knew of any ordained Baptist ministers. I have not attended a Baptist church since moving to Florida so I do not know any Baptist ministers (at least that I know of ). In order to assist this lady, I looked up the Baptist churches in the area and gave her some numbers and suggested that maybe they could help her. I would think that most ministers would be doing their evening services on Sundays but what do I know?
The lady thanked me very much and said that I had been very helpful and that if she was unable to find an ordained Baptist minister that she would call me back. I guess she found someone as I haven't heard from her.
You just never know what people are going to ask for. :-)
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Tying the knot - literally
I have talked about the sand ceremony which is very popular these days. Now I have quite a few brides wanting to "tie the knot" ... quite literally. Earlier this week we did a handfasting, which is when the hands are tied together. It is a symbolic gesture. I have done this ceremony before and this time it came with directions on how to tie the knot, which was very helpful! :-)
I got a request this week for a "fisherman's knot ceremony". This is the first time I had heard of this ceremony. This one is similar to the sand ceremony in that it represents the two individuals (the two cords or both ends of one cord) coming together and tying a "fisherman's knot" which represents the couple coming together as one. The fisherman's knot is one of the strongest knots that you can tie and will hold together no matter what. The more pressure that is put upon the knot, the stronger it gets. Very symbolic of the strength of the marriage. There are words that go along with the ceremony, which explain the ceremony for those that are unfamiliar with it.
So if you thinking of "tying the knot" then you might want to think about literally "tying the knot"!
I got a request this week for a "fisherman's knot ceremony". This is the first time I had heard of this ceremony. This one is similar to the sand ceremony in that it represents the two individuals (the two cords or both ends of one cord) coming together and tying a "fisherman's knot" which represents the couple coming together as one. The fisherman's knot is one of the strongest knots that you can tie and will hold together no matter what. The more pressure that is put upon the knot, the stronger it gets. Very symbolic of the strength of the marriage. There are words that go along with the ceremony, which explain the ceremony for those that are unfamiliar with it.
So if you thinking of "tying the knot" then you might want to think about literally "tying the knot"!
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Two weddings on Saturday
I don't normally book two weddings for the same day as most couples want to have their wedding on the beach at sunset so that makes it really difficult. This time one couple wanted to do a morning wedding and the other an afternoon wedding so that worked out perfectly.
The weddings were about 1 mile apart in Santa Rosa Beach. The first wedding was at 10 am and it had rained and been very chilly the day before. That morning was still pretty breezy and a little chilly. The family had travelled here to share the day with the couple. The wedding turned out beautifully, in spite of being a little cool.
Six hours later I was on the beach again, and the wind had died down and the temperature had risen and it was perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. There were a lot of family and friends in town for this wedding as well and it was picture perfect.
I am not sure what the significance (if any) April 20th is, but I had a lot of requests for that day and I saw that other officiants were getting a lot of requests for that day as well.
I did add a portable voice amplifier for the second wedding. It seemed to work pretty well, as the folks that were back aways were able to hear me well, without it being too loud for the couple. I may use that again especially if it is breezy and the waves on the gulf are crashing in.
Have a great week everyone!! :-)
The weddings were about 1 mile apart in Santa Rosa Beach. The first wedding was at 10 am and it had rained and been very chilly the day before. That morning was still pretty breezy and a little chilly. The family had travelled here to share the day with the couple. The wedding turned out beautifully, in spite of being a little cool.
Six hours later I was on the beach again, and the wind had died down and the temperature had risen and it was perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. There were a lot of family and friends in town for this wedding as well and it was picture perfect.
I am not sure what the significance (if any) April 20th is, but I had a lot of requests for that day and I saw that other officiants were getting a lot of requests for that day as well.
I did add a portable voice amplifier for the second wedding. It seemed to work pretty well, as the folks that were back aways were able to hear me well, without it being too loud for the couple. I may use that again especially if it is breezy and the waves on the gulf are crashing in.
Have a great week everyone!! :-)
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Wedding season has begun
I had a nice little break this past weekend in Vegas with some friends that I had not seen for a long time. I am so glad that I did that because wedding season has begun.
I was on the way home from the airport and got a call for a last minute wedding for that evening. We made the arrangements and met last evening on the beach and this wonderful couple got married. They had been thinking of getting married for awhile and they and their family were in town for another wedding. They decided that there was no better place than the beach here to tie the knot. If we had of planned the wedding months in advance, it would have not gone any better. The house they were renting became full of newlyweds!!
Today I had a wedding on the beach that we had been planning for quite awhile. It was picture perfect. So whether you are planning in advance or decide at the last minute to get "hitched", be assured it will turn out beautifully.
