KING 5 TV's "Best of Western Washington Contest" - My Best Excuse To Re-Connect With Amazing Couples On The Move...

I have been doing an extra happy dance in my heart this past week.

KING 5 TV's "Best of Western WA" contest is in full swing and it's been ultra fun for me to re-connect with many couples from the past couple of years.

Best of Western Wa: http://tinyurl.com/3mq87bq

Amy Ullrich sent me this photo from her May wedding - so delighted to hear she and Kevin are doing so well.

Danny and Emily just celebrated their third anniversary and their little girl, Ruby Jane, has red hair, too!

Christine & Joe are expecting another baby in March and big sister, Olympia, gets a sibling.

Michael and Shannon are pregnant. Christine and Alan are pregnant. Sunrise and Keith are pregnant. Doug and Theresa are pregnant. Babies everywhere...and so many more blessed to be born to such beautiful people.

Emily and Jeff have a new fur kid, Cody. Lydia and Patrick are in full swing with their new business. David & Jess are finally home.

The tapestry of life - I feel so incredibly blessed to do this work.

John & Yanni - Sparkly, Hugely Loving, Gracious, Way Too Funny, Smart - A Favorite!

I love this photo that Photographer Kaylee Eylander took of John and Yanni Robel on their wedding day last Saturday morning at Kirkland's Woodmark Hotel.

John & Yanni...
Gracious
Loving
So Funny
Best Smiles Ever
Devoted
True Companions

I had the honor of officiating two ceremonies in the past year for John and Yanni - their tiny ceremony to get legal last September 10th and their public ceremony last week for 70+ family and friends.

This couple is the true definition of a spiritual partnership and model for their family and friends great devotion, care and inspiration.

Simply put, John and Yanni remind me of why I do this work and inspire me to seek out similar couples who are moving forward in a lifetime commitment.

John and Yanni - from the bottom of my little 'ol heart, thank you.

And thank you Wedding Planner Bobbi Roth for the grand sparkle you brought to this beautiful wedding day! www.bobbirothweddings.com

Kaylee Eylander: www.eylanderphotography.com

The "Kid Wild Card" At Weddings - From An Officiant's Perspective...

This is Blake.

This is Blake's Dad.

Run, Blake, run!

I took this shot at Eric and Charene's wedding at a waterfront home in July.

Time and time again, Blake would run up the driveway incline, somehow captivated by the ascent! And time and time again, Dad would follow.

Might not have been much fun for Blake's father but all of us watching got a great chuckle out of the antics.

Children at a wedding are a wild card. The beauty is they truly can't do "anything wrong."

While many weddings don't include children, many do. And if you are having children at your wedding ceremony, here are a few tips:

1) Seat children in the back or on the "ends" of rows. This allows a fussy child to be taken from a ceremony with little drama or problem.

2) Provide something "new" for children to be entertained with during a ceremony. Some couples provide a basket of books, play toys or whatnot as guests and their children enter a ceremony area.

3) Consult with your Officiant on children in the wedding party. It's important that your Officiant take leadership with the children in your wedding and know their personalities, where to place them after processional and what to do in the event there is hiccup.

"Wind Wishes" For Marie & Sam At Poulsbo's Most Wonderful Farm Kitchen...

Sam and Marie - you are so married!

The moment I spoke to Marie on the phone from Los Angeles, I knew we were a lovely fit to share in her wedding day.

Marie and Sam are a very thoughtful, conscious, loving and very fun couple and their August 6th wedding ceremony at Poulsbo's Farm Kitchen was just that and more.

Marie's Grandmother, Kaj, created "WindWishes" and these beautiful and decorative paper art pieces were gently blowing in the wind from the trees covering the ceremony space. I took one of the windwishes and it's hanging on my office desk lamp with the words, "ceremony" and "clarity."

Sam and Marie - Thank you for the gift of sharing in your wedding day. I wish you much adventure, joy and happiness.