Carmel Wedding Minister

An Introduction: Brian Bajari & Justin Noseworthy - Ministers & Officiants in Carmel

 

We've officiated over 100 ceremonies of all types in & around the Carmel-Monterey, CA area. Without exception we have received wonderful compliments & feedback from brides, guests, grooms, parents, caterers, & photographers alike. There are three simple reasons why people enjoy the ceremonies we officiate:

1. We enjoy officiating ceremonies that people truly love.
2. We invite each couple to contribute as much personal meaning into their ceremony as they like.
3. We work very hard to make the above actually happen.

We've found that most couples truly desire a ceremony that is personalized, elegant, somewhat sacred & not too long. But we have also discovered that many couples are rather intimidated by the process of working with an officiant to craft a ceremony that they will enjoy. Partly because they don't know where to begin & partly because they'd rather "get through" the ceremony in order to get to the reception because of past "poorly-officiated" ceremonies they sat through as guests.

 
(Brian Bajari with the bride at a wedding in Carmel - Wedding Photography by Evynn LeValley)

Wedding ceremonies need not be painful, boring, or something to get through. With just a little effort on your end your ceremony can be one that your guests will actually thank you for.  In fact, it has always been our personal experience that people end up viewing the ceremony as the highlight of the day while the reception becomes the icing on the cake.

 (Justin Noseworthy with the groomsmen at a wedding in Carmel)

This blog gives you some simple steps to get you started in planning the wedding ceremony of your desires. The important thing is to just get started & see where it takes you.  And of course if you are looking for a minister/officiant for your wedding in the Carmel-Monterey, CA area please don't hesitate to contact us to see if we can be of personal assistance to you.  You can contact Brian at bbajari@gmail.com and you can contact Justin at jgnoseworthy@hotmail.com or even better go and check us out at Thumbtack where it is easy to get in contact with us (hit one of the Thumbtack links on the left sidebar).  Think of Thumbtack as Craigslist meets Angies List meets Yelp but on steroids in terms of finding the best service providers.  Anyhow - we look forward to being of service to you in the near future.

#1 - The Most Important Step

Making the decision to make it personal

(Wedding Photography by Rachael Short) 

You're getting married soon & you've been dreaming & planning for just about everything for the celebration - from making sure the colors of the flowers at your ceremony will match the bridesmaids dresses to deciding whether you'd prefer the guests to blow bubbles as you make your exit from the reception or if they should light sparklers to match the magic of the evening.

Everything that is except for the ceremony. Because the officiant will know pretty much what's best & how it all works for you . . . right? (continue reading by clicking the link below)

#2 - Finding the Right Officiant in 3 Steps

1.) Get referrals 2.) Call right away 3.) Meet the officiant face to face

 

Get referrals 
 

 1.) Do not just rely on a Google search in finding your officiant. Get referrals. Looking up officiants online seems more expedient at first glance but the referrals let you know that a particular officiant is already proven and will save you time in the long run. Besides many of the best officiants don't have websites & do not advertise. So here's how to begin. For a local wedding email as many trustworthy local friends as you . . . (continue reading by clicking the link below)

#3 - What to Budget for the Officiant

 Kindness, helpfulness, and good personal presence are worth the extra money

 
 
 
Think of it this way, if you are not having your own minister or rabbi officiate your wedding, the officiant you are hiring will be the only stranger at your wedding who has a significant role in saying significant things about you and your spouse to be. And it would seem to me that you would want to hire someone who has a level of personal presence that is rather engaging. Or put another way; officiants are not plumbers. . . (continue reading by clicking the link below). . 

#4 - A Few Thoughts on Wedding Coordinators. And How Long Should the Ceremony Go On?

 (Wedding Photography by Rachael Short) 

Wedding Coordinators:

1.) For large wedding ceremonies - do yourself a favor and hire one. They can be well worth the money. Some hotels & many churches include a coordinator in the fee. From making sure the flower arrangements are not crooked to calming the bride down before the ceremony to running interference with a pushy relative coordinators make sure the ceremony happens & none of the stress is on your shoulders. . . (continue reading by clicking the link below)

#5 - Getting the Ceremony Started

(Wedding Photography by Evynn Levalley)

These are the beginning parts of a typical wedding ceremony. This is not a list of what you should have - just a list of what many wedding ceremonies do have. . . (continue reading by clicking the link below) 

#6 - Readings, music, unity candles, etc. - stylizing your ceremony

    

The middle of the ceremony is where you typically have the most freedom to get creative - but that doesn't mean you can't get creative at the beginning or end of the ceremony. From the readings, to special musical performances, to a unity candle, to a sand pouring ceremony, to having an important person in your life speaking wisdom into your marriage during the ceremony . . . (continue reading by clicking the link below)

#7 - Your Vows - the heart of the ceremony

 (Wedding Photography by Evynn LeValley)

Your vows are the heart and soul of the wedding ceremony. They are the promises & the commitments you are making to one another in the presence of all of your closest family & friends as well as before God if you are a spiritually inclined or devout couple. And while there are a wide variety of vows spoken at wedding ceremonies there are really 3 approaches couples choose from when it comes to their vows: (continue reading by clicking the link below) 

#8 - Ending your Ceremony in Style & Grace

(Wedding Photography by Evynn LeValley)

As with the above, these elements are not what you must have in your ceremony only what are often present in many ceremonies. Here's how I typically conduct the ending of the ceremony:  (continue reading by clicking the link below)

#9 - The Rehearsal, The Ceremony Day, & the Best Personalization Tip Yet

(Wedding Photography by Evynn LeValley)

The Rehearsal . . .

Rehearsals should be relaxed, fun, & to the point - setting the tone for the wedding day. Let both your wedding coordinator & officiant know your hopes regarding the rehearsal. An uptight rehearsal will certainly make for an uptight wedding ceremony & likewise a relaxed & elegant rehearsal will make for a relaxed & elegant ceremony. (continue reading by clicking the link below)