Right now I have two weddings scheduled for Saturday but you never know what will come up between now and then!! That is what I love about this job! :-)
I was on the way home from the airport and got a call for a last minute wedding for that evening. We made the arrangements and met last evening on the beach and this wonderful couple got married. They had been thinking of getting married for awhile and they and their family were in town for another wedding. They decided that there was no better place than the beach here to tie the knot. If we had of planned the wedding months in advance, it would have not gone any better. The house they were renting became full of newlyweds!!
Today I had a wedding on the beach that we had been planning for quite awhile. It was picture perfect. So whether you are planning in advance or decide at the last minute to get "hitched", be assured it will turn out beautifully.
Right now I have two weddings scheduled for Saturday but you never know what will come up between now and then!! That is what I love about this job! :-)
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Mobile notary - what is it?
Along with officiating weddings, I also notarize documents.
When a person needs papers notarized and is unable to go to the bank or some other place to get them notarized, they need a mobile notary. That is what I do. I will go to the client, pretty much anywhere, to notarize the documents that they need.
There are many situations where someone may need documents notarized. Some situations that would use a mobile notary are if someone had an accident or a fall and finds themselves in the hospital or rehab center and needs to designate someone as power of attorney to look after their affairs until they are able to do it themselves.
Unfortunately, a lot of people put off writing their will or power of attorneys until the very last minute or until the end is near for them. At this stage, some people are bedridden and need to use a mobile notary to get their affairs in order.
So if you are one of those people who has not gotten your paperwork done in advance, and find yourself in one of these situations.... give me a call!!!
When a person needs papers notarized and is unable to go to the bank or some other place to get them notarized, they need a mobile notary. That is what I do. I will go to the client, pretty much anywhere, to notarize the documents that they need.
There are many situations where someone may need documents notarized. Some situations that would use a mobile notary are if someone had an accident or a fall and finds themselves in the hospital or rehab center and needs to designate someone as power of attorney to look after their affairs until they are able to do it themselves.
Unfortunately, a lot of people put off writing their will or power of attorneys until the very last minute or until the end is near for them. At this stage, some people are bedridden and need to use a mobile notary to get their affairs in order.
So if you are one of those people who has not gotten your paperwork done in advance, and find yourself in one of these situations.... give me a call!!!
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Timing is everything
Today was interesting.
This afternoon I got a call for a last minute wedding for this evening, while I was on the phone arranging that wedding, I got a call from a bride who is getting married next year in February. This is a good example of the variety of wedding planning that I get.
Today's wedding was for a couple that had planned on getting married at the courthouse this afternoon, but the groom just got a new job and couldn't get the time off work. The date was important to them so we performed the ceremony at her grandparent's home with the bride's family in attendance.
The next call was for a bride planning her wedding for next February as I said. She has the location, the caterer, and the other vendors in place. This bride is very organized and likes to make sure that everything is in place well in advance.
That is the way that a lot of the weddings that I officiate go. Some are months in advance others are days or weeks in advance. That is what makes this job interesting. You never know what the day will bring or the wonderful people that you are going to meet. You get to be a part of one of the most special days in people's lives.
Flexibility is a big part of officiating weddings. :-)
This afternoon I got a call for a last minute wedding for this evening, while I was on the phone arranging that wedding, I got a call from a bride who is getting married next year in February. This is a good example of the variety of wedding planning that I get.
Today's wedding was for a couple that had planned on getting married at the courthouse this afternoon, but the groom just got a new job and couldn't get the time off work. The date was important to them so we performed the ceremony at her grandparent's home with the bride's family in attendance.
The next call was for a bride planning her wedding for next February as I said. She has the location, the caterer, and the other vendors in place. This bride is very organized and likes to make sure that everything is in place well in advance.
That is the way that a lot of the weddings that I officiate go. Some are months in advance others are days or weeks in advance. That is what makes this job interesting. You never know what the day will bring or the wonderful people that you are going to meet. You get to be a part of one of the most special days in people's lives.
Flexibility is a big part of officiating weddings. :-)
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Sand Ceremony
The sand ceremony has become very popular these days, especially for beach weddings. The ceremony is similar to the unity candle ceremony, but due to having weddings on the beach with the breezes blowing, the candles don't work too well.
I found the following on the internet that explains the ceremony very well:
The Unity Sand Ceremony, a celebration that is usually two to three minutes in length, is a meaningful symbolic joining of two lives. In this timeless ritual of marriage, the couple ceremoniously pours various colors of sand from separate containers into one special container, the unity vase, symbolizing their coming together as one.
