Wedding Planning Stage One

So now you are engaged and your are so anxious to put your dreams into reality. You are down to the Wedding Planning. But wait, don't go too fast. Those years of dreaming were just that, a dream. Now here today, your are down to reality and the real stuff. The castle with the carriage ride are just not affordable or real. So let's deal with what you can afford to do for your wedding event. What people in the wedding industry talk and write about over and over again...Budget. Small word but oh with such big meaning. And believe me they aren't talking and writing for nothing. They are talking and writing from experience because they have seen couples go into debt way over their heads to accomplish that unattainable wedding dream. It is so important to Be Realistic when it comes to planning your wedding. Talk with your fiancee and start with a dollar figure that you both can handle. If parents are involved with paying for the wedding make sure you know just how much they are going to pay for in dollars. There are so many ways of accomplishing "The Look" that you want today with DYI's or through help on Pintrest. Also stay within your relationship and your life interest. If you are campers, hikers, boaters and enjoy the outdoors don't go looking for a big hotel venue downtown. Look for something more meaningful to you both. Rent a camp ground, a state park or a boat club for the wedding. Have the wedding ceremony under the trees maybe at dusk with lite candle jars hanging from the trees. Maybe at a shelter in the state park or on the grounds of the yacht club. Get wedding ideas online and from a ton of books. Talk to your Wedding Officiant and include different traditions that will suit the location of your wedding ceremony. As a wedding tradition include "Planting a Tree", or release butterflies or flying Chinese lanterns . If your interests are more on the intellectual side rent a college hall that has something that you both love, telescopes, library, etc. People who know you will appreciate the fact that you are celebrating in a place that is more YOU than the popular wedding venue downtown that isn't YOU at all. If you start with a $ value, include your personal interest and your relationship you stand a much better chance of having a wedding that everyone, including yourselves, will be happy with the outcome. Good Luck!

Should We or Should We Not?

Congrats, Your engaged and your starting your quest of Wedding Planning. You have a list of things that should be done and by the exact date that it should be accomplished. Among that list might be the phrase...Writing your own wedding vows. This idea makes one or both of you nervous. Just remember that you have gone through a lot of wishing & dreaming & planning of the wedding now you are down to planning the Wedding Ceremony. Don't cheat yourselves by thinking that you should just repeat words after your minister. Take the time to personalize your Wedding Ceremony by writing personal vows to each other. If you ever planned on making an effort in your marriage here is your opportunity to show it and prove it. You literately make your ceremony much more personal by writing wedding vows and saying them to each other rather than just words repeated after your minister. Remember you don't have to memorize your wedding vows. The words can be printed out on a nice clean piece of paper for you to read from during the ceremony. If you both still believe that you are too nervous to stand up there and say the words why not include something personal in the ceremony about your relationship. This will let people know something personal about you both. Maybe in the ceremony introduction your Minister might talk about how you meet, how he proposed, or any other personal information about the two of you. Again you are adding some personal touches to your ceremony that people will remember and feel privileged that you shared something so personal about yourselves and or your relationship. Talk to your minister about personalizing your wedding ceremony and be informed about your options. Good Luck!

Why bother making Wedding Programs?

Okay so your planning your wedding and you have a list of things that should be tacked. You come across "Make sure to write Wedding Programs" and your thinking "Why?" Here's the reason You have planned this big party inviting Family and Friends. Some of those people don't know each other. Then up front you have your Bridal Party, Maid of Honor, Best Man, Bridesmaids, Groomsmen maybe a Flower Girl and Ring Bearer. A lot of guests sitting there will not know those people standing up front. Oh, and your Minister, again people may not know your Officiant. You have planned all this big event and it was meant for a celebration with Family & Friends. You want everyone to have a great time and to make them as comfortable as possible. One way of doing this is to introduce them to all of the Bridal Party up front. Programs give you the opportunity to do this by writing a program and listing the name of the Maid of Honor, Best Man etc. and how he/she is related or friends with you and your fiancee. When your guests gather for the reception after the ceremony, they already know the names of all those people up front and how you both know them. This definitely makes your guests feel much more in the know and they can start up a conversation with your Bridal Party because they know their names & how you both know them. Making Wedding Programs are so simply with all of the different types of programs out there in stores or online. All you need is paper and a computer/printer. Lots of craft store and office supply stores sell special program papers. You can also find help online with instructions and ideas to make it easy for you to make & print. You can make the programs as elaborate or as simply has you wish. If your getting married in June, July & August you might think about making "Fan Programs" to keep your guests cool and informed at the same time. The fans also serve as a wedding favor. Good Luck with your project!

