tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:/blogs/wedding-blog?p=4Wedding Blog2019-01-07T18:44:56-05:00Amazing Ceremonies falsetag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/64086042020-08-13T11:58:51-04:002022-01-31T12:15:06-05:00Do you want to get married in NYC? <p style="text-align: center;">Do you want to get married in NYC? </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Right now, the City Clerk's Office is backed up for months. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">BUT YOU CAN STILL <br>GET MARRIED IN NEW JERSEY! </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">(Even if you live in NY) </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Contact Me For More Info - I Can Officiate For You At My NJ Location " data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:spruceweddings@yahoo.com" target="_blank">Contact Me For More Info - </a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Contact Me For More Info - I Can Officiate For You At My NJ Location " data-link-label="" data-link-type="email" href="mailto:spruceweddings@yahoo.com" target="_blank">I Can Officiate For You <br>At My NJ Location </a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Rev. PHIL PASSANTINO <br>(973) 907-0200 <br>EMAIL ME: spruceweddings@yahoo.com <br>WEBSITE: <strong><a contents="www.AmazingCeremonies.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://amazingceremonies.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#000000;">www.AmazingCeremonies.com</span></a></strong></p>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/47578822017-06-26T15:50:04-04:002023-12-10T13:05:10-05:00Cozy June Wedding In The Woods @ Masker's Barn<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color:#8e44ad;"><em><span class="font_large"><a contents="AmazingCeremonies.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://amazingceremonies.com/" target="_blank">AmazingCeremonies.com</a></span></em><br>16 YEARS OF<br>BEAUTIFUL WEDDINGS!</span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a contents="Masker's Barn" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://ucnj.org/parks-recreation/deserted-village/maskers-barn/" style="" target="_blank">Masker's Barn</a><br>is a quaint hideaway<br>in the forests<br>of Berkeley Heights, NJ. </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>It's by the<br><a contents="Historic Deserted Village Site" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://ucnj.org/parks-recreation/deserted-village/maskers-barn/" target="_blank">Historic Deserted Village Site</a>,<br>and run by the County of Union.<br><br>I officiated Anastasia & Maciej's<br>wedding there in early June.</strong></p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/57208/3a513f60082119caac3407c99f4ed07ec66b8431/original/img-1573.png?1498505039" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Cool place! </strong><strong>They have an outdoor wooded space surrounded by trees, with "pews" (benches) for the guests, </strong><br><strong>and an awesome wooden arch up front that you can decorate. Anastasia chose some lovely flowers to accent it.</strong></p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/57208/819d38fdbbc24a9397192749b853c55c4ee87884/original/img-1543.jpg?1498505107" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>There was some rain in the hours before the ceremony, and of course Maskers Barn has a tent set up just in case,<br>as well as the interior of the barn, which is gorgeous yet rustic. But we weren't rained out...<br>busy groomsmen dried off all the benches, draped linens over them,<br>all was well and we did the ceremony in the woods... and it was magical.</strong></p>
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<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="6n5JFWnbxA0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6n5JFWnbxA0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6n5JFWnbxA0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>I played some acoustic guitar "Here Comes The Sun" as the bride walked down the aisle, and then I officiated. It was a simple yet lovely ceremony, with some slight Catholic touches including 1 Corinthians 13 "Love Is Patient". But as with most of my weddings, it was just the right amount of spirituality, not too much but not too little. We kept it lighthearted. Then at the end as the bride and groom walked back down the aisle, I busted into "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang" (Snoop Dogg) on the acoustic guitar, as they requested! And then threw in a bit of Led Zeppelin's "Over The Hills & Far Away", which was a huge hit among the guests! You can see a clip of that on YouTube above, filmed by Jozef of <a contents="http://jzvideoproductions.com/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://jzvideoproductions.com/" target="_blank">http://jzvideoproductions.com/</a> who took excellent video and the photo on top of this blog post.</strong></p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/57208/711f94a395b4412833283caa91befc16595ca034/original/img-1542.jpg?1498505751" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>The cocktail hour was in the tent (this photo is during the earlier rain) and featured mouthwatering Polish food catering by <a contents="Piast of Garfield" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.piast.com/" target="_blank">Piast of Garfield</a>. Wow that stuff was good. And I had time to have a bottle of Polish beer, hang with the bride & groom a little, and catch up with some dear friends whose wedding I'd also officiated, before I had to go. Na zdrowie! Congrats Anastasia & Maciej!</strong></p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/57208/90403db3443cec00ffb0c05c19c70573475d99fd/original/img-1547.jpg?1498505846" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>I didn't stay for the full reception but here's what the interior of Masker's Barn looked like before the festivities.</strong></p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/57208/84e71e7bc39471ec1496b67a748d464dbcbd96ab/original/img-1545.jpg?1498505990" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/57208/4db76046eb1e0acbeefb9e462f5eab293fdafd3f/original/img-1575.jpg?1498506054" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Photo by <a contents="http://jzvideoproductions.com/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://jzvideoproductions.com/" style="" target="_blank">http://jzvideoproductions.com/</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/57208/4caa2e6265e273c1012132f8e5f431305471ec13/original/img-1576.jpg?1498506175" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Photo by <a contents="http://jzvideoproductions.com/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://jzvideoproductions.com/" target="_blank">http://jzvideoproductions.com/</a></p>1:24Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93332012-12-18T00:00:00-05:002022-06-01T13:55:18-04:00Officiating Alexa & Danny's Wedding on "Glam Fairy"!<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="AmazingCeremonies.com " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://amazingceremonies.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2ecc71;"><em><strong><span class="font_large">AmazingCeremonies.com </span></strong></em></span></a><br><strong><span style="color:#8e44ad;">16 YEARS OF BEAUTIFUL WEDDINGS!</span></strong></p>
<p>It was a real thrill to officiate Alexa & Danny's wedding on the Season 2 Finale of "Glam Fairy" (Style Network). It took several hours to film. Originally it was going to be a sunset wedding on a NYC rooftop. I arrived at 6 pm, but we ended up doing the wedding later that night. I think they were busy filming all the little tender moments between the bride and cast members throughout that time.<br><br>The cameras eventually started rolling at about 10 pm. This was great because early evening had been very hot, and the evening was a bit more bearable! Especially since I was wearing a hot black clerical robe :) I remember drinking many bottles of water.<br><br>The cast and crew were relaxed and fun. I was surprised to find out that the bride and groom are originally from my hometown (Wayne, NJ). Small world...<br><br>As we began the wedding, everyone's casual manner put me at ease, since I'd never done a TV shoot before. So I was able to be myself, and I even let out a celebratory "woo-hoo!" after the couple kissed, which made it into the episode!<br><br>We did the whole wedding twice. The first time, there were lighting problems. It ended up being a dress rehearsal... and that was fine because everyone, including myself, was better the second time around. The second take is what made it into the episode. Parts of the ceremony didn't make it, including some nice words I wrote that evening. But maybe the full ceremony will be on the Season 2 DVD?<br><br>P.S. Alexa and Danny, I also do a very nice and personal baby blessing/christening for when your baby girl is born :)<br> </p>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93312012-12-09T14:22:48-05:002012-12-09T14:22:48-05:00December Wedding at the Bethwood, Totowa, NJ Yesterday I officiated a bilingual wedding in English and <i>Español</i> for Vanessa and Jose. They are a young couple who met at work. Jose was a teller at a local bank, and one day Vanessa was assigned to be a substitute teller there. That's how they met. On their first day working together, Vanessa was a bit perturbed when Jose poured himself some coffee and didn't offer her any. It's funny what people's first impressions sometimes are! That was their only day working together, until a few months later, Vanessa was permanently assigned to his bank. And Fate took over from there. They eventually hit it off, and now a year and a half later, they tied the knot! The Bethwood does a great and highly professional job with every wedding they do - as always, it was great to work with the managers there to make this wedding special and fun.<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93322012-12-07T17:03:25-05:002012-12-07T17:03:25-05:00Dreamy December Wedding at the Stone House, WarrenOn Friday Dec 7, I officiated a wedding at the Stone House in Warren. One of the cool things about winter weddings is the cozy glow of candles and other lighting in the cold weather. It's a different kind of vibe than a summer wedding, but can be quite magical.<br><br>
