VENDOR LOVE #1: Wedding Officiant Angie Rodriguez, Minister ~ Weddings By Angie

Vendor Love: Wedding Officiant Angie Rodriguez, Minister

Vendor Love is about some of the amazing vendors I had/have the pleasure to work with at weddings and events, so we definitely share a common story, a common day where we have worked to make a couple’s dream come true.
I want to get to know more of these amazing professionals, and on top of it, I want to make sure my couples know about them too and recommend them all the way (I want them to have the best out of the best for the day)!!!

Weddings By Angie – Minister Bio

I became a “Wedding Officiant” about 5 years ago after a good friend who was doing a renewal ceremony could not find a minister to come to her home to perform the ceremony. I knew I could deliver the exact ceremony she wanted for her and her husband and after that first wedding, I wasn’t sure I would do any others, but then something happened. The law changed to allow same-sex marriages and I had quite a few friends who were waiting to marry their partners. And the calls to marry my friends who wanted someone who knew them and would marry them with dignity began to come in.

What I have enjoyed most is being able to share in the most joyous occasion in the life of a new couple. And I love being able to calm down nervous brides when things don’t go as planned. I seem to operate well in tense situations. You have to be patient and have a temperament and spirit to love and nurture because sometimes with weddings, there tends to come some drama. Rarely do weddings go exactly as planned and you need to be able to adjust and do so with class and finesse. You are not only on display as their spiritual leader, but you are also the person who handles the most important portion of their special day. I recall the story of the young couple who were getting married at a fancy venue and their wedding coordinator was a stickler for time and it was a bit cold and rain was looming overhead for their outdoor wedding so the coordinator wanted to start the wedding 5 minutes early. I was not in favor of this idea but again, if that is what the couple wants, then I will move forward. They said go, so I did. We go outside to start the wedding. Bridesmaids start coming down the aisle and the grooms lean over and whisper to me that his grandmother is not in her seat! I mean he tells me that she raised him and he really wanted to make sure she was present! At this time, the second bridesmaid is walking down the aisle. I told him I would take care of it and after the last bridesmaid came down the aisle, I asked the audience to bear with me, because a very important guest had not arrived yet. Again, we you have to be able to adjust with difficult situations and they do crop up.

What to look for in a Wedding Officiant

When looking for a Minister or a Wedding Officiant, you want someone who is going to listen to you and HEAR the kind of service YOU want. An experienced Minister will not try and force a standard wedding script on you and will have a planning meeting to find out about your family, to inquire if you want any special cultural rituals within your ceremony, do you want to honor the parents, are there step parents that should be included, if this a blended wedding where there are children from both sides that should be included in the ceremony.

Have you thought about a rehearsal? Some may say it’s not needed but for those that don’t do it, there is usually regret. Your Minister/Wedding Officiant can help you with the procession, recession of the bridal party, and to make sure you are walking down the right side of the aisle, and other important details. It is not necessary to have the rehearsal at the exact venue as many venues charge for that space but its important to have your attendants know who they are walking up the aisle with, the flower girl and ring bearer’s should be able to practice their duties and whether they will stand through the whole ceremony or sit with parents, etc. Logistics for outdoor weddings are important. Microphones are needed if you want your audience to hear everything. Don’t assume the Minister has a powerful voice and can shout your ceremony for 30 minutes.

When shopping for an officiant, you want to inquire about the rehearsal. See if you can get it included. When pricing out Officiants, know your budget. The cheaper you go, the less experience you are going to get. Again, this is the most important day of your life. You may not care about the details being perfect but if you have a lot of folks coming to your wedding, you want it to look nice and flow well, and be special and tailored to you and your intended. Find out if they have ever done special rituals such as the Jewish glass stomping ceremony or the Celtic Handfasting ceremony. Weddings are no longer just doing Unity Candles or Sand ceremonies. The “Love Knot” or the “Rose Ceremony” are two more that you may want done and add a great deal of beauty to a ceremony that is meant to showcase your love for one another and your families.Some say they just want simple, but consider everything, your family and your friends, what might bring them joy, as well, as they share with you your special wedding day.

—
PS.: If you need a Wedding Officiant, and contact Angie because you have seen this post, let her know Daysy has sent you. Loving vendors is an amazing gift