"Best. Ceremony. Ever." An Interview with Wedding Officiant Christopher Shelley

"Best. Ceremony. Ever." An Interview with Wedding Officiant Christopher Shelley

Christopher Shelley has a new book out: Best. Ceremony. Ever.

He wrote this book for the friends of the couples that ask him to officiate their ceremonies. I read it expecting it to be straight forward and factual. In reality, I was laughing out loud as I went through (awkward, because I was on a flight!) and couldn’t wait to get back to New York to call him.

This is our interview.

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Yes, You Need to Feed Your Wedding Vendors

Yes, You Need to Feed Your Wedding Vendors

Providing meals for your vendors is a commonly overlooked piece of the wedding day puzzle. You might be so deep in the weeds of making sure all your guests’ dietary restrictions are taken care of that you’ve forgotten that even your photographer, wedding planner, DJ, and other day-of vendors are going to need to eat, too!

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How to Plan Your Wedding When You're Struggling with Your Mental Health

How to Plan Your Wedding When You're Struggling with Your Mental Health

I am not a mental health practitioner in the slightest, but as someone who suffers from anxiety, ADHD, and owns a wedding planning firm, I can speak uniquely to how to handle the two. Here are my tips to manage your mental health while you’re wedding planning.

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The Radical Wed Retreat 2018 Round Up

The Radical Wed Retreat 2018 Round Up

Radical Wed Retreat is a photo conference hosted by Justine Broughal and Jamie Carle that we at Catalyst had the privilege of sponsoring. They created a gorgeous, two-part editorial shoot using real life couple Karla, one of the officiants from Once Upon a Vow, and her girlfriend Mary, on the Oregon coast.

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Enough Is Enough: In Response to This Week's Anti-LGBTQ+ News in the Wedding Industry

Enough Is Enough: In Response to This Week's Anti-LGBTQ+ News in the Wedding Industry

Last week, the self-delusion fell squarely on the shoulders of a Denver-based videography company, Media Mansion. This coupled with the United Methodist Church’s recent vote for restrictions against queer clergy (many whom have sustained my last remaining ounce of faith in Christianity) and queer couples to marry in their churches has many of us worn out, scared, and feeling helpless.

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Are YOU Responsible for Your Wedding's Toxic Vibe?

Are YOU Responsible for Your Wedding's Toxic Vibe?

We’ve talked about toxic parents, now it’s time to talk about...well, you. Sometimes the toxicity you need to avoid to enjoy your wedding planning is coming from you. This is a guide for how to check-in with yourself and also check yourself to avoid turning into a flesh-eating zombie.

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Nu Bride The Wedding Show: A London Wedding Expo Focused on Diversity & Equality

Nu Bride The Wedding Show: A London Wedding Expo Focused on Diversity & Equality

One of the barriers for a lot of my readers is finding inclusive and equality-minded wedding professionals. The wedding industry is not regulated so anyone can carve out a business, but not every business is of quality and not every business is inclusive. Nu Bride The Wedding Show will only feature suppliers who already demonstrate diversity or are actively working to improve this.

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Tips for Making Your Destination Wedding Really Your Own

Tips for Making Your Destination Wedding Really Your Own

Taking the plunge and opting for a destination wedding is an amazing way to celebrate your love with your partner. But when you think about the fact that you’re planning remotely, ensuring that your big day fully encapsulates your personality as a couple can seem tough to pull off.

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Alysse + Gio's Valentine's Day Boudoir Shoot

Alysse + Gio's Valentine's Day Boudoir Shoot

We wanted to do a couple's boudoir shoot to show not only our vulnerability but also our deep love for each other. There's something very vulnerable about having the person who knows you intimately be there with you. There's nowhere to hide but also, I had my safe person there so it felt comfortable to be more vulnerable.

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It's YOUR Wedding — Pump the Brakes on Your Parents' Toxic Behavior

It's YOUR Wedding — Pump the Brakes on Your Parents' Toxic Behavior

The stress to perform and pull off a wedding flawlessly can make anyone crack, but add in the pressure of complicated family dynamics and, baby, you’ve got the perfect recipe for a volatile soufflé on the edge of collapse.

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Fuck Yeah Weddings Uses Photography to Rethink Gender and Weddings

Fuck Yeah Weddings Uses Photography to Rethink Gender and Weddings

Kendall has always loved photography and from a young age knew they wanted to be a photographer when they grew up. Recognizing and validating each person's identity is critical to their core beliefs of feminism and equality. And the super gendered, binary nature of weddings? It really pisses Kendall off.

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Wedding Inspiration at The Boathouse at Sunday Park in Midlothian, VA

Wedding Inspiration at The Boathouse at Sunday Park in Midlothian, VA

I loved the idea of pairing paper flowers in the centerpieces and an origami bouquet to show that unconventional does not have to be all modern and you can use alternatives to real or silk florals. I used rose gold to add a bit of luxury to the dusty rose and paired with champagne linens.

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A Lively New Orleans Destination Wedding: Darius + Jessica

A Lively New Orleans Destination Wedding: Darius + Jessica

Not too long after we started dating, I went outside to see that my car had been hit in the middle of the night. I was working on a film set that morning, and couldn't be late for work to deal with it. I called Darius crying, and without skipping a beat, he asked me for the set address and told me that he would meet me there. He showed up, picked up my keys, and I came home to find out that he had handled absolutely everything for me that day. New tires, insurance called...everything. I knew right then that he was a keeper!

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