Cindie Wilding Celebrate Everyday

2020 Ceremony Love

2020 will go down in history as the year when everything got picked up, tossed around, shuffled a bit and redistributed.  Weddings were being cancelled or postponed and scheduled again, and again.  But it was also an opportunity for couples to realize that perhaps they really were happy with a simpler, smaller wedding, a time for them to enjoy just their immediate family, or maybe just the two of them, me and a photographer to capture the day.  I love all weddings but I have to say I have a special spot in my heart for intimate little elopements.  So here are a few of the weddings I had the honor to perform, and couples I had the pleasure to get to know during the year of the pandemic! 

 

Brittany and Rob had originally hoped to marry in Mt. Shasta, a place of great meaning for them.  But here in California, not only did we have a pandemic, we had some terrible fires, that led to terrible smoke and Mt. Shasta was a mess.  At the last minute they wisely decided to change gears and we met over on the coast at a tiny little B&B, overlooking the ocean.  This couple met in yoga class; Brittany was the teacher and I found myself resonating with their approach to life.  

Since we were also still in the midst of a pandemic, I kept a safe and respectful distance from them during the ceremony and loved watching their happy faces.  Brittany put together her flowers herself and a friend was our photographer and the witness for their marriage license.  The coast was clear, quiet and peaceful and it was a fabulous get away for them, and for me!  

We could not have asked for a prettier day or a prettier and more intimate spot.  Brittany had also baked an adorable cake and afterwards the 4 of us enjoyed a slice and watched the waves crash.  We all agreed it was a perfect way for them to begin their married life.  

Backyard weddings also became quite popular during 2020 with parents lending their backyards as well as their catering and coordinating skills to help their children have the wedding of their dreams.  Many couples also simultaneously zoomed the ceremony to all the friends and family who could not be there, but though the wonder of technology, they could feel as if they were and could offer their best wishes to the couple afterwards.  Danielle's parents offered their yard and all the parents took care of the food, keeping guests spaced and safe while also feeling a sense of community. 

Edlyn and David married in her parents' backyard, although it was actually right before the pandemic shut everything down.  We stood right around the beautiful pool on a February afternoon and I read their ceremony which contained more than a couple Harry Potter references.  The backyard was full of family and there was the biggest Filipino feast following the ceremony. 

  

Always one of my favorite moments of the ceremony.  And no one fell in the pool!  Photographer for their photos Lily and Lime

And of course, there were plenty of Yosemite elopements, 8 in total for 2020 that didn't end up getting bumped.  Gina and Brennan enjoyed a quiet fall afternoon ceremony with just me and their photographer Patrick Pike.  The park was fairly quiet and just stunning.  

Don't you love Gina's adorable little jacket?  

We had a lovely little celtic hand tying, laughed and cried through their vows, and enjoyed the scenery.  

All Gina and Brennan's wedding, courtesy Patrick Pike

"I wasn't too excited about a ceremony originally, because I'm introverted, and the plan was to go to City Hall by ourselves before having a reception. But the plague happened, and all our plans were upended. So we decided to have an elopement with just an officiant and a photographer/witness. Cindie sent us a questionnaire to fill out beforehand, and she wrote us a very personalized ceremony that absolutely captured our relationship. She was helpful during that time, too, as somebody who had done so many weddings, and provided useful info, as well as a calming presence. I'm so happy we found her for such a meaningful moment." ~ Gina

Toward the end of the year, Placer County opened up for outdoor weddings and Kaitlin & Ryan were able to have a beautiful wedding at Forest House Lodge. You can check out a sweet video of their ceremony on my "Videos and Reviews" page.  

Their vows were uniquely theirs.  Ryan made us all laugh several times with his quips although there were definitely moments when we teared up.  I quoted Kaitlin's favorite author and we honored all their family.  It was a beautiful day and a beautiful ceremony and I was delighted to be part of it. 

Photographer for Kaitlin & Ryan's photos Pislar Photography

"My wife and I were so thankful Cindie married us. She did such an amazing job with writing the ceremony script (handfasting) which had a lot of warmth, love and laughter. And definitely some tears. Cindie has a remarkable presence about her who really made the ceremony special. We highly recommend her to marry you and your partner, you won’t be disappointed." ~ Ryan

And sometimes you just have to abandon the resort wedding you had planned, and opt for a gazebo wedding at the Davis Arboretum, with only your (masked) family in attendance.  Kelly and Brandon decided to do just that.  Sweethearts since college, I was happy to finally make their dream come true.  

Kelly opted for the most perfect dress for this simpler ceremony, so elegant.  