Bob & Samantha's wedding built upon this idea: they held it in a roofed outdoor pavilion at the Stone House restaurant, with plenty of space heaters... foot lanterns along the procession aisle, filled with glowing white candles... and a backdrop of lit votive candles on ledges in the wall behind us. Now do you see what I mean about a "dreamy" vibe? Add a gas fire pit and you have a very cool setting.<br><br>
Fun, quirky touches reflected this fun couple's personality. The bridesmaids wore red dresses and galoshes/rubber boots. There was much laughter in the ceremony. It was raining over head but under the pavilion we forgot the wintry mix and enjoyed some special moments!<br><br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93252012-12-07T16:51:26-05:002012-12-07T16:51:26-05:00December WeddingsYes, in December people still get married. On the first weekend in December this year, I was honored to officiate two very nice ceremonies: one on a boat in Weehawken, and one on a heated back porch in Robbinsville, NJ.<br><br>
Katerina and Quincy's wedding was on a yacht called Royal Princess which is available for cruises. The continuous motion of the waves on board, although we were docked, made for an interesting spin on a wedding. It was very mellow though, so no Dramamine was needed.<br><br>
The ceremony was very nice and heartfelt. Quincy wore his U.S. Marine uniform (he is still in active duty). Of course the bride looked great. They wrote their own vows, which were very moving. This was a couple deeply in love!<br><br>
Jessica and Adam's wedding, also that weekend, was truly unique and awesome. This was on the back porch of a spacious house in Robbinsville. The back porch was decorated creatively with "icicle" crystals and a snowy theme, which went great with the chilly weather. There were rented space heaters that kept the guests warm.<br><br>
The warmth in the bride & groom's hearts helped too. They wrote their own vows, which were brief and humorous. A young flowergirl kept quietly weeping throughout the ceremony. I was wondering why; afterwards we learned that she thought the bride, her aunt, was now going to be moving away. The bride comforted her, "I'm not going anywhere. I'll see you for dinner tomorrow night, remember!"<br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93342012-06-05T10:57:17-04:002021-07-30T14:31:22-04:00Double Rainbow!! After a Rainy Wedding on 6/3/12 - The Waterside Restaurant, North Bergen, NJThe weather couldn't make up its mind this Sunday 6/3/12 at Tom & Diana's wedding at Waterside Restaurant, North Bergen, NJ... sunny, then rainy, then sunny, then rainy, then sunny in the hour beforehand. I finally set up my guitar and the guests were invited outside into the sunshine. I played 5 or 6 songs while the bride got ready for the processional... and then a downpour started. The guests fled indoors. Someone grabbed my amp, and I, too, retreated indoors with my wet acoustic guitar. <br><br>
Five minutes later, the sun shone anew. The guests were seated again, and we finally started the processional and the ceremony. The bride came down the aisle. All was well. Then we began the wedding... and five minutes into the ceremony, it started to rain. HARD. Someone brought Diana & Tom an umbrella, and we continued with the rest. As the rain intensified, the guests let out a whoop! and started cheering. It added an excitement to the festivities! We proceeded with the rest of the ceremony, I sped it up a bit, and then as they were about to kiss, the guests again started to scream with elation! It was like we were all riding a roller coaster together. Very thrilling ceremony, I'll never forget it! <br><br>
After Diana and Tom kissed under their umbrella, I launched into the recessional song "Movin' Right Along" (Muppets) exuberantly, as the bride, groom and guests sought shelter in the restaurant. After all the guests were safely indoors, I ended the tune, the best man grabbed my amp, and we ran with my wet Taylor guitar to my car! I dried everything off and all was fine. All in all, an awesome ceremony if you ask me!<br><br>
Five minutes later, it again stopped raining, only to reveal a HUGE "DOUBLE RAINBOW oh my God" encompassing the entire Manhattan skyline! It was breathtaking! Diana & Tom certainly earned it with what they had to go through. What an abundance of watery and rainbow blessings for this newlywed couple! May they always have a lot of nourishment and magic in their new life together!<br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93222012-04-13T06:28:52-04:002012-04-13T06:28:52-04:00March 2012 WeddingsHere are some nice comments I received from 2 couples I married in March :)<br><br>
"Hi Phil,<br>
Thank you so much for such an "amazing ceremony!" Everything was beautiful and perfect, and just the way we imagined it."<br>
- Amy & Mike (Married 3/31/12, Woodbridge Hilton)<br><br>
"Hey Phil,<br>
First off, thank you a million times over for your services in making our wedding awesome.<br>
So many compliments from friends and family about how beautiful the ceremony was.<br>
Couldn't have done it without you!"<br>
- Alexandra & Brian (married 3/25/12 at Kirkpatrick Chapel, New Brunswick)<br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93302011-08-04T07:47:30-04:002017-01-11T08:09:23-05:00100 Degrees From Belmar To Brooklyn... To Andover<img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />Had a busy weekend in late July 2011 that took me from the Jersey Shore all the way to the quaintest B & B in Sussex County... First was the wedding of <b>Jackie & Ray </b>on the sand of the 4th Ave. Beach in Belmar. This was the week of Jersey's 100-degree heatwave... so I had Gatorade stashed behind the bridal archway :) We had fun in a lively, upbeat & sunny ceremony.<br><br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Later in the evening was a wedding on Sheepshead Bay at <a href="http://www.bakupalace.com" target="_new">Baku Palace</a> (Brooklyn), where the food just doesn't stop coming. It's a gourmet food onslaught! <b>Anna & Ruslan</b> exchanged beautiful vows in a Russian-themed wedding. Meanwhile, outside in the evening heat... an Asian couple was catching crabs in the bay with a flashlight & a net on a long pole, while standing on the Sheepshead Foot Bridge. The crabs were attracted to the light and were easy pickin's. A crowd had gathered to watch.<br><br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />Next day was <b>Woodney & Gabriela</b>'s bilingual Spanish & English nuptials at the ultra-quaint <a href="http://www.crossedkeys.com" target="_new">Crossed Keys Inn</a> (Andover, NJ). This is a blissful nook in the woods. The bridal suite is a barn. Awesome. "Lucky" for the couple and I, we were standing in the bright 100-degree sunshine for the ceremony, while all the guests were seated in the shade. I made it a point to stay hydrated, and the groom and I took a few breaks to dab our brows with a handkerchief. Guests later told me they were making bets on how long before I fainted, but would I let that happen? NOOOO. The ceremony came out really nice, with the special kind of bonding people feel when they have gone through an intense heatwave together. I'll never forget it!<br><br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93292011-06-13T08:35:00-04:002022-05-09T04:11:14-04:00Bride Walks Down the Aisle To "Star Wars" Theme Music!On 6/9/11 I officiated Heather & Nelson's wedding in the Grotto at Rosewood Caterers in Edison, NJ. They are huge "Star Wars" fans and met online playing a "Star Wars" game. All I can say is, imagine the bride walking down the aisle to <a href="http://youtu.be/jSZB0NjRqzc">youtu.be/jSZB0NjRqzc</a> - it was awesome. I got chills.<br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93282011-06-13T08:25:00-04:002020-06-26T23:10:34-04:00Misty Morning Baptism 6/11/11'Twas a "Misty Morning", as Bob Marley would say, for 19-month old Jack's backyard Baptism on June 11, 2011. But the soft rain didn't stop us from holding the ceremony outdoors. The watery air felt cool, soothing, refreshing & nourishing after the recent heat wave... reminding us of the gifts of Water and why it's used in a Baptism/Baby Blessing. We did a traditional blessing, named the Godparents, and honored Jack's aunts, uncles and grandparents (including one Great-Grandpa). We also turned to face the Four Directions (North-South-East-West), meditating on what they represent in our lives, as the aroma of Sweetgrass incense wafted through the breeze. Jack was in his own world through most of it, happy to be the blessed center of attention; but then when I held my hand over him for the Final Blessing, he suddenly stood at attention and became mesmerized! Much to the delight of the family members surrounding him. Then he unexpectedly gave me the "high-five" which was great! I hope to post a pic or video of this soon :) What a cool little guy... welcome to this nutty world, Jack!<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93272011-05-16T07:15:00-04:002011-05-16T07:15:00-04:00What To Do When Your Beach Wedding Is Rained OutOn Sunday May 15, 2011, I was supposed to officiate the nuptials of Jill & Keith on the beach at Seven Presidents Park in Long Branch, NJ. But it ended up being a pretty cloudy day, so the ceremony was moved to Branches Catering in West Long Branch. To quote my first grade art teacher: "When you get a lemon, make lemonade..." So during the indoor ceremony, the house lights were dimly lit. Behind the bride & groom was a video projection of waves crashing on the beach. Jill & Keith still got to make their wedding vows with their bare feet in the sand: they were standing on a tapestry on the carpet covered with sand, shells & starfish, with "Jill & Keith" written in the sand. The effect was almost like a moonlit evening on the beach. It made for a magical and unique wedding ceremony... something the guests will never forget.<br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93262011-05-12T06:56:36-04:002011-05-12T06:56:36-04:00Englewood wedding, 5/7/11Dear Rev. Phil,<br>