Settling in Central Florida

I have been in Leesburg, Fl. now for three weeks and after unpacking and placing stuff I am now starting to exploring the nearby areas. I simply love the community where we are living and the weather is so Fabulous. Since my arrival in Florida I have noticed that there are lots of Wedding Officiants, Ministers, Notaries, Justice of the Peace etc. I think it's because Florida is such a tourist attraction in general. Because of all the beaches around with beautiful year-round weather and the packages for destination weddings, couples are drawn to Florida when doing their wedding planning. I haven't found any bridal networking groups yet but that's on my list of things to do in the next month. Happy Ever After Wedding Officiants has grown and we now have a new Facebook page www.Facebook.com/HappyEverAfterLifeWeddingOfficiants-CentralFlorida along with www.Facebook.com/HappyEverAfterLifeWeddingOfficiants. I am hoping to do more blogging on this new page and talk about Wedding Ideas, Wedding Programs, Wedding Vows and Wedding Ceremony Readings. Of course the whole reason for this Blog Page is to help all of the Brides-To-Be in their wedding planning stages. If you know someone who has become engaged and is looking for help with all of the planning stages and is not working with a Wedding Planner, please remember Happy Ever After Wedding Officiants and tell her about us.

BECOME A WEDDING OFFICIANT

Are you passionate about helping people, sharing your knowledge?
Do you Love, Love, Love weddings and all they offer a couple on their special day?
Have you ever thought about becoming a Minister/Wedding Officiant?


As an ordained minister, you have the legal rights to preside as a wedding minister for marriages. Beyond performing a wedding you are also ordained to perform other religious services like baptisms and funerals.You can be ordination without regards to an individual's religious and spiritual beliefs.

Happy Ever After Wedding Officiants provides a broad level of support, knowledge, files and forms to help you as you officiate at weddings. Or you can share ideas in different forums and find other areas that will help bring your spiritual community closer.

If you have questions or would like to discuss an issue of concern, there is no better place to look for the answer than by turning to the wisdom of other Ministers. I have been ordained since February 4, 2009.   At that time I started the ministry of Happy Ever After Wedding Officiants. Today, 2014 we are Four Ministers in Indiana and one in Florida. We are always looking to grow and widen our little Family of Ministers.

Do I need to earn a university degree in theology to become ordained?

No. There is a difference between a degree in theology and becoming ordained as a minister.
A theology degree is an academic certification, generally requiring anywhere from 2 to 10 years
of university study to obtain. Academically, a degree in theology is considered the same as a degree
in philosophy and is generally required if you wanted to teach religion at a university level.
Ordination simply requires a demonstration of your commitment to the church and is provided as an acknowledgment of the church's recognition of your commitment. Mostly all states accept your ordination to perform religious ceremonies, including weddings.

Call me and we can talk all about you becoming the person who legally and officially performs weddings. That person who is remembered every time a couple talks or remembers their wedding day and their wedding ceremony.

Rev. Ida-May Hanson
317-341-1121
info@happyeverafterlife.com

All About Love!

You chose to love that woman or man NO MATTER WHAT! 
Love works at it. Love endures the changes.  Love is long suffering.  Love is work.  
Because Love is a VERB.  It’s not just a momentary emotion.

Daddy Daughter 2

Ladies, choose wisely.  Gentlemen as well.  Look at the family tree.  Ladies, observe how your man’s father treats his wife.  Gentlemen, observe how she is treated by her father.
Marriage is not a place for the weak.  It is a place for the strong, who are willing to endure ups and downs, and even sideways.  Observe those who have been married a long time and you will “get it”.  They found something of substance that “early quitters” will never find.  Real love lasts.
Love is, after all, a VERB.  It implies actions.  That’s why the marriage is way more important
ABOVE than the wedding.

