My Approach
Creating Together
Types of Weddings
Creative Ceremony Features

Additional Creative Elements
Vendor and Location Referrals
Pre-marital Counseling
License Information & Application Fees

My Approach to an Exceptional Wedding

I create and perform unique customized religious, non-denominational, secular, spiritual and interfaith wedding ceremonies in breathtaking venues in the location of your choice. I am available for custom wedding planning service, as well. I create cherished memories one love story at a time. My ceremonies are joyful and fun celebrations that are also personal, romantic, beautiful and spiritual. Just as two threads woven in opposite directions form a beautiful tapestry, so your lives when merged together will make a beautiful marriage. Although each wedding ceremony is individually customized to reflect the values, preferences and style of the bride and groom, a constant theme or thread through every one is the power of unconditional love. My ceremonies are about that special love. With my spontaneous sense of humor and being fully present in the moment, I am able to capture the emotions and energy around me and express words of joy, love, tenderness and support for the couple and their families. Guests leave feeling profoundly touched by tears and laughter, uplifted, and reminded of the importance of the love in their own lives.

The heart of your wedding is the ceremony. Your exchange of vows is perhaps the most intimate and authentic moment in your life together. It is a great gift you give to families and friends to allow them to bear witness to that intimacy. Transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, my wedding ceremony is designed as an art form weaving in the threads of the couple’s individual desires and traditions to form a single wedding tapestry. My creativity is inspired by my collaboration with the bride and groom and comes from meeting with each couple at least once, or more if schedules permit, to listen to their dreams and form a warm connection and comfortable intimacy and bond with them. Also, my flexibility, sensitivity, and authentic warmth, help me to work with people with blended families and traditions and those who want to remarry or desire commitment ceremonies. I am skilled at weaving in children (even pets) as participants in the vows and ceremony.

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Creating/Collaborating Together,
Resources We Will Use and Schedule of Events

• Initial two-hour consultation
• Confirm and reserve dates for wedding and rehearsal with deposit
• Form for your ceremony logistics.
• Couple’s Questionnaire (personal love story of who you are together).
• Outline of typical ceremony (just beginning template)
• Samples of ceremonial selections and extra ceremonial features (special touches, readings, vows)
• Suggest Professional Vendors from my preferred list, if desired
• First draft of wedding ceremony for review, changes, additions, approval
• Finalized wedding ceremony
• Processional and recessional and placing (standing positions) formats
• Ceremony cue sheets for musicians and/or D.J., photographer, and videographer to assure smooth flow of ceremony
• Rehearsal (to make sure everyone knows where to go and what to do to make couple worry-free)
• Receive and hold marriage license (at least day before wedding—no license, no wedding!)
• Wedding Day (I arrive 45 minutes -1 hour early, check details, stay as long as desired after service)
• Perform an exceptional wedding—exceeding your expectations!
• Procure witness signatures on license in preparation to mail to County Recorder’s Office, Riverside along with any Certified Copy requests and fee(s).
• License is mailed within three days.
• Present beautiful Commemorative Wedding Package.

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Types of Weddings & Ceremonies

SPIRITUAL CEREMONY— is an inspirational ceremony that is beautiful and sacred. It is a Divine ceremony, universal in content and is not based on any particular religion

RELIGIOUS CEREMONY— is a particular denomination (Catholic, Jewish, Moslem, etc.) or a combination of denominations characterized by religious elements, rituals, and traditions

INTERFAITH CEREMONY— (interdenominational) is a combination or blend of religions. It respects and honors all beliefs, values, and traditions of all religious and spiritual paths

CIVIL CEREMONY— (court house) is a non-religious ceremony and does not contain any religious prayers. Couple can choose to include readings of love and commitment

NON-DENOMINATIONAL— is a ceremony that is not of a particular denomination. It can simply be a general belief in a Higher Power. Serves couples who are of different religious backgrounds with general blessings, passages, and non-offensive prayers and customs

VOW RENEWALS – is a sacred ceremony re-affirming the couple’s marriage vows, love and life-long commitment. It can contain any of the above ceremonial type elements.

BABY BLESSINGS - are always a very special event welcoming a new person to our world!

BI-LINGUAL (English-Spanish) - your ceremony can be in English, Spanish, or a combination of both!

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Creative Ceremony Features
Enhance and Make Your Ceremony Unique

Red Rose Exchange; Sand Blending and Family Sand Blending; Apache Wedding Blessing; Hand Blessing; Unity Candle; Mothers Rose Presentation; Ceremonial Dove Release; Butterfly Release; Wine Ceremony; Breaking of the Glass Ceremony; Coin Ceremony; Veil and Cord/Lasso Ceremony; Jumping The Broom; Hand-Fasting Ceremony

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Additional Creative Elements

I can provide a list of Traditional Readings, Vows and Vows to Read to Each Other; Prayers; Blessings/Benedictions and Scripture that may help you choose or write your vows, and select creative elements to include in your unique ceremony. I can write personal vows for you, of course.

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Vendor and Location Referrals

I can suggest professional vendors and venues from my preferred list that I am confident will make your wedding planning a joyous experience. I will be happy to contact your selections for you and help coordinate the details of what you have ordered and require, so you can relax – worry-free.