Thank you for doing such a wonderful job at our wedding. It was a truly special ceremony and one of the greatest moments of my life. Your calm attitude surrounding the whole ceremony part of the wedding was wonderful. Ted and I both commented on it and how it helped us relax. The ceremony was the one part of the day that I wasn't worried about and wasn't stressed out at all about. Thank you for that, because that made me able to be more present in the moment and really enjoy every bit of the ceremony.<br>
Thanks for the well wishes! Being married is awesome and I have been loving every minute of it! <br>
Thanks again!<br>
Adrien & Ted (married 5/7/11 in Englewood, NJ) <br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93242010-06-19T18:20:00-04:002017-01-11T08:09:23-05:00Recent Weddings: From Staten Island to Pines Lake<img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />This weekend I officiated a wedding for Odalisa & Jorge <i>en Español</i> at <b>The Vanderbilt</b>, Staten Island. It was in a big gazebo right on the boardwalk overlooking the beach. A picture perfect day, a bit warm at noon, but very nice. The wind was kicking up a bit, it knocked over a plant right before hand, and nearly blew the trellis down during the ceremony but we were grateful for the breeze! It did nothing to take away from the ceremony.<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />I also officiated the first wedding ever held at the <b>Laurelwood Arboretum</b> in Pines Lake, Wayne, NJ. It was for Claire and Don in the new Memorial Gazebo there. Those gardens are beautiful! with a uniquely-crafted wooden gazebo overlooking a pond with fountains. This location is the best-kept secret in North Jersey for a small ceremony! Really nice, tranquil and inspiring.<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />Today I did another ceremony at <b>The Bethwood</b> in Totowa. The gazebo and the perfect weather combined for a magical setting. Some unique touches to Shannon & Patrick's ceremony: I loosely tied their hands together reminiscent of old Irish traditions, and blessed their hands as I spoke about the gifts their hands are to each other. Then I removed the cloth that held their hands together. Later, after heartfelt vows they wrote themselves and read, I said a special Cherokee prayer and blessed them with sweetgrass incense, which has a unique and very nice scent. It is considered sacred by many Native American cultures. Shannon & Pat's Catholic families really loved both these touches and the bride & groom received many complements on the ceremony!<br><br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93232010-06-15T11:52:03-04:002017-01-11T08:09:23-05:00June 2010 Weddings Have Begun!Wedding season has truly begun! <br>
So far in June I've officiated:<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />A sunny outdoor wedding at the gazebo of <b>The Bethwood</b> <b>(Totowa)</b> for Claudia and Norman. Norman's heritage is part Lenape (Native American) from the Ramapough Mountain Nation of NJ, so we included some Lenape spirituality in the ceremony. We honored the Grandmother and Grandfathers of the Four Directions and what each represents in marriage and in our lives, as the bride and groom offered tobacco in a seashell to the East, South, West and North. I used some Cedar & Sage incense for the blessing. We also honored Claudia's Mexican heritage with a special wedding poem, said to date back to pre-Colonial times in Mexico: <br><i><br>
I know not whether thou has been absent:</i><br><i>I lie down with thee, I rise up with thee,</i><br><i>In my dreams thou art with me.</i><br><i>If my eardrops tremble in my ears,</i><br><i>I know it is thou moving within my heart.</i><br><br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> A sunny morning ceremony at<b> The Mill (Spring Lake Heights) </b>by the pond, as a swan swam by... the highlight was when I related the heartfelt and often humorous things Regina and Matt had to say about their love and how they met via a questionnaire that I offer to all couples. People loved it! There was laughter and it was very sweet.<br><br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />the joyous and moving nuptials of Kara and Laura, two beautiful brides who wed each other at <b>The Berkeley Hotel (Asbury Park)</b>. God bless them for embracing the possibilities in this amazing world.<br><br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> the <i>muy linda</i> backyard wedding of Estela and Moe in <b>Passaic, NJ</b>, who have a love story resembling "The Notebook" going back over 10 years; and were so thrilled to finally be together surrounded by their loving children and family.<br><br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />a moving Baptism for Kollet, 9 weeks young, in the gazebo of <b>Town Hall Park (Lyndhurst)</b>. Kollet's cousins had hand-painted seashells in which we held water and the other liquids for her anointing. Her dad Charlie said, "Everyone was blown away by the ceremony... it's different! It's REAL." Other guests loved how personal the ceremony was. <br><br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93212010-04-24T07:53:54-04:002022-06-01T14:20:56-04:00Wow, Lots of Baptisms... This Winter/Spring has been busy with Baptisms.
<ul>
<li>On Feb. 27 I baptized Alaynah at The Brownstone, a really nice ceremony as the sun warmed us through the ceiling glass. I started the ceremony by playing lullabuys on the <i>mbira</i>, an instrument from Africa with a tranquil, soothing sound. Kids seem to love it, ad so do adults!</li>
<li>On March 6 I was honored to baptize Samantha Nielson at her parents' home in Middletown. I baptized her older sister Sophia 2 years ago, and married their parents Laura and Russ in June 2006 in a breezy ceremony next to the pond at The Mill at Spring Lake. I remember that wedding well... we barely got the Unity Candle lit because of the wind on that sunny morning! And I always remember that Russ had a crush on Laura, whom he would see at the gym, for many months before ever speaking to her. It was only when his sister accompanied him to the gym one day and threatened to go embarrass him in front of Laura, that Russ finally worked up the courage to go speak to her. And the rest is history!! </li>
<li>on March 13 I baptized Haley Wagner at Luce Restaurant in Caldwell. I baptized her brother Jesse in 2007, and now he's a typhoon of energy who runs around karate-chopping everybody! And I officiated the wedding of their parents in September 2005. It's really pretty humbling to be part of a family's spiritual life from marriage to kids, it leaves me speechless and very grateful.</li>
<li>on March 27 I officiated Emilie Felline's baptism at Amici Restaurant in Bayonne. She was a real sport and no tears were shed (maybe she was saving them for later :) She has a look on her face that she is wiser than her years. I was honored to marry her parents Kristin and Gregory at Liberty House in September 2008.</li>
</ul>
I look forward to 6 more baby blessing ceremonies in May and June... can't wait!<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93192009-08-23T18:35:00-04:002017-01-11T08:09:23-05:00A Busy Summer of Beautiful Weddings & Baptisms!I've been busy this summer! <br>
Here are some highlights of the great ceremonies I've been privileged to officiate in 2009:<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />A sunrise 4th of July ceremony for Aulynn & Ted, on the beach at Sea Bright... (pic is at the very top of this page!)<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />A beautiful afternoon ceremony on a humid yet gorgeous day for Elisa and Richie at LBI's Mallard Island Yacht Club 8/22/09 ...<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />2 great weddings in Perona Farms' new Piazza for Maria & Jabbo <i>en Español</i>, Maria had a bright smile during the ceremony... and Jaimie and Garrett had a beautiful day there as well...<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />Jackie & Rafael's happy nuptials at Courtyard on Main, Freehold...<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />Trish & Jared's fun wedding at Glen Island Harbour Club, where their son the ringbearer accidentally burnt his hand before the wedding (he was fine though, just stressed out in a 4-year old kind of way... then he was stunned to discover hundreds of people waiting for him when he entered the room <img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/wink_smile.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> ... they did a beautiful Sand Ceremony together...<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />Jessica & Matt's personalized vows at Valleybrook Country Club (Blackwood) where they vowed "to be bad-ass full-time" as part of their vows :) ... and I played Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" on guitar as the bridesmaids walked down the aisle. And in spite of these lighthearted touches, this was a remarkably heartfelt and sincere ceremony! <br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Lauren & Frank's really cool wedding at Studio 450 in Manhattan 6/20/09... I met some cool nuns from their family afterwards... "That Guitar Guy" from Central Park did the music... <br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />Melissa and Luis' wedding in Spanish, surrounded by trees in Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park by the Cloisters 6/19/09... a hot day but great!<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Two great weddings at Crystal Plaza for Mike and Thanuja (sunny and gorgeous in the gazebo garden out back) and Camila and Fernando (indoors, where I said some things in Portuguese and English including the Unity Candle... and they presented roses to their parents and each other. <i>Agora pode beijar a noiva! (you may now kiss the bride)</i><br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> A sunny wedding at Crystal Springs in Vernon for Stephanie and Louis (his family is from the same village in Sicily as Sinatra and Lucky Luciano... 40 minutes from where my family is from (Ciminna))<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />Cheryl and Greg, a sweet couple, were married at Carlstadt's Il Villaggio...<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />Suehaydee & Juan's beautiful sunny wedding <i>en Español</i> at Garden Cathay in Plattekill, NY...