Rev. Marty Moran

May I have a drum roll please…….

I can’t believe all the changes that have happened at Happy Ever After Wedding Officiants. February 4, 2014 we celebrated our fifth year as a Ministry. We began with just me, Rev. Ida-May Hanson and now have grown into five ministers today. First Rev. Jennifer Johnson joined me December 1, 2011. Second was Rev. Melissa Lawson who came on board January 15, 2013. Third was Rev. Rev. Renea Gates who joined us February 1, 2014 and just recently Rev. Karen Kaplan as joined us. We are so blessed to have such caring and professional people here to help all of the couples on their quest to plan their perfect wedding ceremony. Wow! Look at us go!

To celebrate our Firth Anniversary we had a special anniversary contest for all the couples that have been married by Happy Ever After Wedding Officiants. And we would like to thank all those couples that participate in our little contest. We asked them to go to our Facebook page; post a picture of you both on your wedding day and a picture of you both today. Tell us the date of your wedding and which minister married you. Then tell us how your married lives have changed or grown since the wedding.

The winning couple was….
Billie & Dave Casillas they were married June 30, 2012 by Rev. Ida-May Hanson and their lives have changed because on January 5, 2014 Billie & Dave had 2 beautiful babies, Sophia & Jacob. Rev. Melissa Lawson, Queen Bee of Bizzzeybee Photography awarded the winners with 5 enhanced digital files of their babies.
Here is a sneak peak at the prize.

Michelle & Todd and Butterflies!

May 17, 2014
Rev.Jennifer Johnson
White River Gardens Butterfly House

 A few weekends ago I had the pleasure of marrying Michelle and Todd at the Indianapolis Zoo White River Gardens Butterfly House. It was a sunny spring afternoon. The Butterfly House is home to numerous butterflies of all sizes and shapes. It is heated to accommodate the butterflies. Michelle and Todd were still  the easy going couple I met many months ago and very much in love. The rest of the wedding party was a happy group with sage green and peach flowers and corsages..
They giggled throughout the ceremony which I attributed to their wedding joy; However, after the ceremony, I found out that the best man had one of the butterflies resting on his head the whole time. Also, I found out that I had a butterfly on my head most of the ceremony as well. SO every wedding is unique and memorable!
If you have never been to the Butterfly House you must make a plan to get there. I am sure you will get the giggles, too!

WHO WE ARE

PLAN THE PERFECT WEDDING CEREMONY YOUR WAY!

Our goal here at Happy Ever After Wedding Officiants is to make your wedding as unique as you and your significant other. We are Five non-denominational ministers. So being non-denominational give us the ability to incorporate your particular cultural traditions and family heritage into your ceremony.

At Happy Ever After Wedding Officiants you not only get great wedding officiants but we also have
two Fabulous Photographers, an Experienced & Talented Singer, An Experienced Wedding Planner & Tux Rentals and Decorator and Etiquette Specialist. Our Officiants/Ministers are able to provide you with wedding services throughout Indianapolis and the greater Indiana areas along with services in Central Florida, Leesburg, Florida. It can be a simple wedding or elopement, a wedding in a backyard, park, etc or a formal wedding at a venue. We do them all! We supply you with materials and ideas to help you make the choices for your wedding ceremony wording. Plus we include traditions and wedding ideas that will be different and memorable to you and your guests.

We are:
Rev. Ida-May Hanson, Senior Minister, Planning, Decorator & Etiquette, serving Central Florida
                                                        ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Rev. Jennifer Johnson, Singer, serving Indianapolis & greater Indiana area
Rev. Melissa Lawson, Photographer, serving Indianapolis & greater Indiana area

Rev. Renea Gates, Planner & Tux Rentals, serving Indianapolis & greater Indiana area

Stephan & Annette and Being Happy!