"The search for the perfect officiant seemed to be very much like speed dating.. Extremely uncomfortable! That is.. until we met Cindie. She put us at ease immediately. The first time we met, we instantly clicked during the consultation. We wanted our officiant to feel like an old friend that we could just chat with and someone who was authentically interested to learn little details of our relationship and what we envisioned for our ceremony. She helped guide us through the process, sent regular check-ins, and made some great suggestions whenever we were unsure of anything. She put together an amazing opening and weaved an elegant story that was tailored for our audience. Lastly we definitely appreciate her patience with us as a couple that was impacted by COVID closures and as we navigated the uncharted waters of multiple postponements. She was there for us with incredible patience and flexibility. We had a small elopement ceremony and our guests were extremely complimentary of how Cindie conducted everything. I think like many weddings they typically see it performed by an outgoing friend who got the certificate online and is typically their first time officiating. If you want a professional officiant go with Cindie. You will not regret it." ~ Brandon

It's really amazing how the simplest of touches like lots of flowers and smiling family and friends can create a most wonderful wedding day.  Thanks to our Photographer for all Kelly and Brandon's photos Jennifer Clapp Photography

I have to close this post with one more Yosemite wedding.  This is Leslie and Marc's ceremony up at Taft.  If you have seen other photos of mine from Taft you know how incredible it is and that you need to hike out to that incredible point.  This is Marc walking with his daughter Cali and Leslie with her Maid of Honor, also named Leslie, who helped her carry that big dress!  

During our ceremony, Cali was in charge of bringing us the rings.  And then I had the 3 of them hold hands and commit to some family vows.  My heart was so touched as Cali cried and was so emotional during that time.  What a sweetheart. 

Afterwards, the 3 of them shared a special moment together.  It was so very sweet to see how happy they all were in that moment.  Leslie and Marc came from the east coast to marry in Yosemite.  They had to postpone the wedding once because of the fires, so we were all excited that they made it and had the most wonderful time in the park.  Big thanks to our photographer for all Leslie and Marc's photos Sabrina Kaye Photography

 

These are just a few of the delightful couples I had the pleasure to get to know last year.  It was so fun to share adventures with them and tell their wonderful love stories.  Cheers to all of you!  More blog posts coming with more 2020 weddings.  And cheers to all the 2021 couples waiting with fingers crossed!  May this be your year! xo

Wyatt & Maurice

Photo courtesy of Kris Holland Photography

Wyatt and Maurice were just starting college 10 years ago, when they met as members of a literary publication.  Both from the Philippines, and both focusing on non-artistic endeavors, Maurice in chemistry and engineering and Wyatt on business.  They loved hanging out in the Publications Room together, talking about art, books and music.  They shared a lot f common interests and their conversations flowed.  Since Maurice was in graduate school in Davis, they decided to have a destination wedding here, in Sacramento at the The Firehouse in Old Sacramento

 

Photo courtesy of Kris Holland Photography

Their ceremony included many elements that were personal to them, including their friends who are musicians, He Sang She Sang who flew out from Georgia for the festivities and played "their" song, one very special to Maurice and Wyatt.  

Photo courtesy of Kris Holland Photography

Photo courtesy of Kris Holland Photography

There was a celtic knot tying ritual...

Photo courtesy of Kris Holland Photography

Photo courtesy of Kris Holland Photography

Some very heartfelt (yes, there were plenty of tears from both) vows... 

Photo courtesy of Kris Holland Photography

Photo courtesy of Kris Holland Photography

And a dear friend read them the poem "Ithaca" by  Constantine Cavafy, telling the story of their journey together through school, living in the Philippines, long-distance through Maurice's graduate school, and now coming home.  

Photo courtesy of Kris Holland Photography

And, there were bubbles, lots of pretty, floaty, happy, joyous bubbles.  Congratulations you two!!  God speed. 

Springtime Wedding Joy

Photographer J Louise Photography

Cynthia and Christian were married last May, at the lovely Newcastle Gardens Bed & Breakfast.  This time of year can be dicey here in northern California as sometimes we are experiencing more of those spring showers than spring sunshine.  This day was no exception and we got a few drops of rain, but of course it didn't change a thing for this happy couple who were just tickled pink to share their wedding day with family and friends.  

Photographer J Louise Photography

The day was magical, with that little bit of winter chill, mixed with the hope of warmth and spring to come; a perfect place to begin a marriage.  

"Cindie was absolutely amazing! She did a great job telling our story. Our ceremony was everything we wanted it to be: intimate, fun, and personal. We loved her inclusion of the poetry and our mothers for the unity candle. She is highly recommended! =]" ~ Cynthia & Christian

Photographer Shoops Photography

The Firehouse Restaurant in Old Sacramento is one of my favorite venues and I have been lucky enough to have performed quite a few ceremonies there in the elegant and oh so romantic courtyard.  Desiree and David were living a truly long-distance relationship, he in the UK and she here in Sacramento.  They had met over a mutual love of music and spent quite a bit of time traveling between continents before deciding to tie the knot.  

Photographer Shoops Photography

This union had been a long time coming and you could see how happy their friends and family were for them.  While they might be hoping to save a little money on travel expenses, I have a feeling there will still be many trips across the pond and back in their future. 