<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Desiree & Walter's delightful <i>Español</i> nuptials at Florentine Gardens...<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Victor & Ydalim's bilingual <i>Español</i> ceremony at Voorhees Chapel on the Rutgers campus... it was warm in there but so was the love in the air :)<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />Deirdre & Fabiano's fun wedding at the American Legion in Edgewater... I played guitar for the processional and recessional...<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" />Karissa & Matt who flew in from Wyoming to marry at the Jersey City Hyatt overlooking the Hudson on a real sunny picture-perfect Monday...<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/regular_smile.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> baby Gabriel's baptism in the sunny backyard with loving parents Kerry & Jared, who I was honored to marry in Nyack back on 7/7/07!<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Mandyjane & Dan's sunset ceremony in the courtyard of the Olde Mill Inn, can't go wrong at such a nice place! We did a nature-inspired blessing of the rings with water, sweetgrass and herbs which everyone loved...<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Gina and Jeffrey's wedding at one of the best kept secrets on cool locations: Adega Grill in Newark! A beautiful small room with amazing fireplace backdrop and ambience, and amazing tapas from the cuisine of Spain/Portugal (I was able to stay for the cocktail hour and glad I did!) <br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Richard and Annie at the stunning White Meadow Lake in Rockaway NJ, where I got to walk down the aisle to the crooning sounds of Tom Waits during the processional - how cool is that! They are a fun and laid-back couple and we had a perfect day overlooking a perfect lake...<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Heather and Marvin at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Laguardia... where I sang "The Wedding Song" with guitar and sang Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" at the close.... Heather shed some soft tears, and her sweet sister Dawn could not do her reading because she burst into tears at that point, so they just held hands while I read it for her... and what a memorable wedding this was! Tears are not a bad thing, folks... it proves that you feel something and what's more moving than that?<br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93202009-08-23T18:05:00-04:002017-01-11T08:09:23-05:00Backyard Weddings Can Be Great!Here are some of the ultra-cool backyard weddings I've done this summer of 2009. Sometimes a backyard wedding comes out greater than a banquet hall wedding. What counts is the feeling, and the people, and the love!<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Marlena and Mariusz had a beautiful wedding in their backyard in Clifton in August. It was sunny, I played guitar and officiated, and they had some great Polish food afterwards... what a happy couple and families.<br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Jessica and Jerry had a great backyard wedding in July catered by Famous Dave's BBQ... I know I'm a minister but I have to recommend their "Devil's Spit" BBQ sauce <img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/devil_smile.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> The ceremony was fun, moving and lighthearted and I played some Grateful Dead on guitar for the processional and recessional... and their 60-something Aunt who had been to the original Woodstock, sang a mean soprano version of "I Love Rock and Roll" in karaoke! <img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/shades_smile.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Sharon and Rick's "BBQ With a Wedding on the Side" behind the Raritan Inn in Califon NJ, June '09... this was a blast! A lighthearted, shy, sweet middle-aged couple thrilled to be joining their lives together... after which they tapped some kegs of good beer, had every backyard game you can think of from bocce ball to badminton to horseshoes to a rubber duckie race in the creek that the whole extended family participated in... this is the way it's done, folks! Easily one of the most memorable and unique weddings I've ever officiated.<br><br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> The best wedding I've ever done was a surprise wedding at a backyard crab-boil & BBQ in Salem, NJ. Only the bride & groom and I were in on the secret... & the family was blown away! Moms and Aunts were screaming like it was the Beatles on Ed Sullivan! Just goes to show you, it doesn't necessarily take oodles of money to make an amazing wedding!<br><br><img src="//bandzoogle.com/common/FCKEditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/heart.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /> Rodolfo and Kyle Melissa had a beautiful wedding in June in the backyard of The Pillars B&B in North Plainfield. Usually my weddings are 15-30 minutes depending what you pick... for this one we pulled out all the stops. It was about an hour, but not at all boring. It was entirely in English and Spanish... and we honored their children, did an amazing authentic Handfasting ceremony (British Isles) with the kids where the bride & groom's hands were tied loosley together; Sharing of Wine & Exchange of Roses, a Unity Candle lighting with the kids, and they also gave Family Medallions to their kids as a symbol of the new family emerging. It was a fabulous ceremony. <br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93182009-05-28T06:10:00-04:002009-05-28T06:10:00-04:00A Beautiful BaptismOn Sunday May 24, 2009, I was honored to officiate a very special baby blessing/baptism for sweet baby James, 9-month old son of Kerry and Oliver. The ceremony was in a private room at the Salt Creek Grille in Princeton, NJ. James' mom Kerry's excitement for the special day was very contagious! I began the ceremony by playing the <i>mbira</i>, a small handheld finger harp. It is traditionally used in Zimbabwe for prayer and meditation, and it sounds like a lullaby. It lent the right spiritual tone to the start of our ceremony, helping everyone to relax and leave the worries of everyday life behind them. Then we had an Opening Prayer, a Naming Ceremony, Naming of the Godparents and Grandparents. (James even had a great-grandmother present!) We listened to James Taylor's song "Sweet Baby James" as everyone envisioned their future hopes and prayers for James' future, and then we anointed James with water, lemon (for when life is sour), and honey (for when life is sweet). Everyone was enriched by the ceremony on this beautiful sunny day.<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93172009-05-18T07:35:00-04:002009-05-18T07:35:00-04:00Cool Wedding at Lory's LakesideOn May 16, 2009, I was honored to officiate a really cool wedding at Lory's Lakeside in North Brunswick, for Pamela and Eric. A beautiful location on perhaps the last unspoiled bit of lakefront real estate in Jersey : ) It was a cloudy day at first, but right as our radiant bride Pamela came down the aisle at 12:30 in the afternoon, the sun came out and started beaming with radiance as well. Paulie, their 4-year old son and ringbearer, held the rings on the coolest ringbearer pillow I've ever seen: shaped like a 4 x 4 truck that said "Bad To The Bone". This is definitely the way to a little guy's heart. <br>
The ceremony contained a beautiful reading of e.e. cummings' poem "I carry your heart with me", which sounded magical in the idyllic springtime lake setting. Then two friends of the bride and groom sang a heartfelt rendition of the Moldy Peaches' "Anyone Else But You". (The lyrics about the pebbles and trees rang true in the glen of trees surrounding us.) I read a verse in Italian in honor of Pam's deceased father. The couple exchanged lovely vows in unison, and the congregation said some vows as well! (A resounding "WE WILL!" to give the couple all their love and support.) Top that off with a colorful Sand Ceremony with son Paulie, and the release of gorgeous and COOPERATIVE butterflies (they often have a mind of their own), and you have one really cool and heartfelt wedding!<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93152009-02-14T05:15:00-05:002009-02-14T05:15:00-05:00Valentine's Day in chilly Central ParkOn Valentine's Day I officiated Patrizia and Joe's wedding in Central Park's Conservatory Gardens. It was a nice sunny day, although quite cold. But our brave bride Patrizia happily processed down the hugest aisle ever, from the iron gate at 105th St. & 5th Ave. all the way to the balcony at the rear of the gardens where we awaited her, in a short-sleeved dress! And she didn't look too cold either. In that moment I believe she was walking on cloud nine, so maybe she didn't feel the chill. It was a nice and very romantic ceremony for two lovely people whose families are both from the same village in Sicily, although the bride and groom are both born and raised in America. They went on to a nice reception at the Waldorf-Astoria where I'm sure it was nice and warm :)<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93162009-02-06T05:30:00-05:002009-02-06T05:30:00-05:00An Irish Wedding In BrooklynOn February 6, I was able to fulfill a dream of mine by speaking some Irish in a wedding ceremony. Being 25% of Irish descent, it's a language I've studied on and off for the past 9 years, but I'd never gotten a request to use it on the job! Until now... when I was privileged to officiate a beautiful heartfelt ceremony for the wedding of Roisin (pronounced Ro-sheen) and Frank. It was at a cool little restaurant called Chez Oskar in Brooklyn. Many of Roisin's family still live in Ireland, in County Clare I believe, and flew here for the big day. They were charming and very friendly, as the Irish are known to be. They also gave me last-minute coaching on Irish pronunciation before the ceremony, especially the bride's young niece who was probably 10 or 11 years old, and spoke much better Irish than I! During the ceremony we said the Our Father in Irish, and I also gave the benediction "May The Road Rise To Meet You" in Irish and English. It's a beautiful language, you can check it out at with sound samples at <a href="http://www.daltai.com" target="_new">www.daltai.com</a> . The bride and groom were elated to be together, and the ceremony included loosely tying their hands together in the ancient Irish tradition of "handfasting", with a cloth that I believe was actually a family heirloom of her grandmother.