The couple chooses two different colors of sand that represent the individual people. Each of the colors are in separate pouring vases. During the ceremony the individuals pour the sand at the same time into the unity vase or keepsake vase. The symbolism is that as the sands can never be separated again, neither can the couple. The different colors of sand also make a really nice design in the keepsake vase. The best part of this ceremony and what makes it different than the unity candle ceremony is that the unity vase is a nice memento of the ceremony and can be displayed in the couple's home, on a mantle or any place of prominence.
The ceremony can also include any children that are included in the family. Each of the people would have their own colors of sand, representing the coming together of the family. Here is an example of a unity vase with children included, and many colors of sand.
This past weekend I did a vow renewal ceremony where the couple have 4 children. Each of them had a different colored sand and the resulting design was quite beautiful.
As you can see the sand ceremony can be a great additional to the wedding ceremony. There are many options for colors and unity vases, so that it can be personalized to the couple or family.
I found the following on the internet that explains the ceremony very well:
The Unity Sand Ceremony, a celebration that is usually two to three minutes in length, is a meaningful symbolic joining of two lives. In this timeless ritual of marriage, the couple ceremoniously pours various colors of sand from separate containers into one special container, the unity vase, symbolizing their coming together as one.
The couple chooses two different colors of sand that represent the individual people. Each of the colors are in separate pouring vases. During the ceremony the individuals pour the sand at the same time into the unity vase or keepsake vase. The symbolism is that as the sands can never be separated again, neither can the couple. The different colors of sand also make a really nice design in the keepsake vase. The best part of this ceremony and what makes it different than the unity candle ceremony is that the unity vase is a nice memento of the ceremony and can be displayed in the couple's home, on a mantle or any place of prominence.
The ceremony can also include any children that are included in the family. Each of the people would have their own colors of sand, representing the coming together of the family. Here is an example of a unity vase with children included, and many colors of sand.
This past weekend I did a vow renewal ceremony where the couple have 4 children. Each of them had a different colored sand and the resulting design was quite beautiful.
As you can see the sand ceremony can be a great additional to the wedding ceremony. There are many options for colors and unity vases, so that it can be personalized to the couple or family.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Wedding Accessories
I have added some links on the side of some really cute wedding accessories.
One is the keepsake vase for the unity sand ceremony. I will go into the sand ceremony in more details on another post.
The other is for some flip flops that say "just married" on them.
You can check out this page for some other links to other accessories. http://www.destinnotary.com/page13
One is the keepsake vase for the unity sand ceremony. I will go into the sand ceremony in more details on another post.
The other is for some flip flops that say "just married" on them.
You can check out this page for some other links to other accessories. http://www.destinnotary.com/page13
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Who can be an officiant in Florida?
First, what is an officiant?
An officiant is a person who has the authority by the State to perform a marriage ceremony and sign the marriage license.
Who can be an officiant in Florida?
In the State of Florida, any ordained or licensed clergymen, notary publics, and justices of the peace can perform a marriage ceremony and sign the marriage license.
In my case, I am a notary public, which gives me the authority to perform marriage ceremonies.
An officiant is a person who has the authority by the State to perform a marriage ceremony and sign the marriage license.
Who can be an officiant in Florida?
In the State of Florida, any ordained or licensed clergymen, notary publics, and justices of the peace can perform a marriage ceremony and sign the marriage license.
In my case, I am a notary public, which gives me the authority to perform marriage ceremonies.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
A new adventure
I am adding a new dimension to the Destin Notary / Wedding Officiant business... a blog. You will have to bare with me for a little bit until I get the hang of this but so far it doesn't seem too difficult. The purpose of the blog will be to answer any questions, update on any new information and to share my experiences as a Wedding Officiant and Notary Public.
The beautiful beaches of the Panhandle area (Emerald Coast) of Florida are my usual work locations... Aren't I a lucky woman!
Here is a link to my website... www.destinnotary.com
I hope this blog proves useful to folks and if you have any questions that you would like answered or information that you would like to have.... you can leave a comment here or email me at jfrasernotary@yahoo.com and I will provide the answer here because if you have the question, then I am sure that someone else does as well.
Here we go.... happy reading!!!
The beautiful beaches of the Panhandle area (Emerald Coast) of Florida are my usual work locations... Aren't I a lucky woman!
Here is a link to my website... www.destinnotary.com
I hope this blog proves useful to folks and if you have any questions that you would like answered or information that you would like to have.... you can leave a comment here or email me at jfrasernotary@yahoo.com and I will provide the answer here because if you have the question, then I am sure that someone else does as well.
Here we go.... happy reading!!!
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