Vendors V - Officiant

I always thought I wanted to get married in a church. When I was little, my mom "dragged me out of bed by the big toe" every Sunday to go to church knowing that somewhere along the way it would become something I did all by myself. I thought she was crazy - who would want to get up that early on a Sunday unprovoked? Then at some point, 10am seemed really late and somehow found myself wanting to go to church on Sunday mornings (more evidence that I might be a grown up...).

So, when I got engaged, getting married in a church seemed like where I was headed. Then we visited High Hampton and right across the street was the cutest little Episcopal church - this had to be a sign, right?

After deciding on High Hampton as our venue, I excitedly called the church. Here comes the bad news: the person I spoke with told me that, despite the fact that I was a practicing Episcopalian in the same diocese, they were unwilling to turn their church into a "Las Vegas-style wedding chapel" by having non-members marry there. After being rebuffed in a very (what I deemed) un-Christian-like manner, I determined that this was the sign. I knew there was something better out there for my wedding.

Enter Sue Kennedy:

(here's Sue with my godfather, Chip, and his wife, Theresa, during their vow renewal)

Sue was a college friend of my dad's and is now a practicing non-denominational reverend in nearby Greensboro. She was not only willing and able to perform our wedding ceremony, but she was excited about it! She told us that she would write a ceremony *just for us* that could be as traditional or non-traditional as we liked. Plus, because she has been a friend of my dad's since college, she's known me my whole life - and the story about how i put my whole body into one of her stockings when I was two just doesn't get old.

We had our first meeting last week to start discussing all the details. Since I had always envisioned a traditional church wedding, it took some time to find a "feel" that would work, but Sue is so gracious and is dedicated to making sure the ceremony is exactly what Brian and I want. It just doesn't get much better than that...