How to Officiate a Non-Denominational Wedding Ceremony
by J.P. Reynolds
To officiate a wedding ceremony for a couple you know and love is one of life’s great honors and delights.When your couple invited you to conduct their ceremony, you felt flattered and excited. Then, a little later, chances are you began to wonder – what did I get myself into? How do I conduct a wedding ceremony?
HOW TO OFFICIATE A NON-DENOMINATIONAL WEDDING CEREMONY guides you through every step of the process for writing and delivering a personalized ceremony that is traditional enough in structure to make guests comfortable, yet contemporary in word and substance.
Topics include:
•How to personalize the various moments in a ceremony •How to involve guests and the wedding party
•How to incorporate cultural traditions
•How to introduce and segue various segments
•How to organize for flow and energy
•How to speak with confidence
Bonus Sections include information on:
•Vows
•Rings
•Unity Rituals
•Blessings
•“Non-blessings”
• Readings and inspiration
•Essential prep and day-of checklists
This Revised Edition includes: NEW Bonus Sections!
New Bonus #1: Interviews with first-time officiants who share their perspectives on the experience.
New Bonus #2: A “before and after” ceremony script from a first time officiant I coached.
New Bonus #3: Tips on how to personalize a ceremony incorporating Family + Friends
New Bonus #5: 20 Things you need to keep in mind as you prep for your ceremony
New Bonus #6: How to answer “The” question couples most often ask
Your couple invited you to officiate their ceremony because they want something that is uniquely theirs and not clichéd drivel from some unknown officiant. The ceremony is your gift to the couple and in this book I going show you how to give them a gift that will be a touchstone for their life together!
by J.P. Reynolds
To officiate a wedding ceremony for a couple you know and love is one of life’s great honors and delights.When your couple invited you to conduct their ceremony, you felt flattered and excited. Then, a little later, chances are you began to wonder – what did I get myself into? How do I conduct a wedding ceremony?
HOW TO OFFICIATE A NON-DENOMINATIONAL WEDDING CEREMONY guides you through every step of the process for writing and delivering a personalized ceremony that is traditional enough in structure to make guests comfortable, yet contemporary in word and substance.
Topics include:
•How to personalize the various moments in a ceremony •How to involve guests and the wedding party
•How to incorporate cultural traditions
•How to introduce and segue various segments
•How to organize for flow and energy
•How to speak with confidence
Bonus Sections include information on:
•Vows
•Rings
•Unity Rituals
•Blessings
•“Non-blessings”
• Readings and inspiration
•Essential prep and day-of checklists
This Revised Edition includes: NEW Bonus Sections!
New Bonus #1: Interviews with first-time officiants who share their perspectives on the experience.
New Bonus #2: A “before and after” ceremony script from a first time officiant I coached.
New Bonus #3: Tips on how to personalize a ceremony incorporating Family + Friends
New Bonus #5: 20 Things you need to keep in mind as you prep for your ceremony
New Bonus #6: How to answer “The” question couples most often ask
Your couple invited you to officiate their ceremony because they want something that is uniquely theirs and not clichéd drivel from some unknown officiant. The ceremony is your gift to the couple and in this book I going show you how to give them a gift that will be a touchstone for their life together!
How To Write Your Vows: Giving Voice To What Is Deep In Your Heart
by J.P. Reynolds
Brides and grooms often tell me that they would like to write their own vows, but they’re not sure how to go about writing them. While I can’t tell you exactly how to write your own vows, I can help you focus on your love and life together – and in so doing find the words that echo what’s in your heart.
This book is not a “vow guide for dummies.” Rather, it’s an invitation to slow down, create time and retreat into your heart as you consider why you’re promising what you’re promising to your partner in this crazy world of ours.
Part One ~ I invite you to consider who is the “I” that is saying “I Do” because in order for you to exchange authentic vows, you have to have a sense of who you are at this point in your life. There has to be an “I” in your “I do.”
Part Two ~ I outline the four main options you have for composing your vows.
Part Three ~ I offer you tips for how to write and say your vows.
Part Four ~ I share my insights and reflections on what it means to make a vow to another person.
Part Five ~ The chapter consists of twenty-five of my favorite quotes about love, companionship and marriage. Based on each quote, I pose questions to get you thinking about the particulars of your love and commitment for your partner. I hope you find these quotes and their accompanying questions inspiring.
Part Six ~ I share the memory of one of my all time favorite couples – a couple that I think embodies what vows are all about.
Bonus Chapters ~ Offer samplings of traditional vows as well as words you can say as you exchange rings, which is the sealing of your vows.
Postscript ~ I remind you of THE most important gift you can give each other – the gift that will keep vibrant all that you’re vowing to each other.I hope you read this book at the beginning of your wedding planning, before the madness sets in. I also hope you read it at various times during your planning, so as to remind yourself what it is you and your partner are celebrating.
I’m always honored when a couple invites me to bear witness as they give their word to each other – as they enter into the mystery of life and love. It is such an intimate moment. I’m in awe of the generosity and courage, the hope and faith people show in that moment of giving – of giving their word, which is their life to each other. Now I’m delighted to help you find the words that give voice to the deepest aspirations of your hearts and minds and bodies!
by J.P. Reynolds
Brides and grooms often tell me that they would like to write their own vows, but they’re not sure how to go about writing them. While I can’t tell you exactly how to write your own vows, I can help you focus on your love and life together – and in so doing find the words that echo what’s in your heart.
