A Fabulous Venue For Your Wedding Ceremony - Bastyr Chapel at Bastyr University

One of my favorite places on the planet for a beautiful and memorable wedding ceremony is Bastyr Chapel at Bastyr University in Kirkland, WA.

I have had the pleasure of officiating several weddings this year at Bastyr Chapel and the picture at the right features Josh and Jessica at their wedding ceremony on June 10, 2006.

There is so much that I love about Bastyr Chapel:

- The acoustics are terrific and the built-in sound system is one of the best around.

- It's such an ornamental venue for a traditional wedding ceremony and one that envelopes you in ritual - and it's an appropriate chapel for couples of all diverse traditions and backgrounds.

- The chapel and venue is drop-dead gorgeous. It's one of the few venues around where a couple of any denomination can reserve the space and have the wedding ceremony of their dreams.

So, if you're seeking a beautiful, reflective and charming venue for your wedding ceremony, consider Bastyr Chapel. It's one of the best indoor venues in the Northwest for a wedding ceremony - traditional or not!

What My Dog Taipooh Teaches Me About Love

Okay, so now you're thinking, "What is this woman doing writing about her dog when she should be writing about love, weddings and whatnot?!"

Meet Taipooh. He came to me as "Peanut," rescued off the streets of Taipei, Taiwan in 2000 - a country which is a hell hole for companion animals. I rescued Taipooh just after my beloved cocker spaniel, Ms. Pooh, passed away. I named this goofy guy from Taipei, "Taipooh," in honor of his heritage and Ms. Pooh.

Taipooh is a nut. Because of his severe neglect in Taiwan, he has weathered two bouts of mange, has overcome heartworm, has epilepsy and infrequent seizures and is going blind. And he is so full of joy. Oh, and I forgot to tell you his tongue is too long for his mouth and always stick out - talk about goofy!

What I'd like you to know about me is that a huge part of my life is evolves around animal rescue. My husband Greg and I live on Bainbridge Island and we have four special needs dogs all rescued from severe abuse/neglect. When I am not working with couples and on my wedding work, Greg and I are often involved in rescuing and rehabilitating dogs from the worst of situations - many like Taipooh.

So, in this wedding work that I do, I frequently have a dog sitting under my desk as I write a ceremony. On occasion, on a wedding day, I attend to an animal rescue (I have lots of clothing changes in my car!). And while this wonderful wedding work that I do makes me very happy, the joy I feel from releasing an animal from pain and suffering is unmatched.

Thank you for indulging me. I was going to write about wedding vows but took a look at Taipooh sleeping in his bed near my desk and said, "what the heck!"

Annemarie - Wedding Officiant and Animal Lover

What Smiles and Elegant Laughter Tell Me About A Couple During Their Wedding Ceremony...

With great delight, I was honored to officiate Jim and Erika Heesacker's afternoon wedding ceremony on Saturday, August 19th of this year.

And what a smile Jim had on his face during their wedding ceremony! His face was lit up with joy and from time to time, a huge grin would just cross his face. Erika was also absolutely delightful and elegant during their wedding ceremony.

What I love about Jim and Erika is not only their passion and commitment to each other and how far they have both come in life to be together, but their absolute joy and appreciation for the wedding ceremony moment, how they took care of their family and friends before/after the ceremony and Jim's big smiles and Erika's grace.