Photographers Colby and Jess

Since a great percentage of my ceremonies every year are in Yosemite National Park, no blog post would be complete without some photos from fabulous ceremonies there.  This is Elizabeth and Joe, at their sunset elopement at Cathedral Beach, with just us, our photographers, and the deer who walked by as I spoke, stopping to listen for a few moments. 

Photographers Colby and Jess

Depending on the time of year and time of day, you can have a most magical ceremony in all kinds of places in Yosemite.  This beach is one of my favorites as the view behind us can just be spectacular, with the sun and the clouds mixing in just the right way to add such ambiance.  Elizabeth and Joe came from across the United States for their wedding and I know nature was giving its blessing as those clouds lifted just as I pronounced them married and the sun shone through. 

"Cindie was so perfect! She made our special day really incredible. The ceremony was intimate, personal, and sweet. We had such a great day with her." ~ Elizabeth & Joe 

Sacramento Boomer Magazine

I was recently contacted by our local magazine which as the title infers, is geared towards folks of the Baby Boomer generation, like me.  Their tag line is "age is just a number."  I was quite flattered that they wanted to interview me for a featured article entitled Living the Dream, Your (Second) Career is Calling.  The article featured 4 other "later in life" people who had turned their passion into a new profession.  I loved being part of this and want to thank Sacramento Boomer magazine, the author Kourtney Jason and photographer Dante Fontana.  Yes, I do believe I'm living the dream!  

A Few Wedding Highlights From 2019

Photo courtesy of Mary Gillespie Photography

I love how every one of my weddings are completely different.  How each couple chooses a location that fits them and then I get to write a ceremony that reflects them and their relationship.  Abby & Nick married at the beautiful Rancho Victoria Vineyard with that most amazing and huge tree standing right behind us, guiding them on their new chapter as husband and wife.  I find trees to be so symbolic of our own lives.  We can grow tall and strong by first growing deep roots to ground us and nurture us.  This couple had so many supportive family members who had always been part of that root system as they worked through the challenges of school, distance and sustaining a relationship.  

 

Photo courtesy of  Mary Gillespie Photography

How is that for some marriage goals and inspiration.  Be like that tree!  This is truly a beautiful spot for a ceremony and their reception site, just down the road, is also beautiful and just charming. 

"We were truly blessed to find Cindie in our search for an officiant. She is everything that all the other reviews mention- warm, thoughtful, caring, incredibly professional and responsive, and - most of all- deeply passionate about creating personal, meaningful ceremonies. We were looking for help creating a non-religious ceremony that would still feel spiritual, and would resonate with our diverse crowd of wedding guests. Cindie delivered exactly that- with plenty of laughs and tears along the way! Would highly recommend her for any celebration of life’s moments." ~ Abby

Photo courtesy of Lauren Lindley

Or maybe rather than one amazing tree, you'd love to be married literally in the trees, in a quiet elopement.  Well that is what Afton & Coyote went for in their sweet elopement at Squaw.  We found peace and silence in the trees as the two of them heard me read their ceremony to them for the very first time.  Yes, I always share the ceremony with my couples ahead of time.  But a handful of couples, particularly elopements, have now opted to hear it for the very first time in the moment and it is just a most heavenly experience. 

 Photo courtesy of Lauren Lindley Photography

I love the look on my couples' faces during the ceremony.  It's definitely a situation where a picture is worth a thousand words.  

 

Photo courtesy of Whiskey Sage Photography

Yosemite is one of my most favorite places to marry couples.  There are so many spots to choose from, each with its own unique charm.  Amanda and Dean married at Swinging Bridge which has a special blend of meadow and falls while also being more secluded.  Speaking of unique, I was so in love with Amanda's dress, made by her aunt with that special colored panel in the back.  

Photo courtesy of Whiskey Sage Photography

Amanda and Dean wanted a hand fasting ritual in their ceremony.  I love how couples customize the sash or ribbon that is used for this ritual to fit them.  This was made by them and incorporates the colors of her flowers, and the back of her dress.  This is the perfect spot for a small and intimate ceremony.  

"We hired Cindie to perform our wedding ceremony in Yosemite after reading many of the glowing reviews others had written about her, and from the first conversation with her it was immediately clear why she is so highly rated—she's fabulous! She put together a beautiful and highly personalized ceremony for us, and even though we didn't actually get to meet in person until the morning of our wedding she was so warm throughout the whole process that we felt like we knew her already. She was also really understanding and kind when we had to change our ceremony locations not once but twice (including the day before the ceremony!) because Tioga Pass hadn't reopened in time. (It all worked out perfectly in the end.) We absolutely recommend Cindie if you want a very personalized ceremony and you're looking for a warm and kind officiant!" ~ Amanda

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Clapp Photography

I am always so impressed with the way couples can have a vision and with the help of their coordinator and others, that vision comes to life in a most beautiful way.  I really loved the pink and red theme that Ashley and Lerone's wedding had, and it was carried through in so many details of their ceremony at beautiful Park Winters,  one of my favorite venues.  