This book is not a “vow guide for dummies.” Rather, it’s an invitation to slow down, create time and retreat into your heart as you consider why you’re promising what you’re promising to your partner in this crazy world of ours.
Part One ~ I invite you to consider who is the “I” that is saying “I Do” because in order for you to exchange authentic vows, you have to have a sense of who you are at this point in your life. There has to be an “I” in your “I do.”
Part Two ~ I outline the four main options you have for composing your vows.
Part Three ~ I offer you tips for how to write and say your vows.
Part Four ~ I share my insights and reflections on what it means to make a vow to another person.
Part Five ~ The chapter consists of twenty-five of my favorite quotes about love, companionship and marriage. Based on each quote, I pose questions to get you thinking about the particulars of your love and commitment for your partner. I hope you find these quotes and their accompanying questions inspiring.
Part Six ~ I share the memory of one of my all time favorite couples – a couple that I think embodies what vows are all about.
Bonus Chapters ~ Offer samplings of traditional vows as well as words you can say as you exchange rings, which is the sealing of your vows.
Postscript ~ I remind you of THE most important gift you can give each other – the gift that will keep vibrant all that you’re vowing to each other.I hope you read this book at the beginning of your wedding planning, before the madness sets in. I also hope you read it at various times during your planning, so as to remind yourself what it is you and your partner are celebrating.
I’m always honored when a couple invites me to bear witness as they give their word to each other – as they enter into the mystery of life and love. It is such an intimate moment. I’m in awe of the generosity and courage, the hope and faith people show in that moment of giving – of giving their word, which is their life to each other. Now I’m delighted to help you find the words that give voice to the deepest aspirations of your hearts and minds and bodies!
How To Plan Your Wedding – And Stay Sane!: 25 Tips For Making Sure You & Your Partner Plan This Whole Shebang TOGETHER
by J.P. Reynolds
“I love my mother, but she’s driving me crazy”
“The stress is too much; I’m ready to elope to Vegas”
“I’m trying to please everyone, but. . .”
“Whatever she wants is fine with me. I’m staying out of it”
“I’m worried that it won’t be perfect”
Ask any bride or groom and chances are they’ll say that at some point in planning for their wedding they uttered one or more of the above phrases.
Parents have black belts in the art of emotional blackmail. Family and friends will flame toss accusations that come from nowhere – or from a “forgotten” moment five years before. A couple is bombarded with the unforeseen costs – financial and emotional.
While planning for a wedding, the quality of communication between a couple decreases as stress increases.
How To Plan Your Wedding – And Stay Sane! is for couples overwhelmed with the demands of planning their wedding. It’s based in the belief that clear, honest, healthy communication goes a long way to reducing stress by cutting through misunderstanding and misperception.
Through the examples of real life wedding stories, I offer couples simple, easy to use communication tips and techniques to help them get heard and understood, with each other, with family members and with vendors.
These strategies allow a couple to stay sane by replacing mind games with effective tools for bringing their wedding dream to reality.
I’m a non-denominational wedding officiant and during the last twenty years I’ve performed over one thousand wedding ceremonies. I’m also a corporate communications coach and trainer. On a daily basis, I help people learn smart, healthy communication skills so they can form satisfying relationships – both professional and personal.
Throughout the book, I draw on my experiences as a wedding officiant and a communications coach. While reading the book a bride or groom will be able to think to themselves:
•We’re not alone
•We never thought of that before
•There is hope
This book allows a couple to plan their wedding as a couple and so turn their wedding dream into a reality.
by J.P. Reynolds
“I love my mother, but she’s driving me crazy”
“The stress is too much; I’m ready to elope to Vegas”
“I’m trying to please everyone, but. . .”
“Whatever she wants is fine with me. I’m staying out of it”
“I’m worried that it won’t be perfect”
Ask any bride or groom and chances are they’ll say that at some point in planning for their wedding they uttered one or more of the above phrases.
Parents have black belts in the art of emotional blackmail. Family and friends will flame toss accusations that come from nowhere – or from a “forgotten” moment five years before. A couple is bombarded with the unforeseen costs – financial and emotional.
While planning for a wedding, the quality of communication between a couple decreases as stress increases.
How To Plan Your Wedding – And Stay Sane! is for couples overwhelmed with the demands of planning their wedding. It’s based in the belief that clear, honest, healthy communication goes a long way to reducing stress by cutting through misunderstanding and misperception.
Through the examples of real life wedding stories, I offer couples simple, easy to use communication tips and techniques to help them get heard and understood, with each other, with family members and with vendors.
These strategies allow a couple to stay sane by replacing mind games with effective tools for bringing their wedding dream to reality.
I’m a non-denominational wedding officiant and during the last twenty years I’ve performed over one thousand wedding ceremonies. I’m also a corporate communications coach and trainer. On a daily basis, I help people learn smart, healthy communication skills so they can form satisfying relationships – both professional and personal.
Throughout the book, I draw on my experiences as a wedding officiant and a communications coach. While reading the book a bride or groom will be able to think to themselves:
•We’re not alone
•We never thought of that before
•There is hope
This book allows a couple to plan their wedding as a couple and so turn their wedding dream into a reality.