<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93142008-12-01T15:30:00-05:002008-12-01T15:30:00-05:00Dog Eats Love NoteOn November 29, I officiated Ellen and Paul's wedding in a cozy apartment overlooking Central Park. They have a beautiful story of how they began dating: she lived across the hall from him 5 years ago, and when he was widowed, she wanted to reach out to him. His adorable little dog was barking all the time, so she wrote a note to him asking if he needed anything, perhaps she could walk the dog for him some time... and she left the note under the door. As it turned out, Paul's dog ate the note, and Paul discovered the chomped-on paper still in his dog's mouth. He was still able to read the note, took Ellen up on her offer, and the rest is history!<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93132008-11-08T14:45:00-05:002019-11-21T05:36:37-05:00Bride Forges Groom's Ring!On November 8, I officiated Rebecca and Ari's wedding ceremony at Upper Crust Caterers in Manhattan. Rebecca is a creative person who came up with the ultimate wedding gift to craft for her groom: his wedding band! Having taken a class on metallurgy in college, she located a metalworking studio in the city, purchased the metals (white gold for the base, platinum in the middle, and a small stripe of silver), and spent 12 hours in the lab forging the ring! Check out the before and after pictures below (wedding photo by Dante Williams Photography):<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/57208/54fd6d7ff07c0f656dcdb258b2b34da2bfabedd0/original/ring-wed-3-BEFORE.jpg?1381154406" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="414" width="426" /><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/57208/821d0fcdc3e5725925eadd9bc3b4f5748ebdf236/original/ring-wed-2-RING.jpg?1381154406" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="206" width="254" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/57208/f603641b11eb3c32cca286b7a1a4150ddc8a3d7b/medium/ring-wed-4-stud.jpg?1381154406" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="200" width="300" /><br><br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93122008-10-22T18:14:40-04:002019-11-07T17:43:39-05:00An Eerie Wedding Tale for Hallowe'enHere's an story that was told to me on October 10 by the nice lady running the snack bar at Allaire State Park in NJ. <br>
I was waiting for a bride to arrive for a wedding in the historic chapel there. I bought a bottle of water from the snack bar lady and explained that I was waiting for the bride, who was running late.<br>
The snack bar attendant said to me, "You know, when my sister was about to get married, she was late too. She got cold feet."<br>
"Cold feet?" I asked.<br>
"Yes, she was in the limo, driving to the church, and when the limo got close to the church she suddenly said, 'I don't know if I want to go through with this. Can we circle around the church a few times to give me some time to think?'<br>
The limo driver started to circle around the surrounding streets, while the bride's father tried to put her at ease. 'Honey, if you don't want to go through with this, I understand. It's ok. I'll go in the church and tell everyone the wedding is off, and we'll still have the reception dinner anyway, since it's paid for.'<br>
The bride took about 10 minutes to think it over, and finally she resolved, 'I'm ready. I still want to go through with it. I'm ready to get married.' <br>
(She and the groom had been together about 8 years. They had a good solid relationship. She wasn't sure why she'd been suddenly having second thoughts. But it was ok, she was ready now, she had made up her mind.)<br>
They went on to have the wedding, and it was a great day.<br><br>
Eight months later, the bride received a call from the groom at his workplace. He wasn't feeling well, and was finding blood in places it shouldn't be.<br>
By the end of the day, he was in a coma, and soon died, at age 30 (!).<br>
The new bride, as his legal spouse, was stuck with $50,000 in medical bills which she had to pay.<br>
She paid every last penny," the snack bar lady concluded.<br><br>
Maybe those last minute jitters were trying to tell her something?<br><br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93112008-10-22T17:50:00-04:002008-10-22T17:50:00-04:00October SurpriseLet me tell you, this October has been an interesting month for weddings! Like the one 2 weeks ago where the future mother-in-law told the bride on the morning of the wedding, "I don't want you to marry my son..." - yes, this really happened. You would never know from the ceremony, though, because it was really beautiful, whether measured by the amazing 70-degree sunshine or the love that just seemed to burst forth from this adorable couple. God bless them for surmounting the last-minute attempt at poisoning their special day!<br><br>
Weddings bring out some intense feelings. My Italian grandma always reminds me of what happened to her on her wedding day back around 1940: her new mother-in-law caused an outburst by shouting in the middle of the reception, "You stole my son! You took my son!" It was very dramatic, and Grandma felt so embarrassed that she still feels the sting some 68 years later.<br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93102008-07-28T18:15:56-04:002022-06-01T14:27:50-04:00Groom Surprises Bride With Wedding!On Saturday July 26, I officiated a very unique wedding: it was actually a surprise to the bride!<br><br>
David (the groom) and the bride's younger sister Cindy hatched a great plan: to give Nancy (the unsuspecting bride) a surprise 30th birthday party, and at the same time, have a minister present (me) ready to marry them on the spot! <br><br>
A little background: Nancy & David have been engaged for several years, but had put off the marriage planning. Nancy actually had wished all the planning could be magically taken care of, and was eager to marry. So this plan was set to be the perfect remedy.<br><br>
All the guests were in on the surprise. When David brought his blindfolded bride-to-be into the backyard and everyone yelled "Surprise!", she was thrilled at this surprise birthday bash in her honor, but found herself a bit curious about the decorated archway in the front of the backyard. David then used the DJ's microphone to tell his fiance that they were about to be married, and she was ELATED! There were tears of joy.<br><br>
The bride's sister had picked out a beautiful wedding dress for the bride that fit perfectly, and 15 minutes later we began this beautiful ceremony. Nancy & David poured sands into a vase together with their 2 daughters, signifying the blending together of their 4 lives into a marriage and family. They said their vows, we had some meaningful readings, exchanged rings, and there was not a dry eye in the yard. Truly a one-of-a-kind ceremony for two lovely people!<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93092008-07-25T18:25:00-04:002008-07-25T18:25:00-04:00Wedding Sprinkler Surprise!!Gotta love it when the management at a golf course/country club forgets to turn off the outdoor sprinkler timer before a wedding! This actually happened at Susan & Noah's nuptials on July 19, at a country club in South Jersey which shall remain nameless... We were all set to begin the ceremony, the 50 or so guests were all seated in white folding chairs on the lawn in front of the classic gazebo; the sun was shining radiantly on the beautiful setting; the groom Noah was waiting eagerly, and the first bridesmaid was processing down the aisle when all of a sudden... the automatic sprinklers in the lawn BENEATH & AROUND THE GUESTS' SEATS went off at full-tilt, soaking everyone!! The bridesmaid was the first casualty, then the guests suddenly realized that water was spraying them at full velocity from beneath their seats...! As the videographers ran for cover shielding their expensive cameras, the DJ frantically ran to protect his equipment by grabbing one metal sprinkler spigot in the ground and re-aiming it, only to hit a female guest square in the back of her dress! Yes it was high comedy, folks, and that was the only way to see it after the initial shock. Besides, it was pretty much the hottest day all summer, easily in the mid-90s, and let's face it, I wished the water had hit me too (I was protected in the gazebo).<br>
After everyone shared a laugh, the seats were dried off, we started over from the top, and after a little joke about the groom Noah's wedding "flood" we proceeded to have a really beautiful and heartfelt ceremony.<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93082008-06-22T17:40:00-04:002017-01-11T08:09:22-05:00Old-Fashioned Irish Wedding<i><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);"></span></b></span></i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">Rev. Phil Passantino</span> is now available for</b></i><b> <span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);"><br>
Weddings and Baptisms</span> </b><i><b>in </b></i></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="./ireland.cfm"><i><b>Ireland</b></i></a><i><b>.</b></i><b><br><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);">Phone: +353 766 060 827</span><br><br>
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to reserve your Amazing Ceremony!<br><i><br>
www.AmazingCeremony.com</i></b><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);"></span></span><br><br><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">On June 21, 2008 I officiated Amanda and Jack's wedding on the roof of the Metro Hotel in downtown Manhattan, USA. (It was a hot day, let me tell ya!) <br><br>
Amanda is from Ireland :)<br><br>