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Clapp Photography

And cheers to that most anticipated moment, the moment after I have declared them husband and wife and they joyous kiss and then laugh in joyous disbelief!  

Photo courtesy of Reels of Joy Photograph

When Nicky and Jackson married at Park Winters  their backdrop looked completely different.  Their wedding was in March and it was still a bit wintry and their wedding day included only a handful of family, so a very intimate a sweet day for them and their destination wedding.  

Photo courtesy of Reels of Joy Photography

There's that look of love again, that excited, heart full of butterflies look of love.  It's unmistakable and I see it every time.  It's the most beautiful look.  

Photo courtesy of Liz Zimbelman Photography

We know it takes a village to raise a child and it takes a village to help a marriage to thrive.  Cory and Christine's darling baby girl got passed between her Grandmas during our ceremony on a rainy but beautiful day at the West Shore Cafe in Lake Tahoe.  And that is what love is all about.    

 

 

 

 

 

Weddings Celebrated in So Many Ways!

Photo by yours truly

I love all the many ways that a couple, and their wedding vendor team, can make a wedding more personal, and fun.  I absolutely loved Cecelia and Matt's multicultural wedding at the Monte Verde Inn, and the way the guests were greeted with a mariachi band, as they arrived which was absolutely charming and such a great way to start the ceremony, with a very happy vibe. 

Photo by yours truly

I also love to see what kinds of special touches each one of my couples have included for things like favors, which often are a very personal reflection of themselves.  To honor Cecelia's Mexican heritage, they had bottles of hot sauce with their pictures for the guests to take home. Gracias!

Photos courtesy of Audrey Clark at Natural Beauty Photography

I just adored Deena and Oskar and the way they proved how wonderfully possible it is find true love at any age.  Their grandchildren were the bridal party and the two of them were so sweetly nervous.  Together they share a love of travel, adventure, hiking and finding beauty in every day.  I love how they are blending their lives so seamlessly and with so much joy.

 
Photos courtesy of Chris Werner Photography

One of the biggest honors I get to experience, is being asked to do a wedding when it's the family of someone I know.  I know Heather's parents and I was so delighted when they passed my information along to Heather and Justin, they looked me up and they decided I was a perfect fit.  They held their wedding at Sugar Bowl on the banks of Lake Mary and despite the fact there had been major fires and smoke in our state, it could not have been a prettier day.  After being together for a very long time, they were happy to have the wedding day truly reflect the two of them.  I totally loved Heather's boho style wedding dress!  After the ceremony, there was dinner and dancing under the stars and the highlight for me was sitting next to Heather's grandmother and then watching her get up and dance multiple times, in particular when they played "her song". 

Photos courtesy of Hanna Jeanne Photography

Of course no review of the highlights of my year would be complete without at least a few Yosemite weddings.  Jorie and Max were such a fun couple.  Max was a bit of a nerdy guy who wanted to stretch me in my ceremony writing skills so he lightheartedly quipped that I might put a Polish phrase in there, and yeah maybe something in Spanish and to really rock the old school, some Latin.  That was truly fun and I delivered on all requests!  There were many laughs during their little elopement in the meadow in front of El Capitan.  Afterwards they popped a bottle of champagne and we celebrated their sweet nerdy love.  Yosemite in the fall is truly a wonder as is love in all its many forms. 

Congratulations to all these sweet couples.  It was my very deep honor to get to know you and to be your storyteller! xo 

"Cindie was exactly the person we were looking for to perform our ceremony at Yosemite. When we decided to elope, we knew we wanted something very personal and intimate and we had exactly that, as we stood in the meadow with El Capitan as our backdrop. Cindie has a great gift of turning simple questions/answers into a unique, personalized and beautifully written ceremony. She really made our day so special! It was great working with her throughout the entire process and would absolutely recommend!" ~ Jorie & Max

 

  

Good Bye 2018, Thanks for the Memories!

Wow, what a wonderful year of Celebrations of so many life passages.  I feel so amazingly blessed and privileged to be part of the life stories of so many people.  Once again, my year was filled with many wedding celebrations, many of them elopements, in my favorite place - Yosemite National Park.  This was Angela and Brian having their sunrise elopement in Cook's Meadow.  It was chilly but oh so much fun.   We started out with a bit from The Princess Bride because "mawage is what bwings us togeder today." And because they wanted their wedding day to be one of the happiest moments of their lives.  

 

All Angela and Brian's photos courtesy of Tessa Tadlock

I loved every minute of their ceremony, in particular when some folks drove by at the end and honked and yelled congratulations!  Everybody loves love!  

Then we had our amazing wintry wedding up at Edgewood Tahoe where Angelique and Ryan had their St. Patrick's Day wedding.  Oh yes we had snow, lots of snow as a storm the day before made it impossible for me to get to the rehearsal!  But I persevered, rented an all-wheel drive car in order to make it through the snowy conditions and made it!  A Disney and adventure loving couple, they both said their first "I love you"s while in the happiest place on earth and Ryan proposed while on a trip to Las Vegas. As A.A. Milne said, “I knew when I met you an adventure was going to happen.” 

