Sat. 2/6/11: Right now preparing ceremony for a wedding this evening
at Kennedy School; Warm Springs couple being married; minister
couldn't make it. So groom came an hour ago and we decided on
ceremony. Full procession, flower girls, ringbearer - the works -
tuxes, et al. Oh my! Hopefully this will go well. More later.
Th, 2/24/11: Preparing for Mexican/American wedding next weekend;
Grandfather wrote a Spanish poem to commemorate his grandson's
marriage - pretty awesome!
And a couple from Warms Springs, getting married at Kennedy School
this weekend called yesterday to say that their officiant, a friend,
couldn't make it, so they were looking for an officiant. In case of
heavy snow, we can walk to Kennedy School, so we couldn't turn them
down. Up to Breitenbush for SSHR and hopefully lots of cross-country
skiable snow!
*Tues, 2/22/11: Great quote we received from couple we recently interviewed:
"Since you guys were the only ones we've met with so far that were able to
help us feel comfortable and "heard", it ended up being an easy decision.
We'd love to hire you guys to officiate at our wedding." *
Portland, OR, Tues, Feb 15, 2011} - WeddingWire, the nation�s leading
wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce YOUR PERSONAL
CEREMONY has been selected to receive the prestigious annual
WeddingWire Bride�s Choice Awards� 2011 for WEDDING OFFICIANTS.

Recognition for the Bride�s Choice Awards� 2011 is determined by
recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire
newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their
experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the
nation.

YOUR PERSONAL CEREMONY stands among the top five percent of wedding
professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and
service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to
the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from
wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the
overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

�WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated
wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,� said Timothy
Chi, WeddingWire�s Chief Executive Officer. �With the annual Bride�s
Choice Awards� program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to
recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We
applaud YOUR PERSONAL CEREMONY for their professionalism and
dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.�

We are happy to announce that YOUR PERSONAL CEREMONY is among the
very best WEDDING OFFICIANTS within the WeddingWire Network, which
includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart
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2011.

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at {Enter WeddingWire Storefront URL}.
Sun 2/13/11: Several International Film Festival films seen: Iraqi
film very heartfelt, very sad; French flick: witty, fun, French-take
on women's lib in the 70s; this week,
Palestinian movie: Budrus. Meanwhile, several wedding interviews
this week set up. Canadian couple Sat. planning another rooftop
wedding at Arts & Crafts Museum.
Joanie officiated at wedding Friday eve at Oaks Pioneer Church in
Selwood - sweet and it didn't even rain!
Fri. 2/11/11: Back from Costa Rica: amazing trip: so many animals,
birds, wonderful people. Back to abundance of wedding inquiries.
Booked an elopement for next month. Full up with wedding interviews
for the next two weeks. Jumping into it all.
Sun, 1/23/11: Leaving for Costa Rica tonight at midnight! Wedding
interview today for Jewish/Interfaith wedding with lovely family plus
an inquiry for a bi-lingual officiant! Moving towards Valentine's
Day, probably more people will be booking. We will frequent computer
cafes on our journey!
Fri 1/14/11: First wedding for me of 2011: an elopement in our living
room of a lovely N. Portland couple, with their dog and 4 friends,
bubbles, corsage and all.
They were so very gracious and lovely. They will have a larger party
next month. I set up an altar in the living room - a new addition.
Perhaps this will attract more simple ceremonies to our living room!
Pictures to follow.
Wed, 1/12/11: Got a call today for a couple wishing to elope on
Friday. So they will come over Friday morning with four friends and
a small dog. Have to clean the living room - good excuse.
Wed. 1/12/11: Skype interviews are a bit weird, but so nice to
actually get to see the couple. The people who find us and think
that we are a match for them are just so special. There are just so
many incredible young people out there finding each other and
choosing to get married. This couple is talented, creative,
interested in ecology and environmental concerns, wanting a "green
wedding".
Mon. 1/10/11: lovely couple from Scottsdale, Arizona have hired us
for their wedding in September 2011! Wed. have a Skype interview
with a couple in Corvallis getting married at Forestry Center in
Kings Valley. More leads popping up. So hopefully we will book a
few weddings before we take off for Costa Rica! And Ana's Hispanic
wedding this past weekend went well. So begins our 2011 wedding season!
Dec. 7, 2010: Just booked a 1/1/11 wedding at The Village Ballroom,
in walking distance of our house! Hooray!
Nov. 30th: Wedding 38 December 19th! Officiant cancelled on this
couple, getting married at Oaks Pioneer Church! Only 2 more to 40.
Also, an inquiry about blessing three children. Interesting. And
composed a Zen ceremony for a couple getting married at the Chinese
Garden in Portland.
Nov. 29, 2010: Back from Seattle: fabulous Picasso exhibit at
Seattle Art Museum and interesting (fabulous for kids!) Harry Potter
exhibit at Seattle Science Center. Happy interim before Chanukah
starts (this Wed.!) and Christmas begins (three weeks)! Getting back
on Google Maps and working on wedding website are priorities this
month. So, gathering pictures from 2010 weddings. Any good photos
out there?
Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010: Today my inner wisdom told me: "Everyday do
something to promote Your Personal Ceremony even though the season is
down." So I followed up on an e-mail saying that someone I married
couldn't post a review on Google Maps. I put in link and, sure
enough, no access. We have been dumped from Google Maps. I searched
for a way to communicate and it is a maze. I posted a question.
Will see if that helps. Anyone out there know how to navigate the maze?
Monday, Nov. 22, 2010: Quiet on the wedding front; still busy
painting - now, the basement stairs and into the basement.
Discovered another storage space underneath the stairs not being
utilitzed. Painted the small door and will put on a handle. Art
going up in kitchen. Final coat on hardwood floor. Facilitated
Restorative Justice and Listening Council session at our monthly
Compassionate Listening Group. Everyone was excited with the model.
11/15/2010: Tonight reviewing a Mexican/American wedding ceremony
for 2011. The groom's grandfather wrote a love poem for the wedding,
which he will read in Spanish and the groom's mother will read in
English! They are incorporating the coins and lasso, with unity
candle and wine blessing. Ceremony is at a vineyard, with three wine
barrels as the altar space.
11/11/10: Checking in with folks marrying 2011 who interviewed us
but never got back. One couple in process of interviewing other
officiants. Lots of people to choose from. And then those couples
who postponed their wedding last year because of health or
economics. Plus a possible December marriage on the woman's
birthday. And we finally have knobs and pulls on our kitchen
cabinets!!!
11/9/10: Oaks Pioneer Church Wedding: rain held off until wedding
done and group picture on front steps accomplished! Couple wore
rings on their wrists, attached by ribbon. Wrote joint vows, back
and forth; bride promised groom he could get a cat! Groom promised
to listen to her music selections. And both cried. Very sweet.
Thursday, 11/4/10: Glorious weather, terrible political news,
another 2011 wedding booked (at Chinese Gardens) and a wedding this
weekend at Oaks Pioneer Church on Sellwood. Planting onions, favas,
more tulips and daffodils. Good night!