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I just received professional photos for this gorgeous May wedding ceremony! Thank you Katie Jackson – your pics are stunning.

I loved this couple! And officiating their wedding ceremony at the majestic Twin Oaks Golf Course in San Marcos was a treat.

And, thank you to DJ Will Chitwood who handled music and sound for the ceremony with aplomb.

These two were sweet and gracious and really went with the flow.
A few days before their wedding, San Diego had been recently traumatized by wildfires throughout the county, including nearby areas to Twin Oaks.
It was truly a blessing that the fires were finally contained, and we could focus on celebrating new life and true love.

 

A clever frame to the ceremony- rather than an arch: two rustic doors. Photo by Katie Jackson

A clever frame to the ceremony- rather than an arch: two rustic doors. Photo by Katie Jackson

“You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. ” . . .

Gorgeous bride's bouquet from Posy Peddler. Photo by Katie Jackson

Gorgeous bride’s bouquet from Posy Peddler. Photo by Katie Jackson

First look: it's always fun when the couple has a special moment before the ceremony. Photo by Katie Jackson

First look: it’s always fun when the couple has a special moment before the ceremony. Photo by Katie Jackson

I love it when the groomsmen hug it out with the groom as they walk up the aisle to stand alongside him. Photo by Katie Jackson

I love it when the groomsmen hug it out with the groom as they walk up the aisle to stand alongside him. Photo by Katie Jackson

Escorted by Mom. Photo by Katie Jackson

Escorted by Mom. Photo by Katie Jackson

These rings are a promise of the vows you make today . . . Photo by Katie Jackson

These rings are a promise of the vows you make today . . . Photo by Katie Jackson

With this ring . . . Photo by Katie Jackson

With this ring . . . Photo by Katie Jackson

Mr. and Mrs.! Photo by Katie Jackson

Mr. and Mrs.!
Photo by Katie Jackson

Happy Trails! Photo by Katie Jackson

Happy Trails! Photo by Katie Jackson

 

See more amazing pics at www.katiejacksonblog.com

There are essentially three aspects of a wedding ceremony:

Love & Commitment: in front of and supported by your community

Spiritual: invoking the Divine’s support and guidance in your marriage

Legal: the stepping stone to acquiring certain legal rights, depending on your state and country. This blog post navigates this paperwork and process for the Legal bit, essentially: obtaining a marriage license for your San Diego wedding.

All the information for acquiring and filing your marriage license can be found on the Web site for the San Diego County Clerk’s office.

I just wanted to break down some of the nuances for you, since it can be confusing and brand-new territory:

WHERE: County Clerk’s Office – there are 4 locations throughout San Diego County. Phone numbers & addresses on the site:
https://arcc.sdcounty.ca.gov/Pages/marriage-licenses.aspx

HOW: You must call to make an appointment to apply for your license. (Except during the summer when they hold “walk-in Wednesdays.”)

TIMING: Once you acquire the license at your appointment, it is valid for 90 days. So count backward 90 days from your wedding and that is the first date you can obtain the license.

You can get your license the day before your wedding, but I don’t recommend it.
Leave plenty of time, just in case there is an issue of any kind. And also, because the week before your wedding you want to have everything completed so you can play host to your friends and family!

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE APPOINTMENT:
~you must both be present at the appointment with valid ID (driver license, passport, etc.)
~cost is $70 (if you file for a ‘confidential’* license it is $89)
~take your checkbook because they charge a fee for debit/credit card
~if you have been married before, you will need to bring proof that you are divorced

HERE IS WHAT YOU GET:
You will walk away from that appointment with a big packet of information.
Your officiant needs the following items (it is great to bring this to rehearsal to give to your officiant so it is not forgotten on the wedding day):
~the actual license (which you already signed at the County Clerk’s Office)
~the giant yellow return envelope
~in the packet will also be a handy form called “Wedding Officiant Instructions”. Thank you for that, but if your officiant has performed enough weddings, we won’t need it.

THE WEDDING CEREMONY:
After the wedding ceremony, your officiant will sign the license, verifying that the ceremony has been performed. Your witnesses will also sign right after the ceremony. You need at least one witness, but there are spaces for two (eg. your Best Man and Maid of Honor).

WITNESS:
You must have at least one witness for your ceremony. Elopement couples want it to be “just us two” but unless you have acquired a ‘confidential’* license, you still need a witness (your officiant doesn’t count). If you are having a photographer for the ceremony, you can ask them if they will serve as witness.

WHEN WILL WE GET OUR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE?:
The signed license must be returned to the County Clerk’s office within 10 days of your wedding date. It’s a nice service if your wedding officiant mails it in for you (I do that the first business day after your ceremony) so you don’t have to worry about it when getting ready for your honeymoon.

~Once the County Clerk receives your license signed by the officiant and witnesses, it takes about 2 weeks to process.
~If your are local, you simply go back in to pick it up
~If you are not local, there is a form in the big packet they give you that you can mail in, requesting that the CC mails your marriage certificate to you. That request form MUST be notarized. The CC can provide a list of notaries.
~A great resource for changing your name: http://www.missnowmrs.com/


*What is a Confidential License?: This simply means that nobody but you two can have access to the license and certificate information (eg. it’s probably a good idea if you’re a tv personality or rockstar)

Congratulations Laura & Laura! What a beautiful wedding celebration today at Rancho Buena Vista Adobe in Vista.