Their personal vows were fun, sweet and so heartfelt.  I think everyone shed a tear or two at some point.  

And to honor St. Patrick and both Angelique and Ryan's Celtic heritages, we had a handfasting ritual at the end of the ceremony, a symbol of beautiful unity.

All of Angelique and Ryan's photos courtesy of Megan Welker

Of course every year includes several weddings at one of my favorite Sacramento venues, the Monte Verde Inn.  I have been performing ceremonies here since the beginning and each one is always unique and so special.  I love how Brittney & William decorated the arch with such beautiful soft colors.  And look at their adoring daughter Mary Jane who was so very excited to have an important role in her parents' wedding.  

 Photos of Brittney and William's wedding courtesy of Alyssa at Feather and North

And of course I really love those weddings that are very casual, small and focused on family.  Ron & Christine's wedding in their backyard included their children and their granddaughters were our most lovely bridesmaids.  The Hawaiian theme was so perfect for a hot August day and afterwards everyone jumped in the pool!  

I just love getting to know all of my couples and especially when we find out all we share in common about so many things in life.  

Christine and Ron's photos taken by loving family members in attendance.

Crystal and Daniel were another wonderful couple who I got to marry at the Monte Verde Inn.  It always touches me the amount of emotion couples can feel and in particular I love it when the grooms get emotional.  Daniel was reminded to breathe before the ceremony as he was so nervous and excited, even after 7 years of being with his love Crystal.  And once we got started, he was cool as a cucumber.  

I love love.  I love my couples.  I love being witness to their love and telling their stories, each one so remarkably unique, fun and different.  

I love you all wonderful couples.  You make my world go around. 

All of Crystal and Daniel's photos courtesy of Monica at Studio KYK

In addition to the marital love, I also had the honor of performing a few Celebration of Life ceremonies, including contributing to my former husband's ceremony, who sadly passed this year.  And I also had the fun of creating a Celebration of a new business for my niece Pearl and her partner Mark for the opening of their coffee shop, Badfish Coffee & Tea.  It was indeed an amazing and full year and I am so grateful for every moment.  This is only a small snippet of wedding photos and I will get more on here very soon.  Until then, I welcome 2019 with an open heart.  

 

End of 2017 Review Part 2

Photo courtesy of Ann Keen Photography

I love weddings in the woods with all the rustic touches, logs to sit on, teepee like "altars" and dirt paths to get from the ceremony site to the reception.  It's all even more fun if the venue is your parents' back yard.  Holly and Henry married on Henry's parents' property.  It was easy to see how everyone had pulled together to create a most beautiful woodsy environment that was so perfect for an outdoor loving,  sports loving, nature loving couple. 

"Magical! Cindie did an amazing job as our officiant, from start to finish. She took the time to get to know us as a couple, wrote an entire ceremony just for us, and performed an absolutely beautiful ceremony. Not a dry eye in the house! I would highly recommend Cindie Wilding to anyone looking for a genuine, heartfelt, unique and special wedding. She has a lovely demeanor and a great speaking voice. She is a true professional through and through, and it was a joy to work with her.  We are grateful to Cindie Wilding for making our wedding  the greatest day of our lives." ~ Holly & Henry

 

Photo courtesy of Kaboo Photography

I truly love lots of laughter (and tears) in a ceremony.  These are real emotions we all feel whether it's a wedding or a memorial honoring a life well-lived.  Weddings can be particularly fun when the couple has known each other as long as Jume & Rogers,  when they married at beautiful Scribner Bend Vineyards.  There were lots of fun stories and moments, like when Rogers surprised Jume with an upgrade to her ring.  

"Cindie was amazing. Professional, courteous, flexible, and overall a great joy to have be our celebrant. If you are looking at her profile and reading these reviews, look no further. You have found the right person! She was extremely helpful in guiding me towards a great experience." ~ Jume & Rogers

 

Photo courtesy of LQ Photography

I really love when the "work" I do intersects with my more personal life, when I get to perform important ceremonies for friends or family, or family of those friends!  I had the wonderful honor of marrying my friend Angela's daughter Kelly, and her true love Ryan.  Being more country folk with a love of horseback riding, the Gibson Ranch in Woodland was just perfect for their small and intimate wedding.  

 It was particularly sweet when Kelly recited special vows she had written just for her soon-to-be stepson, Wyatt, making him feel so included and acknowledging the new bond they would share.  

