This year weddings started out so great with the busiest March I’ve ever had. This season feels different...more optimism, more conventional weddings, more awesome venues than ever....so many new ones! And I’ve seen more very young military men and women seeking to marry their partners in inexpensive elopements. I try to make these as special and memorable as I can just because I believe every couple should have a memorable wedding. I love living in the Coastal Virginia area. I grew up in Norfolk surrounded by Navy families coming and going all the time. When I married, it was a local Smithfield man who won my heart and we raised our 4 children in this rural area. It was only when I became involved with weddings that I started visiting my old stomping grounds in Norfolk and Virginia Beach. I love the oceanfront, love listening to the water, the birds, collecting seashells....but most of all.....performing weddings!!! Being a part of someone’s special day, helping create the special moments, the words that try to describe love, devotion, honor, joining as one. I feel so blessed by this work, or as I prefer, this calling. My destiny, to celebrate love on so many wedding days!!

Couples, I had a wedding this summer that really got me thinking about being mindful when selecting your venue. The things you must consider for an outdoor ceremony:

1. Age and health of guests being invited.
   
2. Distance that must be walked and conditions of the terrain.
   
3. Will the guests be sitting in the sun during the heat of the day?
   
4. Will I be able to start my ceremony on time so as to not prolong their discomfort?
   

Here we are again, a new year of weddings and more adventure! I have been meeting engaged couples a few each week and booking most of them....well either myself or Vicki. I am looking forward to Spring again and weddings!
​It is very windy outside this morning and it took down one of my Mom's trees....another cold front is coming through to remind me it is still winter here in Virginia. At least we are not supposed to get the snow expected up north on the east coast!
​I have been working on my website for about a week now, freshening it and adding some new photos. I am blessed to be able to officiate weddings and I thank all my wonderful couples from 2016 and wish all of you a long and successful marriage.
​Blessings! Susan

What does 50 years of marriage entail? How did I get here and how can I use what I've learned to benefit others? These are just a couple of the questions I have asked myself this January 2016...the year my marriage turns 50. And so, I am embarking on a journey through those 50 years to find answers,  moments of clarity, and the wisdom imparted to me by the generations before me.
I hope this blog can be used by others to examine and work on their marriages so they can be happy and long-term lovers for all the work is worth it.

This photo is of my neighborhood during the worst of the North Easter. I am so glad the bad weather is behind us, and The Sun was a welcome sight to see. it didn't impact my weekend weddings thankfully as we had a plan for inclement weather and my last wedding although outdoors, the rain didn't start until the groom kissed the bride and then the heavens opened! lol Still sending prayers and warm wishes to family members in South Carolina who were very harshly impacted by the hurricane. looking forward to this weekend weddings and some beautiful weather for a change.

Vicki and I have the pleasure of attending a unique event this evening, Diner en Blanc.
This is a "pop-up" dinner party, all in white! We will all be dressed elegantly in white! Everyone meets at a predesignated place to board buses to the secret outdoor venue. We bring our own white tables and rent chairs, our own decorations, dinnerware and if desired, our own elegant meal, or buy a catered gourmet meal complete with wine selections. 
....and I will be officiating a wedding for one lucky couple. I was told to expect 600+ guests!
I will take lots of photos and this post will be continued....

Well....what an interesting night.... my skirt fell down around my ankles TWICE....Thank you for Vicki loaning me a hair pin which I had to keep putting on the waistband to keep it up! It did stay up during the wedding, thank God.
We sat beside Drs. Anna and Javier from Langley....so sweet. We had a great time and the wedding was wonderful.  Fun was had by all.

Whew! If you live in Virginia or have visited SE Virginia, you have experienced one of the hottest summers I can remember! Beach weddings have been excruciating but happy experiences if in the full sun.

It has been a "hot" summer for weddings too.... Vicki and I have both been very busy giving our couples the best wedding experience we can give.

Familywise, this has been a "hot" summer too. Our youngest son who lives in Florida had a very dangerous health event that could have taken him away from us, but by God's grace he survived and is almost back to normal again. 
Our other son and his large family have been visiting us from Texas! It is so wonderful to have a houseful of grandchildren, even if they are teens and older now. One of his children brought 2 of our Great-Granddaughters to visit us as well and they are young, so much fun!

Things will return to normal next week as they return to Texas on Saturday. We will miss them, we only get to see them about once a year or so. 

Clinton, my sweet husband, is still dealing with back pain issues and I worry about him. He pushes through the pain and keeps going and he still drives me to all my weddings  and meetings so we can spend the time together and so I can rest between appointments.

I consider it such a privilege to officiate weddings and I thank each couple who has afforded me this awesome trust.