Jack actually proposed to her at the top of Croagh Patrick, Ireland's sacred mountain and a pilgrimage place for Catholics & for all who are inspired by Ireland's pre-Christian traditions (SEE PHOTO BELOW). I recently saw an episode of the TV show "Catholic Ireland" which was about making the journey to the mountain's summit; and believe it or not, the very next day I met Amanda & Jack for the first time and they told me their connection with Croagh Patrick. An interesting bit of serendipity...</span></span><br><br><img src="//media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/96/33196-004.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><b>THE MOUNTAIN OF CROAGH PATRICK, IRELAND</b><br><br>
The ceremony we did was mostly traditional, including rings & prayers. They wrote their own heartfelt vows. Amanda told Jack that he was truly her "Anam Cara" (Irish for soulmate). We also honored Amanda & Jack's lovely children. But the most special & unique part of this wedding to me was the ancient Irish/Celtic tradition of "Hand-fasting". This is the original way that Irish weddings were conducted, hundreds and perhaps thousands of year ago: Amanda & Jack held each other arm in arm, while I draped a beautiful sash with a Celtic weave design on it (handmade by Amanda!!) over their hands, tying it loosely. Then we blessed their hands. <br><br><img src="//www.magicalomaha.com/jbHandfasting.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br>
I assure you, this ceremony is unforgettable and whether you're Irish or not, it has a lot of meaning and beauty. Other cultures have similar traditions: I've officiated several Filipino weddings where a cord and veil are tied around the couple. What better symbolism for a wedding ceremony, than to tie the two people together?<br>
(Amanda & Jack's hands remained tied together only for a few minutes, and the sash was removed after they kissed, but we carefully preserved the knot as a keepsake - the ancient tradition is that as long as the knot remains tied, their marriage will stay together...)<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93072008-06-15T03:50:00-04:002021-12-21T07:56:37-05:00Wedding In An Idyllic ValleyThe <a target="_new" href="http://www.flandersvalleyweddings.com/">Flanders Valley Inn</a> in Flanders, NJ, is set in an idyllic rural valley in Morris County. Driving into this area for Lisa & Peter's wedding this weekend, the sun shining down made me feel like I was driving into the valley of Eden. With a setting so picturesque, it's no wonder the Flanders Valley Inn is still a top wedding location even in this recession time.<br><br>
The weddings here are always at the outdoor gazebo. Bob, the owner, is very friendly & easygoing. <br><br>
Lisa & Peter make a great couple. They were both very excited as they exchanged their vows. They had 2 readings; their friend Matt read the "faith, hope, love" reading from Corinthians, & their friend Ben read the Apache Marriage Blessing, which is very popular and beautiful and yet simple. Ben grew up in Bar Harbor, Maine (below) next to Acadia National Park(!). This was a favorite camping destination of my family when I was a kid. I asked him what it was like growing up in <i>that </i>idyllic location, & he agreed that, yes, he was definitely extremely lucky & spoiled! Only in high school did he start to realize that not every kid grows up in Eden.<br><br><img src="//photos.code65536.com/images/dscf3112.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="375" width="500" /><br>
Above: ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Bar Harbor, Maine<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92912008-06-14T17:50:00-04:002018-03-08T05:25:26-05:00An American PilgrimageI just have to write something about the last leg of a spiritual road trip I took last week:<br><i> (Earlier blog entries about it follow below)</i><br><br>
1) If you've never seen the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, you're missin' out!<br>
This is the Gateway to the West, wrapped in all the mythos of frontier America.<br><br><img src="//www.netmannaministries.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/st-louis-arch-address.27124057_std.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><br>
2) Afterwards, my girlfriend & I crossed the Mississippi River to visit the nearby <a target="_new" href="http://www.cahokiamounds.com/cahokia.html">Cahokia Indian Mounds</a> (below) in Illinois. These are huge 1000-year-old manmade mounds reminiscent of Mayan pyramids, made by the Cahokia "mound builder" people (Native Americans). <br><img src="//www.brewsteralexander.com/dar/mound.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br>
Atop the so-called "Monk's Mound" (above) was where the Cahokia people held their spiritual ceremonies. As we reached the summit, it was beautiful and certainly felt like sacred ground to me. I was reminded of the Bible verse: "Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy."<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92902008-06-14T17:34:07-04:002008-06-14T17:34:07-04:00A Singer Makes All The DifferenceToday I officiated Chrissi & Jeff's beautiful wedding at the Best Western Inn at Hunt's Landing in Matamoras, Pennsylvania. <br><br>
Weather forced the ceremony to be moved indoors, but no problem: the indoor ceremony room is quite elegant and I've officiated many fabulous weddings in there. Anyway, our bride & groom were definitely feelin' the vibe from the get-go, but the magical energy really cranked up a notch when Chrissi's niece Mallory sang a sweet, pure & extremely heartfelt rendition of a pop ballad called "I Turn To You". Suddenly the emotion in the room was so palpable. Mallory's innocent and sincere voice touched every heart in the room. You can almost always feel the magic at a wedding ceremony, but some ceremonies just take your breath away... this was surely one. <br><br>
Other nice touches to the ceremony included a Unity Candle lighting, a Hands Blessing, and the couple recited unique vows in unison. Not to mention the recessional hymn: the Ramones' rockin' version of "What a Wonderful World". This was one to remember!<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93062008-06-10T06:25:00-04:002017-01-11T08:09:22-05:00Smoky Mountain Wedding<img src="//www.meadowcreekmountain.com/moonshinemeadow1.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="375" width="500" /><br><br><br>
I traveled down to Parrottville, Tennessee to officiate my good friend Paul DeCirce's wedding to his sweetheart Erica on June 7, 2008. The wedding was on the front lawn at the beautiful Moonshine Meadow cabin at <a href="http://www.meadowcreekmountain.com/moonshinemeadow.htm" target="_new">Meadow Creek Resort </a>in the Smoky Mountains.<br><br>
It was a beautiful intimate ceremony with some <a href="http://www.cherokeemuseum.org/index.html" target="_new">Cherokee</a> spirituality woven in, to honor the <a href="http://www.cherokeemuseum.org/index.html" target="_new">Cherokee</a> people who originally inhabited that area. We began by honoring the Four Directions, a unique and extremely profound way to begin a wedding ceremony. It really helps you to get your bearings in this big world and even bigger universe. We also included a beautiful Cherokee Wedding Blessing, and we blessed the rings with sage, juniper and sweetgrass, 3 herbs which are sacred to native peoples (and they smell great). The weather was sunny, hot, and gorgeous. I wish Paul & Erica a lifetime of holy happiness.<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93052008-06-10T06:05:00-04:002017-01-11T08:09:22-05:00Pilgrimage to Dr. King's Legacy<img src="//photos.igougo.com/images/p145699-Memphis-Lorraine_Motel.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br>
In Memphis, Tennessee on a mini-vacation, my girlfriend & I have stumbled upon the Lorraine Motel, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 (40 years & 2 months ago). It has been completely preserved! Like stepping back in time, it looks exactly like it did then, with a huge wreath hanging on the very spot where Dr. King fell on the balcony. The amazing thing is, the hotel interior has been very appropriately converted into the <a target="_new" href="http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/">National Civil Rights Museum</a>. This museum traces the whole history of the struggle, in a very moving way, culminating in a path through Room 306 where King last slept. His room is exactly as it was when he last left it, dirty dishes, cigarrette butts & all! While Mahalia Jackson sings "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" over the speakers... this is a tremendously moving shrine. After standing at Elvis' grave yesterday, and Dr. King's today, this is turning into a real spiritual pilgrimage. (I don't place Elvis & Dr. King in the same category, but each surely deserves tons of respect.) <br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92882008-06-10T05:55:00-04:002017-01-11T08:09:22-05:00Care of the Soul, Memphis-style <img src="//www.rockandrollplanet.com/images/450_102_1612.JPG" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br>
I made a pilgrimage this week to Memphis, Tennessee on a spontaneous road trip.<br>
First stop was Graceland, on Elvis Presley Boulevard. I was never a huge Elvis fan, but recently I've been performing a lot of his tunes for seniors at nursing homes, and they really love him. So here I am, payin' my respects. <br><br>
By today's standards, his mansion is pretty modest. And believe me, from cell phone to internet to DVD and Directv, you are way richer than Elvis was! <br>
His career retrospective was truly amazing, though. In its highest, purest form, what's more spiritual than rock & roll? I find it moving and rejuvenating. <br><br>
Graceland's motto on billboards throughout Memphis is "Graceland: Where Elvis Lives."<br>
Eerily enough, I am getting the feeling his spirit is still lingering around in there.<br>
At night the estate is all lit up with colored lights; the only thing I can compare it to is standing outside of the White House at night, knowing someone real important is in there right now. And you feel the same way here. It feels like he didn't die, like someone is still definitely home! Has Elvis really left the building? :)<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93042008-06-02T16:03:21-04:002008-06-02T16:03:21-04:00Getting Married In A Bank!I recently married Candice and Raymond in a bank in Easton, Pennsylvania!<br>
But not a Commerce Bank or PNC Bank (though that would be interesting)...<br>
