The Distinctive Wedding Ceremony: Planning Guide for Creating a Personalized, Unique Ceremony Supporting All Couples, Same Sex and Opposite Sex or How to Write Your Own Vows Ideal for Ministers and Online Officiants

Description The Distinctive Wedding Ceremony is an extensive guide for both same-sex and opposite sex couples wishing to design a unique, seamless, and memorable ceremony. It also serves as a how-to resource for officiants of all faiths, from novice to sage. One of the first books published to support ALL couples – of every lifestyle and belief; it is interfaith in nature and makes creating personalized nuptials effortless. It assures every couple of a genuine and meaningful service. The content features a heartfelt collection of 80+ ceremony choices of both fresh/contemporary writings as well as more traditional selections. Rev. Mary Calhoun encourages creativity and personalization by blending favored selections. The author mentors couples and officiants through the orchestration of the processional scheme, formal escorting (seating of parents and grandparents) and the VIP ceremony seating plan. This chapter includes essential diagrams, templates and checklists to streamline your day: the Couple’s Pre-Wedding Ceremony Checklist, Rehearsal Checklist and Day-of Checklist. Invaluable tools include a detailed wedding day Sample Timeline, Vendor List, Emergency Kit List, and Facility Rental Check List. For the officiants, a Pre-Wedding Overview, a guide for drafting an Officiant’s Welcome Address, and Officiant’s Day-of Checklist. An entire chapter acquaints one with the intricate nuances of running a rehearsal – complete with two staging diagrams and step-by-step instructions. This book insightfully provides the soon-to-be married couple a “Happily Ever After” segment. This relationship handbook covers the topics of communication, sustained romance and an easy-to-use template for a couple’s mission statement. It includes a suggested reading list. Praise for The Distinctive Wedding Ceremony: “Rev. Mary has created a very valuable resource for couples navigating the wedding world and has done so with sensitivity, wisdom and grace. The Distinctive Wedding Ceremony is definitely something I would recommend for brides and grooms gearing up for the big day.” Ali Brownrigg Editor, Seattle Bride “The Distinctive Wedding Ceremony will help countless couples and families begin new chapters together with love, inspiration, kindness, grace, humor, trust, and everything that is honest and personal. At a time when couples may feel so many obligations to adhere to, outdated rules and a world of “shoulds” and “should nots,” this book respects traditions while at the same time empowers people to reflect on who they really are, and create memorable events in their own words and in their own ways. It is a must read for anyone starting life’s greatest journey with the one they love!” -Debbie Friend Haynes, Public Relations Consultant Founder of Debbie Friend Consulting “Mary Calhoun has designed a guide that is fresh, innovative, and original, supporting ceremonies of love for everyone!” -Brian Roberts and Daniel Crawford Groom and Groom “The Distinctive Wedding Ceremony is thoughtfully composed for all couples. Mary Calhoun has a tenderhearted approach to creating your perfect wedding ceremony and a foundation for a successful marriage. She brings her many years of knowledge and expertise to foster a comfortable environment and an open conversation. The Distinctive Wedding Ceremony enriches the experience of getting married and reminds us what is truly important. Your journey with Mary might start today but she will stay with you for a lifetime!” -Stephanie Solomon Founder, Solomon Event Planning “In The Distinctive Wedding Ceremony, Mary Calhoun has crafted the foremost guide for couples seeking a fresh approach to the traditional wedding ceremony. Her creativity, passion, sincerity and experience shine through!” -Minaz Abji and Shelmina Babai Abji Executive VP Asset Management VP, Global Microsoft Alliance at IBM Host Hotels and Resorts (AND Bride and Groom)

Article from Seattle Met Bride and Groom: Required Reading (Published on March 24, 2014) By Laura Cassidy, Editor These days, so much emphasis is placed on how weddings look—and what kind of salmon and Syrah are served, and how long the signature cocktails were poured, and how good the photobooth was—that it's possible to forget here and there that the party is not just a party but a coming together of lives. Couples hoping to elude the nearly inevitable post-wedding slump (something akin to day-after-Christmas melancholy) would do well to shift the focus such that color palettes and cake pedestals are second to the exchange of vows and a personal, meaningful ceremony. Easier said than done you say, and you're right. But now there's this: Seattle wedding officiant Mary Calhoun's Distinctive Wedding Ceremony. While the jacket and promo copy promises to do the pretty much impossible and appeal to all couples regardless of orientation, age, creed, and philosophy, well, who better than to actually deliver on that than one of the top vendors in a city known for love and marriage for all? And regardless of all that, the couple you need the text to appeal to is the couple you're a part of. With more than 80 ceremony templates to ponder and lots of lists and how-tos (from decidedly unromantic—Facility Rental Checklist—to meatier primers on defining your marriage mission and keeping romance alive) to reference, Calhoun's fresh, immediate, fun, and conversational text is a real resource for real couples. Reverend Mary Calhoun lives in Seattle, Washington. Since her ordination as an interfaith minister in 1993, her mission has been to honor all religious and spiritual wedding traditions. In 1984 Mary founded one of Seattle’s first event planning companies. This experience, combined with two decades of performing diverse ceremonies, enabled Mary to develop the seamless techniques that make her weddings so revered. An award-winning officiant, Rev. Mary credits her clients and colleagues as perpetual sources of inspiration. If you have questions about your wedding, contact Mary at www.distinctiveweddingceremony.com