Stephan & Annette
Monday, July 14, 2014
Rev. Jennifer Johnson
Avon, Indiana

One of the best things about being a wedding officiant is all the wonderful people I get to meet! Stephan and Annette were right at the top if this list! I traveled to Stephan and Annette's private home to perform their wedding in the presence of their children and grandchild. 
Weddings were in the air because two days earlier Stephan's son and girlfriend had been married.The newlyweds had delayed their honeymoon to be able to attend Stephan and Annette's big day.
The spirit of happiness and love in the room could not be out dampened by the gray skies and rain showers outside. After a beautiful ceremony Stephan and Annette and their newly formed family scurried around taking pictures and hugging and kissing! Then they were off to celebrate at Olive Garden! At least I think they were off to Olive Garden- for all I know they could still be there hugging, kissing and taking pictures!
                             
                             Love is truly amazing! 

Jeff and Cathy and their little piece of heaven, Winchester Place!

Jeff and Cathy
Sunday,June 29, 2014
Rev. Jennifer Johnson
Winchester Place, Greenwood ,IN

It was a beautiful,warm summer afternoon at Winchester Place in Greenwood, Indiana, and the perfect setting for the romantic wedding of Jeff and Cathy!
Jeff and Cathy had been so easy to work with from the beginning and I knew it would be a joy to officiate the wedding of such a lovely couple. But I didn't know how pleasing it would be to the senses as well. The atmosphere was adorned with a gazebo,a bridge, a fountain and pond complete with two ducks. Soothing floral scents drifted across the light breeze.
The peaceful and tranquil world at Winchester Place created a feeling of a fairy tale- a fairy tale wedding for for two very in love people! A wedding should always be like a fairy tale.
                                  Thank you Jeff and Cathy for sharing yours with me!
If you have never visited Winchester Place, you owe yourself the pleasure. I felt like I had stepped into                                                           a little piece of heaven.
                                     I am sure that the wedding party and guests did as well.

Details add so much to the memories.

When planning your wedding,  I highly suggest making it your own!  Including little touches here and there adds so much to the overall feel and celebration.  People like to see and hear about things that are near and dear to your heart. It gives your guests something to do while they are waiting for you to make your grand entrance. As you will see in the collage above, the theme was cohesive for a holiday wedding. It was warm and inviting with all the candles and deep, red rose petals all around. There was a collage of pictures of the bride & groom - from when they each were younger to where they are as a couple now - for friends and family to be able to reminisce about. The card holder wasn't a standard basket or wedding box but a winter sleigh. There were little sayings on each table for guests to be able to read and take with them at the end of the festivities. One of my favorite features was the special table set up to honor those in both of their lives who would have loved to have been there in person but were no longer present in this world. Each differently colored candle represented a person who had impacted their family's lives and had helped them become who they were on their special day. So my challenge to you is to learn from what Elizabette & Chris Tharp did at the Oak Hill Mansion in Carmel, Indiana, and add as much meaning to your ceremony and reception as possible while maintaining a nice flow.

Katie & Chad & Cooper

April 12,2014
Rev. Jennifer Johnson
Valle Vista Golf Club, Greenwood, IN

From the moment I met Katie and Chad I knew their wedding ceremony was going to be very special!
We started communicating in early November of 2013 after they inquired on our website about needing a wedding officiant. We emailed back and forth a few times before we were able to confirm an official  meeting date. Once we met I could see the sparkle they had when they were together and for the special event they were planning. What a happy couple!  Cooper, their faithful and kind dog also a member of the wedding party,  made his grand entrance right on cue. A beautiful couple and wedding party, along with a a special reading offered  by Chad's sister, Kendra, and the unbeatable spring weather all combined for a wedding day to remember! Valle Vista Golf Club once again did a spectacular job!  Thank you, Katie & Chad, for allowing me to share in your big day!

                                                             

AN INEXPENSIVE WAY TO SET THE AMBIANCE!

            This is an inexpensive wedding idea that I simply had to share with all you Bride To B's.
      If you are planning an outdoor or barn type wedding I believe this would be the icing on the cake
      ...You buy the mason jars, punch a hole in the middle, tie a big knot in the cord and make the
      cord the length you want. Buy those battery candles and put them in the jars. A bunch of those jars
       hanging from a tree outside or inside of the barn will look so cool and they will set the mood
                                                                 and thyme of your wedding.

