WEDDING GUIDE 2016 | Choosing the right officiant

date posted: April 09, 2016

You can choose just about anybody to be your wedding officiant. Many people choose their childhood priests, public officials, or even close friends. The most important thing to

remember in your decision-making process, though, is that YOUR OFFICIANT SHOULD BE SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOU WHO CAN DIRECT YOUR CEREMONY ELOQUENTLY.

Meet with your chosen officiant to ask questions and share your wishes. Bring material you would like to be included in the speech and describe any spiritual aspects that are important to you. Also explain ways you would like family and friends to contribute.

Your officiant should be able to grant your wishes while upholding yourbeliefs and creating an enjoyable experience. The Hudson Valley is home to a number of talented individuals who will gladly devote their skills and time to making your ceremony special.

HUDSON VALLEY CEREMONIES Rhinebeck, 845-244-1482, hudsonvalleyceremonies.com

Preparing for your wedding needs to be an enjoyable time. Hudson Valley Ceremonies works with you to design your ceremony with minimal stress, guaranteed laughs, and tears of joy. Their officiants personalize each ceremony to make it “you.” Your desired rituals can be incorporated, such as the unity candle, breaking of the glass, the Celtic tartan wrap, or jumping the broom, and the ceremony can be of many different faiths or none at all. They have both male and female officiants, which also include officiants that speak Spanish and Hebrew.

PETER SONNENBERG Hudson Valley/New York City, 914-522-9118

Peter is a non-denominational, interfaith officiant who provides customized wedding ceremonies that reflect couples’ personalities, beliefs, and passions. His specialties are in combining cultural and faith traditions as well as incorporating unique and distinctive ritual elements to create a truly personalized and meaningful ceremony. As a spiritual director of a Westchester holistic healing center, Peter has been in the healing arts field for over 25 years.

REVEREND LYNDA ELAINE CARRÉ Hudson Valley, 845-684-5941, wellspringceremonies@gmail.com

Unique, creative, and personalized wedding ceremonies are crafted through relationship exploration, deepening every couple’s understanding of their most cherished desires. Engaging in this process with celebrant Reverend Lynda Elaine Carré roots the ceremony in authenticity, personality, meaning, and memorability. Through 20 years of experience as a spiritual care counselor, healing arts practitioner, and artist, she brings heart-sourced wisdom and creative suggestions drawn from ancient to modern wedding traditions from around the world. From this fertile collaboration, she delivers empowering and celebratory intentional ceremonies.