"Cindie is amazing! She really gave us a beautiful and a one of a kind ceremony. I found her through my mother, who has been friends with her for a long time. Cindie worked with us from day one to create a unique wedding ceremony that fit us perfectly. She was great at checking in, sending friendly reminders and just being so organized when it came to everything. She even made sure the wedding license was signed and sent in. At the last minute I decided to write vows to my step son for our wedding and she placed them into her ceremony with no issues. Honestly, she is such a great and warm person to work with. She just has amazing energy! I would highly suggest her to anyone!!" ~ Kelly & Ryan

 

Photo courtesy of Carl Zoch

It's truly special to me when clients somehow find me online and we get to meet for the first time in their exotic elopement location.  Kim and Mick came all the way from Australia to wed in the meadow in front of El Capitan.  Kim's son Kaleb served as ring bearer, as well as holding his mom's bouquet and he managed to snap some photos on her cell phone during the ceremony.  I loved getting to know them and when we met it was like we had known one another a very long time.  

"Cindie, we could not have asked for more in a Celebrant four our Yosemite elopement. You captured our romance and love story perfectly.  There was just the just the right amount of love and laughter and we especially appreciated with way you magically wove our connection to nature and Yosemite in particular into the ceremony. You were an absolute delight to get to know and work with. If you are looking for a kind hearted, passionate and professional celebrant, look no further as you have found her. Thanks again Cindie." ~ Kim & Mick

Photo courtesy of A Perfect Impression

Despite the extreme heat of a July afternoon in the Rose Garden of the Capitol, Kristin and Ethan could not have been happier on their wedding day.  Meeting in college, they shared a love of science and I loved finding and including quotes and readings from Carl Sagan and Neil DeGrasse Tyson, which delighted their guests who shared with me after the ceremony how it truly reflected the two of them and they'd never heard either of those people quoted in a wedding ceremony before! 

"Cindie gave us a wedding ceremony that was absolutely perfect for us. I found Cindie on Yelp, and was drawn to her because of her excellent reviews. She went above and beyond what we could even imagine. We met with her several months before our wedding to get to know her, and we knew she would be a great fit. She was calm, organized, and had a passion for telling love stories. We were looking for a wedding ceremony that would tell our unique story and incorporate our love for science, and based on our meeting with her we were sure that she would be the best person to create such a ceremony for us. 

After our meeting, she sent us questionnaires that my husband and I each were to fill out individually. Because my husband didn't feel he could best put his words into writing, she conducted an oral interview with him over the phone. The result was a personalized, beautiful ceremony that was exactly what we were looking for. She sent us the ceremony prior to the wedding, and we read through it together and suggested a couple edits which she implemented and sent back to us. She attended our rehearsal, and made sure everyone was comfortable about what to do on the day of the wedding. At both the rehearsal and ceremony, she was prepared, confident, and reassuring. We received LOTS of compliments on the uniqueness of the ceremony. Working with Cindie to create our dream ceremony was worth every penny, and I would recommend her 100% to any of my friends and family." ~ Kristin & Ethan 

Photo courtesy of Patrick Pike

Cathedral Beach in Yosemite is another wonderful location for an intimate ceremony and sometimes you can get creative, stepping away from the crowds at the beach and finding your own sweet spot with the river serving as backdrop, flowing behind you.  Leah and Eric came from Wisconsin to marry in the beauty of Yosemite and for the majority of the handful of close family who came along, it was their first time in the park.  Their's was the perfect size wedding for a ring warming ritual to begin the ceremony.

"We really appreciated Cindie's thoroughness developing our ceremony. She shared many options and ideas to help us on our journey. Cindie was responsive and maintained timelines. We enjoyed the process and loved our day. Thank you Cindie!" ~ Leah & Eric

Photo courtesy of True Love Photo

 I just love rituals during the ceremony, rituals that mean something to people and that help tell the story of their heritage, their lives and the Jewish "glass stomp" is one wonderfully joyous ritual that always makes everyone feel happy and alive..."mazel tov!!"  I especially love how during Leslie & Mark's wedding at Antiquite Midtown our flower girl braced herself for an anticipated loud noise by covering her ears.  

"Cindie, you set the tone for a ceremony that was uniquely us!  There was laughter and a few tears (surprisingly more from Mark, then me) - and guests thought that you'd known us for years.  I am so glad we found you - I can't imagine a better person to have officiated over our marriage ceremony." ~ Leslie & Mark

Photo courtesy of Patrick Pike

No compilation of highlights would be complete without this wondrous shot at Taft in Yosemite.  This has become one of my favorite places for an elopement.  The hike up is fun and the jaw-dropping view is incredible, not to mention the bit of flopping my belly does when I'm standing so close to the edge.  Linda and Eric wanted to marry barefoot and so we all literally felt the earth beneath our feet during their very spiritual ceremony.  

"Cindie is a wonderful, spiritual person. She captured the essence and meaning of our wedding in the way that felt right for us. She is warm and sincere and got to know us so that she could tell our story in a way that fit into our private wedding ceremony perfectly. We wanted to be married up on an overlook of Yosemite Valley that required some hiking, and she was absolutely open to that. We had to hike across wide creeks, get through mud and snow to get to the spot and not get dirty! And that's what we did. Cindie was perfectly fine with standing barefoot out on the rock overlook close to the edge with us. She made our wedding day adventure possible!" ~ Linda & Eric

 

I am so grateful to all my couples, for the opportunity to get to know them and to share their story, even if I'm only sharing it with them.  You all have a special place in my heart and in my inner box of memories.  May you all continue to celebrate the love you share everyday. 

