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Let's face it — legally, it really doesn't take much to get married. In Illinois there are only three elements required for a wedding to take place:

  • You must have a marriage license, issued by the county in which the wedding will take place.
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  • You must both agree to the marriage, and that you are entering into it of your own free will. (This is referred to as the "Do you? I do," part.)
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  • You must be pronounced married by someone authorized to do so. (That's me.)

That's it. In terms of the actual ceremony ― five minutes, tops. The rest ― all the fuss and furor, the discussions and decision-making, the planning and pageantry ― is just window dressing... right?

You could have a cold, impersonal five-minute courthouse wedding in jeans and a T-shirt and be just as married. (Maybe your fiancé has already suggested this route? <wink>) But would you feel married? We humans tend to need some ritual to acknowledge the rites of passage we experience in life:

Christenings and funerals. Birthdays and graduations. Holidays... and weddings.

Important milestones need a little pageantry, celebrated amid a gathering of friends and family, to mark the occasion.

And if you don't have a church home or religious affiliation where the officiant often comes with the territory, I can solemnize your marriage for you in the manner that you choose, whether it's spiritual or secular, traditional or contemporary, or something totally unique.

I'm up for pretty much anything....

  • Want to tie the knot in the supermarket aisle where you met? With the store's permission, I'm happy to officiate among the fresh fruit or cereal boxes.
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  • Envision your exchange of vows in a meadow of wildflowers? I'll don sunscreen and insect repellant and perform your ceremony prairie-style. (A word about outdoor weddings....)
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  • Have your heart set on an intimate wedding by the fireplace of an old Victorian mansion? I'd be honored to solemnize your marriage in such a setting.
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  • Share an activity with your groom and want it incorporated into your ceremony? I am undaunted by the prospect of officiating in a bowling alley, on a fire truck, or the like.
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  • Always dreamed of a medieval or other kind of themed wedding? I love dressing up!

(However, as adventurous as I am, I do draw the line at a few things. Here's what I won't do.)

I'm also happy to incorporate into your ceremony other elements that make it meaningful to you, such as the Unity Candle, Blending of Sands, Tying the Knot, Jumping the Broom, Parent/Family vows, or other kinds of ethnic or family traditions. Click on Other "Joyful Promises" and Additional Rituals for more information on those.

So, let's talk about your wedding....

 

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P.O. Box 1094, Bolingbrook, IL 60440

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