These two amazing women were such a treat, it was an honor to officiate their wedding ceremony.

They created a very unique Unity Ceremony, inspired by their love of chocolate. And during the ceremony, shared with their guests!

A delicious ceremony treat for wedding guests

A delicious ceremony treat for wedding guests

 

There will be times that are sweet,
filled with cream and honey,
and times that are dark and bittersweet.
And probably some times that are really nutty!
But every experience will nourish your body,
heart and soul.

 

It is a great reminder to get creative with your wedding ceremony! Think about what you love (like chocolate!) and incorporate that into your ceremony.

 

PS. Wedding planner extraordinaire Julie Scrivner pulled everything together with ease!

Whatever your spiritual or religious background or current practices (or none at all), including the Spiritual in your wedding ceremony is a wonderful way to honor that this relationship, this marriage, is a part of something greater.

Including the ritual of Spirit invites that power into your wedding ceremony and your marriage: it invites the support, the resources, the teachings to move you forward as a couple.

How would you like to honor, represent, invoke, or hope for that?

If you follow a particular religion or faith, there are many established rituals you can include in the wedding ceremony to give reference to that faith.

If you do not belong to a church, temple or any other religious institution, you can still honor your own spiritual beliefs. As it takes a village to support a marriage – from family, friends, community, teachers, and mentors – you might imagine your marriage as being Divinely guided as well.

Are you combining your spiritual or religious practices? Will you be creating new ones together? Really be present to the experience of what you are creating.

You can even write your own thoughts on the matter, to be read by your officiant at the beginning or completion of the ceremony.
Or it might be a ritual that represents those feelings for you.

Some brides and grooms prescribe to the practice of Yoga as their spiritual yoga-picgrounding force. Not that you need to drop into downward dog after your vows, but perhaps you have a favorite yoga mantra you can include in your wedding ceremony.

Or perhaps the teachings of Rumi speak to you – he was a Sufi, quoted from the Qur’an, but his poetry and teachings were considered interdenominational:

(excerpt)
When the veils are burned away,


the heart will understand completely


Ancient Love will unfold ever-fresh forms


In the heart of the Spirit, in the core of the heart.

Buddha

 

Are you intrigued by Buddhism? What rituals can you weave into the ceremony to bless your union?

 

 

 

A Christian blessing might speak to you as well. Here are some lovely options to consider:

The Prayer of Saint Francis (excerpt)
O Divine, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned

 

Irish Blessing (excerpt)
May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields.
May the light of friendship guide your paths together.
May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.
May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.

The point of these rituals or blessings is to create a meaningful and visceral experience to help you take note of this moment of your wedding ceremony, this relationship, your place in the world, this transition in your life.

Things to consider when including the Spiritual in your wedding ceremony:

It can be a feeling of nostalgia: honoring your past, childhood, family tradition

It can be a hope for the future, a symbol of the people and partners you want to become, the relationship you want to create.

It can be an anchor, from which to take your first steps in this new journey together.

Photo credit: Brant Bender Photography

Photo credit: Brant Bender Photography

There is no need to re-create the wheel. If a ritual or tradition speaks to you, then explore all the ways you might want to include it for all its traditional implications as well as your personal perspective of it.

As an Ordained Minister I believe in the Divine: the gel of Love and Synchronicity and Harmony that holds everything together and moves Life forward.

The “nondenominational” means I do not insist on prescribing to a specific religious tenet to express that belief. I am open to facilitating ceremonies for all faiths in whatever way helps you connect with the Divine as you experience it.

And that is what religious and spiritual rituals are all about: helping you connect with the Divine. Gaining a closer understanding of how the Divine acts and is expressed in your life, and every important transition in your life, including your wedding ceremony.

It doesn’t need to be elaborate, just meaningful. When it comes to the Spirit, keep it simple.
Read more about Navigating the G-word in your Wedding Ceremony.

Photo by Hung C. Tran Photography

Photo by Hung C. Tran Photography

It was a special day in March, on the cliff outcropping, with the waves crashing. Bradley and Brenwynne said “I Do” in this gorgeous natural setting in an intimate wedding ceremony.

The couple chose the traditional Celtic “HandBinding” (or “HandFasting”) to share their wedding vows, and crafted the six questions in this ritual to support their own relationship and marriage.

The "HandBinding" ritual includes six questions of vows and commitment. / Photo by Hung C. Tran Photography

The “HandBinding” ritual includes six questions of vows and commitment. / Photo by Hung C. Tran Photography

 

 

 

 

As a nondenominational wedding minister I always encourage couples to include readings and poems in their ceremony that are meaningful for them. And the best part for me is being introduced to readings I haven’t seen before! Like this one, called I Know A Love.

Photo by Hung C. Tran Photography

Photo by Hung C. Tran Photography

 

 

So fun to work with photographer Hung Tran! His enthusiasm and artistry enhanced the celebration.

Into the Sunset / Photo by Hung C. Tran Photography

Into the Sunset / Photo by Hung C. Tran Photography