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!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
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!
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