 

xo

End of 2017 Review Part 1

Don't we all say it every year, that we can't believe an entire year has passed by our eyes already?  My year was jam packed with celebrations of every kind.  I was happy to have married so many unique, interesting and fun couples from all walks of life, in all sorts of places.  I am constantly intrigued by what brings people together, what they love and find valuable about their relationship, what matters to them in their lives.  I also had the honor of performing a baby blessing ceremony for previous wedding clients as well as the honor of performing some Celebration of Life ceremonies for those who had passed.  I am so honored to get to know all of these people, whether they are couples getting married, babies being welcomed into the world, or a dear one whose life is being celebrated as we say goodbye.  I love getting to hear their stories and to be the storyteller.  

This is Alice & Jim who met after Jim's wife had passed and Alice had recently come to this country.  They enjoyed each other's company and getting to know each other's cultures.  Now they will be hand and hand as they travel and enjoy what life brings them,  together. I love when people find one another "later in life" and feel happy and content as they partner through life.

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Warner

This is Amanda, Tyler and their most adorable little boy, Elijah.  They married at beautiful Round Hill Pines, on the beach in Lake Tahoe. I really love incorporating kids into ceremonies and feel it is important to make the kids feel part of it as they become a family.  Elijah took his ring bearer job so seriously.  His face was so sincere and sweet as he watched his parent's faces during the ceremony.  He was definitely a big part of the festivities (as was his little brother Oliver.)    

Photo courtesy of DC Photography Studios

And then there were the Yosemite weddings.  Oh my gosh how grateful and blessed I was to perform so many weddings in Yosemite this year.  This is Anneka and John Paul who married on the lawn outside the Ahwahnee Hotel (now known as The Majestic).  I was told after the ceremony that deer had wandered by right behind me during the ceremony, pausing as if to listen for a few moments, passing along their good wishes and then meandering along.  

Photo courtesy of Photography by Annie Ruby

And of course my Yosemite weddings included some amazing and heart-filled elopements.  This is Brielle & Cameron who married in the meadow in front of El Capitan, while the wind blew pretty fiercely and climbers were headed up the mountain.  They did not want to read the ceremony I wrote for them ahead of time, so they heard it for the very first time when I read it just to them and their reactions were priceless, from laughter to tears to "oh yeah, I remember that", "that's right!".  I love the intimacy of elopements.  "Cindie was an absolute dream to work with!! We contacted her to see if she was avaible on our wedding day and miraculously she was. We had an elopement in the El Capitan Meadow and it was the most beautiful thing ever. After contacting her and arranging our day, she reached out via a scheduled phone call to get a little information about ourselves. After that we electronically signed a contract and put our deposit down. She sent out questionnaires to get to know both of us better. From those, she wrote a beautiful and heartwarming ceremony. She sent us the ceremony about a month before our actual elopement day to read over, but we decided to let it be a surprise and we are so glad we did. Her summary of our love story during the ceremony was such a beautiful little surprise and it made for the best responses. It was so cold when we got married but Cindie toughed it out with us and was professional looking even all bundled up. I would absolutely recommend Cindie, she was incredible!!!!"

Photo courtesy of Siegel's Portrait Design

There were fun and sweet couples like Charles & Steven, who opted to do some pre-marital coaching with me for several months prior to their wedding, so I really got to know them even better and really loved spending the time with them and their two doggie children.  On their wedding day I felt as happy as they were.  They married at Newcastle Wedding Gardens, with much cheering and elation.  "We cannot say enough about Cindie. We met her about 8 months before our wedding in Roseville. We immediately took a liking to her and knew she was the person we wanted to marry us. As a same sex couple, we immediately sensed a feeling of openness and a non judgmental attitude. We took advantage of a service that Cindie provides to meet with couples prior to the wedding. We met with her for six months in a row at our house. We both loved our hour long sessions. I think it really set us off on the right foot. Cindie gave us mini homework assignments to complete prior to meeting with her each month. I will be honest, some conversations were challenging and issues did come up that made us look closely about how we were as a couple. At the end of each sessions, we both felt like it was fruitful and productive. During this time it allowed both of us to get to know Cindie on a personal level, which in turn made the ceremony that much better. I highly recommend that you take advantage of the pre meetings. It was $75 a session, but so worth it. Cindie also gives you extensive questionnaires to answer prior to your ceremony. About two weeks prior to the ceremony, Cindie sent us a copy of our ceremony. Wow! we loved it. So personal and perfect. On the day of the ceremony, it was incredible. To have Cindie stand there with us and perform the ceremony was amazing. We felt a true connection with her as a result of the quality time we had spent together. We could not have asked for anything better. A sheer emotional joy. My partner was "waterworks' right from the get go, but it was something we will never forget. If you live in the Northern California area, Cindie is who you want. Her down to earth easy going personality was something that blended with us to a tee. Thank you Cindie for all you did to truly make our day special! A friend for life! Signed Charles and Steven!"