actually this is a historic bank called the Bank Street Annex. <br>
I believe it dates from the turn of the century, I guess they really took banking seriously back in the day because this place is a work of art!<br>
The acoustics are like a cathedral, so my voice carried very well without a mic or any yelling :)<br>
And there are huge historic coins decorating the walls.<br>
Candice wrote a lot of unique things for me to incorporate into the ceremony... it was unique and very memorable.<br><br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93032008-06-02T15:58:55-04:002008-06-02T15:58:55-04:00Islands In The StreamOn June 1, I officiated Bonnie and Scott's wedding at Fratelli's Ristorante On The Lake, Sparta, NJ. It was my first wedding there. The couple had originally been booked at Zoe's in Sparta but I think that place went out of business or something.<br>
Fratelli's is on a pretty lake with a few small islands in the water.<br>
Reminded me of that Dolly Parton/Kenny Rogers song "Islands In The Stream"<br>
So I quoted the lyrics that I could remember, in the ceremony. They are appropriate in any wedding: "Islands in the stream, that is what we are... sail away with me, to another world, and we'll rely on each other."<br>
It was a really memorable ceremony, everyone loved it! <br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93022008-06-02T15:55:03-04:002008-06-02T15:55:03-04:00Pleasantdale Chateau is "the bomb"On May 30 I officiated Melissa and Hiram's wedding at the Pleasantdale Chateau.<br>
That place is utterly beautiful! It reminds me of a castle inside and out.<br>
This was my first outdoor wedding there, an it was by a pond with a quaint bridge.<br>
Really great landscaping there. My previous weddings there were in the grand ballroom, which is also stunning. Hiram and Melissa's families were from Ecuador and Puerto Rico, so each table at the reception was decorated with a photo of a certain landmark from those places. The weather was nice and the staff was very helpful. It really is like stepping back in time.<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93012008-05-28T08:00:00-04:002008-05-28T08:00:00-04:00Museums Are The New ChurchYesterday I attended the <a href="http://www.AMNH.org%20" target="_new">American Museum of Natural History in NYC</a>. <br>
Hadn't been there since 1993.<br>
I was blown away. <br>
Many people seem to see a great conflict between science and religion.<br>
I don't. I think they intersect in an amazing way.<br>
Visiting the Planetarium show "Cosmic Collisions" and the renovated "Hall of Human Origins", my scope of the universe and God and the infinite was greatly broadened.<br>
In the "Hall of Vertebrates" the evidence is all around you that we are related to every other living thing on this planet. We're all cousins, we all have DNA.<br>
It was very humbling, and the awe that it inspired in me and others, that sense of true wonder, is what worship and religion is all about, right?<br>
I love attending different churches, but I have to say that museums like this can also offer a very powerful worship experience. <br>
We're in a multimedia age, and having technology and video displays as part of these exhibits makes them more accessible and "alive".<br>
Two other musuems which are like churches to me are the <a href="http://www.nmai.si.edu/" target="_new">Smithsonian Museums of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. & NYC.</a> <br>
The NY exhibit "Listening To Our Ancestors" is as spiritual as it gets! <br>
So is the D.C. museum's "Our Universes" exhibit.<br>
I highly recommend any of these 21st century temples.<br><br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/93002008-05-04T19:10:00-04:002017-01-11T08:09:22-05:00May 2008: Historic NJ Churches!<img src="//www.njht.org/dca/njht/images/sitedetails/locktown-stone-church.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br>
I recently officiated weddings at some classic historic churches in New Jersey, and wanted to share them with you. On April 26 I officiated Dolan and Salvatore's wedding at <a href="http://www.locktownstonechurch.org/" target="_new">Locktown Stone Church</a> (above) in Locktown (Delaware Township), NJ, built in 1819! <br><br><br><img src="//www.njchurchscape.com/titled-OldClove.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><br>
And on May 3, I officiated the wedding of Michelle and Jason at <a href="http://www.wantagetwp.com/organizations/news/clovechurch_history.shtml" target="_parent">The Old Clove Church</a> (above) in Wantage, NJ, built in 1829! (originally built in 1787, but it burned down). Both churches are available for weddings by reservation; they no longer host congregations. <br><br>
It's great to step into history at these churches... if you're looking for a classic old-fashioned wedding location with a pulpit and a real country feel, check these out. These are definitely spiritual places.<br type="_moz">Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92982008-04-23T06:22:53-04:002008-04-23T06:22:53-04:00April: Portobello & Wedding Crasher Wannabes!On April 12, I officiated a wedding at Portobello in Oakland. <br>
Fran is the amazing hostess there, so friendly, and you could say she commands a tightly-run ship. The food is great, and the rooms available for ceremonies have beautiful fireplaces and elegant decor.<br>
After the ceremony, I was speaking with the bride and groom, Donna and Nick.<br>
Both were in their 40's and thrilled to have found love again in their lives.<br>
Donna suddenly motioned to two gentlemen in their mid-20s, who were helping themselves to some wine and beer. "Who are they?" she whispered. "I don't recognize them, are they supposed to be here?" <br>
I then reached over to one of the young men, tapped him on the shoulder and said, "The bride wants you." The man looked to her and she asked him politely, "Hi. Who are you here with?" He replied, "Oh. I'm here for the wedding." She said, "I don't recognize you. Did we invite you?" The man then began to stammer and tried to spin a story, with an embarassed grin on his face. It soon became obvious that he and his friend had seen the movie "Wedding Crashers" once too many times, and thought they too could pull it off.<br>
A moment later, they were busted, Fran was giving them the tongue lashing of their life, and they were being escorted to the door.<br>
For all the bride has to do on this momentous occasion, Donna sure was keen-eyed and on top of things. No one could pull a fast one on her or slip past her watchful eye. Best wishes to her and Nick for a beautiful future together. Rest assured Nick, she's always got your back!<br>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92862008-03-02T12:16:18-05:002017-02-01T14:09:36-05:00March 2008: The Graycliff, the great salsa singer Joe Arroyo, & Crescent Lodge<span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">I recently officiated weddings at two very cool places:</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.thegraycliff.com/" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">The Graycliff</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> in Moonachie, run by Spiro, creates a great, almost royal atmosphere for indoor weddings!</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> I've done many weddings there, but I'm always stunned by the elegance.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> A great place for a magical ceremony. Great food. You won't be disappointed.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> The couple I married here is Jennifer and Nestor.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> Nestor's family is from Barranquilla, Colombia, a place I visited during their famous </span><a href="http://www.carnavaldebarranquilla.org/" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Carnaval.</a><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> My favorite salsa singer, </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iTciFmuilM" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Joe Arroyo</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">, is from there. I saw him perform live when I visited Colombia during Carnaval 2005 and it was a dream come true!</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> Another great place similar to The Graycliff is </span><a href="http://www.pleasantdale.com/home.html" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Pleasantdale Chateau</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> (in West Orange, NJ). It's like a castle! If you've ever been there you know what I mean. It is truly a country chateau somehow hiding in the midst of suburbia. Go there and you're back in time at a Duke and Duchesses' manor or something.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> On March 1, I did my first wedding at </span><a href="http://www.crescentlodge.com/" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Crescent Lodge</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> in the Poconos, PA.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> A very homey, warm atmosphere with fireplace charm and a sense of yesteryear.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> The staff was awesome and very helpful.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> If you want nostalgia in a woodsy setting as only the Poconos can provide,</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> I recommend it! You can sleep there too.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;"> Amy and Jim exchanged their vows in front of the downstairs fireplace, an intimate private room for their 10 or so guests. It was so homey and comfortable, it felt like I was at my Grandma's or something!</span>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92852008-02-25T07:22:52-05:002008-02-25T07:22:52-05:00Breathtaking Ceremony Locations<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">On Feb. 23, 2008, I officiated the wedding of Rich and Deanna at the historic <a href="http://www.smithvilleinn.com">Smithville Inn</a> in Smithville, NJ, 15 miles from Atlantic City. A lit fireplace can add unbelievable warmth and atmosphere to a wedding ceremony, and the blazing hearth glowing behind us during this wedding made for a truly breathtaking effect! Not to mention, the love between Deanna and Rich as they looked in each others' eyes was very palpable, and had the whole room hypnotized.