Describe your style of officiating in one sentence.
I officiate weddings for sentimental, spontaneous couples who are excited to explore their love!
What makes your style of officiating unique?
I have created an in-depth discovery process where couples get to explore their relationship and what marriage means to them. This leads to an original ceremony that not only tells their love story but celebrates the ESSENCE of who they are individually and as a couple.
What do you love most about working with couples?
I truly enjoy getting to know each couple and celebrating their love. I especially love helping couples get clear on how they want to FEEL on their wedding day, and supporting them on their emotional journey throughout the process.
How do you tailor each ceremony to be unique to each couple?
By taking the time to truly get to know couples; their passions, their values, what they love about their partners, and what this marriage means for them. This becomes the inspiration for an original ceremony that truly celebrates the essence of who they are!
What piece of advice would you give brides and grooms to ensure that they hire an officiant that helps make their wedding ceremony the best it can be?
I would give this advice for ANY decision along their wedding journey, including choosing a wedding officiant: Ask yourself how you want to FEEL on your wedding day (for example: happy, present, loved). Once you get clear on that, anytime you are making a decision, ask yourself if that decision makes you feel MORE of how you want to feel…or not. To put a fine point on it, if you meet with a Wedding Officiant and you feel more of how you want to feel, plus they resonate with your values and vision, then I would say you’ve found a keeper! 🙂
What has been your biggest wedding day challenge?
Weather and location. For example, beach weddings are so romantic, but the sound of the waves can be overpowering and the open beach can feel a bit too expansive (versus an intimate ceremony in the middle of a Redwood Grove). Another example: sunshine beating down on the wedding party and/or on the guests. Anything that makes the guests or wedding party uncomfortable weather-wise can be a real challenge.
Do you have any must-have moments to include during wedding ceremonies?
I am a fan of ring warmings, group vows and the wine box ritual. If you’d like to learn more about any of those sentimental, romantic and very powerful rituals, give me a shout! They are amazing!!
If you weren’t an officiant, what would you be doing?
Hmm…talk show host or inspirational speaker. Think Ellen, Oprah…LAUREN! 🙂
How do you think an app like Joy can help make weddings better?
The name alone evokes a warm, exciting feeling! Who wouldn’t want to feel more JOY on their wedding day?! An app that can help create more EASE and more JOY in anyone’s wedding journey is very valuable!
At Joy we believe that even though a wedding lasts a day, joy should last forever. What does that mean to you?
I believe that joy comes from being our true, authentic selves, making decisions that are powered by our values and saying YES to people, experiences and feelings that light us up! Living a life that is filled with joy starts with the simple decision to be more true to ourselves, who we authentically are and what we believe in. Planning your wedding is a great time to practice this, and is certainly an approach to life that you can take with everywhere you go! (including into the future!)
Find more on Lauren’s website and Instagram.