Photo courtesy of Shauna Castaner Photography

There are so many awesome venues in Sacramento and as much as we tend to have a lot of mild weather, we can also have some more varied days.  This is Cherisse and Anthony who married at Granite Bay Golf Club. It had been threatening to rain and the very dark storm clouds were coming right over us just before ceremony time, but as always seems to happen, it all worked out.  No rain on our ceremony.  "Cindie was just great! She took the time to get to know our story and made to most wonderful ceremony! If you want something that truly is specialized and you will never forget get Cindie on board!!" ~ Cherisse

Photo courtesy of Awe Captures

Danielle & Will enjoyed the beauty of the Barrel Room at the Old Sugar Mill for their wedding.  With grape vines right across the street and sunset happening right afterwards, it was an elegant early fall affair.  

Photo courtesy of Nirav Patel Photography

And one final Yosemite shot, actually just outside the Park at the beautiful Evergreen Lodge.  I so loved our wedding in the woods.  It truly felt like a fairytale.  Lots of laughter and tears in their ceremony.  Elle and Tyler were so very sweet, coming out from Chicago to marry in Yosemite.  Jay and I enjoyed staying the night at the Evergreen and hiking at Hetch Hetchy the next day. "Cindie was absolutely wonderful to work with and I wouldn't have wanted anyone else as our celebrant! She thoughtfully got to know my fiancé and I and crafted a beautiful ceremony for us. I'm a writer and so had minor contributions of my own, which she was super amenable to.Overall, she was a joy to work with! At the actual wedding, she was such a calm, lovely presence and walked us through the ceremony with such grace. Our guests gave her rave reviews, complimenting how personal and love-filled the ceremony was as well as her beautiful, kind demeanor. Some guests even thought I wrote the ceremony because it reflected us so well — a testament to Cindie. Plus, she perfectly integrated prayers/religious aspects into our ceremony, which were important to us. I cannot recommend her enough — she is a wonderful soul and a wonderful person to entrust your ceremony to. Thank you, Cindie!"

 

Thank you to all my clients and other wedding professionals I had the joy to work with this year.  It was amazing and I am looking forward to what 2018 will bring. 

 

 

 

Sharon & Wyatt

Photo courtesy of Emily Nguyen Photography

I love getting to know my clients so well that by the wedding day, I feel like I'm marrying family and people who I really care about.  It's of course even sweeter if the couple are already somehow connected to me as was the case with Sharon & Wyatt.  Many years and many lifetimes ago, when I was still paralegal-ing, I worked with a lovely woman named Jan and we remained dear friends even after both of us had long moved on from that law firm.  When her son Wyatt became engaged to his lovely lady Sharon, Jan excitedly called me and of course I was delighted and honored to marry her son, the cherry on top being some time in Yosemite with all the wedding party and family, sharing a few days bonding and enjoying nature. 

 Sharon is a most organized and thoughtful person (easy to see why Wyatt fell in love) and the two of them arranged so many sweet little details over the course of the weekend, like an outdoor barbque the night before, and lovely little 'thank you' bags with things like tea, candles and a rubber ducky bride and groom.  They were gracious and kind, even gifting me with a dress to wear on wedding day that matched their color palette!  Her brother happily walked her in; thankfully it did not rain;  and the 3 of us stood in front of the grandeur of Half Dome, basking in its magical energy as I told their sweet love story.

Photo courtesy of Emily Nguyen Photography

During the ceremony I talked about how their similarities and differences balance each other out, how they match each other in strength, wit, intelligence, humor and perception of the world around them.  Sharon admires Wyatt's presence, which is a combination of calm, strength, wisdom, dependability, honesty and goodness, as well as his humor, helpfulness and love.  Wyatt loves how passionate Sharon is about her beliefs and how determined she is when she knows what goals she wants to accomplish.  He can talk to her for hours while they are riding in the car.  

I read part of their own special poem, a poem that fits their relationship pretty well, entitled "You Are My I Love You", by Maryann Cusimano.  

I am your quiet place, you are my wild.  I am your calm face, you are my giggle. I am your wait, you are my wiggle.  I am your audience, you are my clown.  I am your dry towel, you are my wet bath.  I am your dinner, you are my chocolate cake.  I am your bedtime, you are my wide awake. I am your kiss goodnight, you are my I love you. 

Photo courtesy of Emily Nguyen Photography

Their vows were very touching and had us all laughing and crying.  You can feel the love in their voices, see the love in their eyes and tell right away how their differences knit them together so seamlessly.  

Photo courtesy of Emily Nguyen Photography

Thank you Wyatt and Sharon for the opportunity to get to know you and to spend some wonderful time with you and your families. I wish for you so many kisses good night and so many I love yous as you travel through the years ahead.  Thank you Jan for your forever friendship.  I'm so glad I could share such a treasured moment with all of you.  xo