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"> Bottom line: The Smithville Inn is a great place for a fireplace wedding, easily in my top 5 locations where I've performed a ceremony.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"> The others are (in no particular order): </span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"> 1) on the beach at The Water's Edge, Sea Bright NJ; </span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"> 2) on the beach at The Ocean Place Resort, Long Branch NJ; </span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"> 3) <a href="http://208.111.229.168/Wedding/Wedding_woodland_chapel.asp">Woodland Chapel</a> at Stroudsmoor Country Inn, Stroudsburg, PA; (an amazing grove in the woods above a waterfall)</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"> 4) The Brownstone, Paterson NJ, on a cold day in front of a lit fireplace.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"> Also, I would love to perform a ceremony at </span><a href="http://www.columcille.org" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Columcille Park</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"> in Bangor, PA.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"> This place is inspired by ancient Ireland and there's nowhere like it.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"> So if you're getting married there, please let me know!</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.columcille.org" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">www.columcille.org</a>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92992008-02-09T16:25:54-05:002008-02-09T16:25:54-05:002/8/08 - Mexican/Celtic Wedding!Last night I officiated a wedding for Susanna and Quetzalcoatl at Cappucino's Restaurant in Poughkeepsie, NY. The groom is Mexican, and the bride is Irish, Welsh, Scottish, English, German, Austrian, Bulgarian, and Native American! They wrote their own vows, which they recited in English and Spanish, and the whole ceremony was completely bilingual. Their vows were truly heartfelt, and were real "tear-jerkers" for them and all their witnesses. That's what a good wedding ceremony is all about... you have to "feel it." It was very affectionate and beautiful.<br>
I stayed with my girlfriend Maria for the reception, and it started out mild-mannered, but as the evening unfolded we participated in some really cool and festive Mexican traditions. These included the Dance of the Monkey, a song where you dance to pretend you are a monkey and other fun things; and the "Snake of the Sea" Dance (<span style="font-style: italic;">La Vivora de la Mar</span>) which is where all the girls form a snake/train and swerve around crazily trying to knock down the bride and groom from their pedestals; and then all the guys form a snake and do the same. That was fun! There were some other fun traditions, which I won't go into here - except one of them involved taking off the groom's shoes and filling them with Coca Cola! It was beautiful to experience some Mexican culture at full tilt. What a fun reception and great customs! If you ever have the opportunity to attend a Mexican or half-Mexican wedding, don't miss it.<br>
(If you are looking for a Mexican DJ I recommend their DJ, Sonido Super Loco at 845-380-9134)Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92922008-01-27T09:49:59-05:002008-01-27T09:49:59-05:00Chimp in the wedding party!Yesterday I officiated Stacy and Al's wedding at The Tides in North Haledon. Believe it or not, they had a chimpanzee in their wedding party! Louie the Chimpanzee walked down the aisle right before the bride, escorted by his trainer. It was different, and awesome! Everyone in the room absolutely loved it, as Louie shook hands with attendees as he processed down the aisle. His presence allowed everyone to relax and be at ease. What a memorable ceremony! Louie's online home is <a href="http://www.monk-biz.com">www.monk-biz.com</a><br>
Photo courtesy of <a target="_new" href="http://www.kondreckstudios.com/">www.kondreckstudios.com</a> of Belleville, NJ - you can e-mail them at <font size="3"><font face="Arial"><a href="mailto:kondreckstudios@comcast.net">kondreckstudios@comcast.net</a></font></font>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92972008-01-04T04:02:06-05:002008-01-04T04:02:06-05:00Irish traditionsI am part Irish. Listening to music live from Ireland, the thought occurred to me:<br>
1) The drum beat of the <span style="font-style: italic;">bodhran</span> (hand drum) is a tribute to our prehistoric origins.<br>
It's probably the earliest instrument we have, and playing it must be a call to those distant ancestors who built great monuments like Stonehenge and Newgrange in 4000-2000 b.c.<br>
In Africa they say the thumb piano or <span style="font-style: italic;">mbira </span>is what they use to converse with their dead loved ones;<br>
in Ireland it would be the <span style="font-style: italic;">bodhran.</span><br><br>
You can listen live <br>
at: <a href="http://www.rte.ie/rnag/player_av.html??1,null,200,http://www.rte.ie/smiltest/rnag_new.smil">http://www.rte.ie/rnag/player_av.html??1,null,200,http://www.rte.ie/smiltest/rnag_new.smil<br><br></a>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92892008-01-04T03:55:17-05:002008-01-04T03:55:17-05:00Fainting bridesmaidI performed a wedding last week in East Hanover. The flower girl did a great job spreading her rose petals during the procession. Maybe she was too good: as the ceremony continued she had some rose petals left in her basket and was dumping them on the ground and then picking them up one by one, then dumping the basketful on the floor again. She did this through the first 5 minutes of the ceremony. It was cute, but the thought occurred to me: these rose petals have the effect of blessing the ceremony carpet. Is playing around with these sacred objects going to have some effect on the sacred space of the ceremony? <br><br>
A moment later we all heard a thud; one of the bridesmaids had fainted and keeled over on the floor! We paused the ceremony, many ran to the bridemaid's assistance, and she soon came to. Later the paramedics arrived, and all was fine. We continued the ceremony and it was beautiful and unforgettable. She hadn't eaten. But the flower girl playing with the rose petals probably didn't help :)<br><br>
Coincidence? Coincidence is how God speaks.Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92872008-01-04T03:47:00-05:002018-07-07T03:27:18-04:00New Year's Eve wedding, NYCOn New Year's Eve, I married Victoria and Tylor on the streets of Manhattan at 12:01 a.m.! <br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TBZGo99Tmk"><br>
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO<br></a><br>
They had wanted to marry in Times Square as the ball dropped, but this would have been tough to pull off. Then they planned to marry in front of the Rockefeller Xmas Tree at midnight, but the city turned off the tree lights at 9 pm! (And didn't tell us in advance)<br>
We eventually did a beautiful ceremony near midnight in front of some other lit xmas trees outside, as taxis honked and passersby looked on. They kissed at the stroke of midnight. Happy New Year!<br><br><div><font face="verdana" color="#007f40">Reverend Phil,</font></div>
<div><font face="verdana" color="#007f40">I just wanted to thank you again for making our day so perfect. Marriage so far is awesome! We are very happy together and have finally found an apartment so we spent this past weekend moving and settling. Mike and Charon took lots of pictures, so please let me know if you're interested in any. THANK YOU!</font></div>
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<div><font face="verdana" color="#007f40">-Victoria<br></font></div>
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<div><font face="Verdana" color="#007f40">Oh yes, and we have our Marriage Certificate now, thanks again!</font></div>Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92962007-12-25T17:07:52-05:002007-12-25T17:07:52-05:00Lighting the Yule Log 3 TimesThis year we held Yule Log Lightings in Long Island, Nutley and Orange. They were fun as always, as we rediscovered the old fashioned European traditions of Christmas. Next year I hope to bring this great family event to some new venues. People are always amazed at the things our ancestors did! But it's so good when we remember.Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92952007-12-25T17:03:11-05:002007-12-25T17:03:11-05:00Xmas Eve Chinese WeddingAt 6 pm on Xmas Eve, at Sunny Palace Chinese banquet hall in East Brunswick. A festive evening. Emily and Wilson were one of the first couples ever to meet on the internet! in 1994. 13 years later, they were so happy to be tying the knot at last!Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92942007-12-25T17:00:56-05:002007-12-25T17:00:56-05:00Xmas Eve Wedding, BklynA beautiful sunny noontime wedding on Dec. 24, outdoors on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. A bit windy but breathtaking, overlooking the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan's waterfront. Keith met Aleksandra when she came from Poland to the U.S. on a swimming scholarship. I added a greeting in Polish to the ceremony! (I speak a little Polish)Amazing Ceremonies tag:amazingceremonies.com,2005:Post/92932007-12-21T16:39:57-05:002007-12-21T16:39:57-05:00Winter Solstice Wedding at Rod's Steak House, Morristown 12/21/07A nice intimate wedding tonite on the winter solstice, and a good time to start this "Yule blog" of interesting weddings I've officiated. Rod's Steak House is intimate and cozy on a winter's eve... we did the ceremony in a beautiful box car located in one of the great train cars they have available to eat dinner in. Bride & Groom Gina and Matt were great, and we mentioned their cool 7-year-old son Matt in the ceremony. It was beautiful and they have a wonderful family. Thanks to their sister-in-law who said to me, "You should start a blog of all the interesting weddings you've done..." So here it is! Happy Holidays & Winter Solstice '07. A truly sacred moment of the year to get married!Amazing Ceremonies