                                                                         Materials need:
                                           Mason Jars (can be all one color or assorted colors),
                                                                            Twine/Cord,
                                                        Tealight or Medium Size Battery Candles.
                                                       That's it and your ready to set the ambiance.

Scott & Robyn's Blended Family Ceremony

It is amazing to be a part of a new family being joined together through love and a committed marriage.This intimate ceremony took place in Greenwood, Indiana at Winchester Place on July 26, 2013 at 4:30pm. As you can see from the lower left, captured by their photographer, that emotions were high for everyone, including me. I try to keep it together most of the time, but couldn't help myself this time. The special bond Robyn already had with Scott's daughter was too precious and incredibly meaningful. The way Emma looked at Robyn was priceless! The special charm bracelet that Robyn gave Emma showed how well she knew Emmas and was already invested in her life. Robyn was excited that Emma was included in the marriage to Scott, Emma's dad.  It is such a blessing to be a part of these moments as a wedding officiant of Happy Ever After. 
                                                                 - humbly, Rev. Melissa Lawson

Deborah & Ronnie's Wedding

Saturday, September 21,2013
Rev. Jennifer Johnson
Caribbean Cove Hotel, Indianapolis

                                                   
Every wedding is a new and exciting adventure! I had the pleasure of being the wedding officiant for Deborah Carson and Ronnie Walker's wedding last fall.  It was a wonderful experience from the first meeting in February, 2013. Deborah and Ronnie began their wedding planning many months earlier. We planned their ceremony which included Lighting The Unity Candle, Jumping The Broom and a touching wedding poem written by Deborah's uncle. So many wonderful moments of joy and tears! Not to mention the gorgeous bride and groom!

Happy 5th Anniversary Happy Ever After Wedding Officiants

WELCOME,
I can’t believe all the changes that have happened at Happy Ever After Wedding Officiants.
February 4, 2014 we celebrated our fifth year as a Ministry. We began with just me and now have grown into five ministers today. First Rev. Jennifer Johnson joined me December 1, 2011.
Second was Rev. Melissa Lawson who came on board January 15, 2013. Third was Rev. Marty Moran November 1, 2013. And just recently Rev. Renea Gates joined us February 1, 2014.

We are so blessed to have such caring and professional people here to help all of the couples
on their quest to plan their perfect wedding ceremony. Now we are starting our own blogging page.
We hope to post every Monday. So watch for us and read the stories of the couples we marry along with a few pictures. Also please share with friends. Wow! Look at us go!

To celebrate our Firth Anniversary we are having a contest and we hope all the couples that have been married by Happy Ever After Wedding Officiants will take part. Go to our Facebook page; post a picture of you both on your wedding day and a picture of you both today. Tell us the date of your wedding and which minister married you. Then tell us how your married lives have changed, grown, and or multiplied since the wedding. Deadline for contest entry is Sunday, May 25, 2014. On June 2, 2014 the couple who receives the most votes will be the winners.

SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY CONTEST OPEN ONLY TO ALL COUPLES MARRIED BY
HAPPY EVER AFTER WEDDING OFFICIANTS MINISTERS BETWEEN 2009 and 2014
PRIZE WILL BE PHOTOS ON LOCATION OF YOUR CHOICE
(WITHIN A 20 MILE RADIUS OF NOBLESVILLE)
5 ENHANCED DIGITAL FILES OF YOUR FAVORITE IMAGES WITH
BIZZZYBEE PHOTOGRAPHY, QUEEN BEE ~ MELISSA LAWSON.
(VALUE $150.00)
(Various upgrades of enlargement & display will also be available) 

CONTEST BEGINS APRIL 1, 2014 ~ ENDS JUNE 1, 2014 POST TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE
AND TAG US IN YOUR POST. YOU WILL RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION EMAIL
AFTER YOUR POSTING TO CONFIRM YOUR ENTRY INTO THE CONTEST. 

 GOOD LUCK!