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Pre-Marital Counseling

Believe it or not, love is not enough! Pre-marital counseling is an excellent way to get your marriage off to a great start. Communicating successfully with one another, resolving conflicts in a constructive way, practicing the art of gracious compromise are all learned skills. Pre-marital counseling is a good opportunity for the two of you to discuss your future plans and solidify your love for one another. Although counseling is not required by law, it is certainly positive for developing a good marital foundation. It is a chance to empower couples with helpful tools and to teach them how to avoid common pitfalls that can crop up and cause strain in the course of any strong marriage. We talk together about communication—which is the art form which must be mastered, conflict resolution, blending families, finances—resolving differences in spending patterns, housekeeping, interacting with in-laws, intimacy beyond sex, staying “present” for each other, clarity of your vision, requirements and needs, and negotiating the blending of families, different lifestyle, habits, and upbringing into one happy new family. Pre-marital counseling can help you to take these possible areas of conflict and turn them into opportunities for growth, harmony and greater closeness. It’s the best investment you can make in your marriage (Love Insurance!).

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Marriage License Information

The Riverside County Clerk’s office issues Marriage Licenses 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday-Friday (except holidays).

Nearest issuing office to Palm Springs is in Indio, CA (a distance of 25 miles). The address is 82675 Highway 111, Room 113, Indio, CA 92201. (760) 863-8732 or 1-800-696-9144.

Regular Licenses issued in one California county may be used in another. Confidential licenses must be issued in the county where the ceremony is performed.

Both applicants must be present, over 18, but need not be U.S. residents.

Both applicants must have a valid current picture I.D.

Obtaining the license should take around 30 minutes or less if Application Worksheet is previously filled out, but not signed. (See link to download) Make an appointment to expedite the process.

Licenses are good for 90 days from the time of purchase.

Certified copies can be obtained through the mail or requested on-line.

No blood test is required.

Each county charges different fees for issuances of licenses. Riverside’s fee is $68.00. A certified copy is $13.00 and is mailed to you from County 4-6 weeks after receiving your application and fee.

Licenses are legal worldwide.

Two kinds of licenses can be issued:

1. Regular license: requires one witness. It will be published in the newspaper and is available for public viewing.
2. Confidential license: no witnesses required.* Parties must provide evidence of living at the same address at time of purchase.

• Applicants must meet all requirements for regular license.
• Ceremony must be performed in same county that issues license.
• Cost of license is $76.00
• License may be obtained from a Notary Public who is registered to issue Confidential Licenses

*Please inform me if you are considering applying for a Confidential Marriage License. There are important legal, clerical, and fee differences from regular licenses and certificates of marriage. Please contact me for new legal information regarding marriage licenses and the newly adopted California Statute titled "The Name Equality Act of 2007 AB 102 (Chapter 567, Statutes of 2007)" This new law became effective on January 1, 2009 and affects how you fill out Marriage Certificate.

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Application and Worksheet for Marriage License

Download the PDF application here

You can save lots of time by preparing ahead with this form. Please go to this link and download form to fill out. It is a read-only and cannot be filled in on-line. Read it very carefully, and do not sign it until you are directed to do so by the City Clerk. Review every line and box checked for accuracy before you leave the issuing Clerk’s desk. This is a permanent record. Mistakes happen and are costly. If you have any questions, contact me at 760-346-7955 or call the County City Clerk directly.

I am detail-oriented to provide a stress-free process and to create a ceremony rich in love, laughter, tears of joy, and sacredness. Let me work with you to design a heartfelt, harmonious and exceptional wedding that you will always cherish.

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My Fees

With impeccable attention to detail, I provide service that excels at an affordable price that is competitive with other Riverside County wedding ministers and officiants. My fee depends upon the amount of time and detail I expend to create your dream wedding. Each one is evaluated on an individual basis on date, time, size, location, travel time and event planning. I keep my rates affordable without compromising the priority of personalized attention to each couple.

A 50% deposit fee (non-refundable) is required to reserve and guarantee the date and time of your wedding and rehearsal and is subject to availability upon receipt of deposit. A receipt will be sent to you to guarantee your peace of mind for those reserved dates. The remaining 50% balance is due on or before 10 days prior to wedding date.

The Fee includes that I will:

• Schedule one complimentary original in-person consultation to meet and get to know you and learn about your dream wedding desires.
• Meet again to collaborate and receive input on ceremony ideas, if your schedule allows. Out-of-country or county couples communicate with email and phone calls.
• Assure you complete access to me by phone, email, and FAX from 8 AM--9 PM PST, Monday-Saturday, and I will always respond within 24 hours.
• Create, write, design and perform your ceremony at your chosen location.
• Provide sample readings, vows, and blessings to review and choose, if you wish
• Co-create your personalized wedding vows.
• Suggest special unique ceremony ideas to enhance spiritual or religious traditions
• Feature the Red Rose exchange ceremony.
• Suggest Vendors from my preferred list, if you wish.
• Send Ceremony draft for your approval, additions or changes. While I perform a fun, spontaneous and at-the-moment wedding ceremony, I never go on tangents departing from the pre-approved ceremony.
• Orchestrate the processional, recessional and placing position formats.
• Distribute ceremony “cue sheets” to musicians, photographer and videographer to make sure the ceremony flows smoothly.
• Conduct rehearsal (usually within two days of ceremony) so everyone in the wedding party knows exactly what to do and when, and you can relax and have fun on your wedding day.
• Provide a Commemorative Wedding Package which includes a copy of your entire wedding ceremony to enjoy later, Certificate of Marriage suitable for framing, copy of signed and witnessed license all in a beautiful ribbon-tied ivory pochette.
• Send in signed marriage license to County Recorder’s Office immediately along with any request you have for actual certified copies sent to you at $13.00 each.
• Active military, police, and firefighters are eligible for a discounted fee.

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