In 10 years of being a Marriage Officer I have met a lot of people and worked with or dealt with many people in the wedding industry.
I have always loved being a Marriage Officer, even before I realised I could making a living doing it. It is such an intimate moment to share with two people. Early on I told my wife that if I ever got the point where I was cynical about marriage I would stop doing this work. The closest I came to giving it up was in 2003. In November that year I got so busy and on one day performed 3 weddings. I was under so much duress to get done with one to make the other that I was irritable and frustrated. As a result I stopped performing weddings for about 4 months. I missed it too much so got back into it but established a policy of doing a maximum of two weddings in a day and only if they are timed far apart (morning and afternoon). In this way I've kept the excitement and enjoyment of being involved in what is a one in a lifetime event for those closest.
In meeting the many people involved in the industry from venue owners to organisers, photographers, decor and so on I've became acutely aware of a cynicism that runs as an undercurrent in discussions about weddings and it irritates me. You'll hear snide remarks about a "nightmare bride" or a bride's mother that is too much to bear. I do understand that with any job there are times that are frustrating or challenges to deal with. There always are.
So it is fantastic to meet people in the industry that are clearly passionate about what they do. They work hard (it has to be said that the wedding industry IS hard work) but love what they do and give everything to the brides they work with.
I've been privileged to meet two such people this year. The first is Khali Collins who is a wedding planner and she is also involved with the SA School of Weddings. I don't know much about her personally but I have seen her at weddings, I've seen her at the wedding expo. She clearly loves what she does, probably too much. If her Facebook statuses are anything to go by she is not getting enough sleep. If you want to have someone planning your wedding who is as passionate about it as you are then you'll want to meet Khali. Check her out at www.theweddingspecialist.co.za.
The other is Phern Orr. She coordinates weddings for Morrells Boutique Venue. I have performed several weddings there this year. Firstly the venue is wonderful: Quaint, a little rustic and exquisitely photogenic. Phern works most weekends and when I see her there it clearly is not a casual, sit at your desk type of job. She flies around arranging, coordinating and bossing. Find out more at www.morrells.co.za
Good luck to both of them, I hope they love it forever.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
In Sickness and Health
Yesterday I performed what was probably the most emotional wedding I have ever done.
Rebecca and Haydn are Australians and they've been together for 6 years. Haydn travels extensively doing mine exploration. Most recently his job took him to Cameroon where he was managing a project. He became ill with what would later be diagnosed as pneumonia. He was taken to a local hospital and rapidly got worse. He spent 5 days with his temperature at 42 degrees in appalling conditions in the hospital. Finally he was emergency airlifted to South Africa on the verge of death. Rebecca flew in from Australia to meet him in South Africa. Within a few days of proper treatment he improved markedly and was getting better daily.
They had been intending to get married for some time and decided that now is the time. Rebecca called me and asked if I would marry them at the hospital.
When I arrived and saw Haydn it was clear that he had been through a rough time and although improved, he was only partly on the road to recovery. Both he and Rebecca are quiet and unassuming but after some short conversation it was clear to me that they are also both strong and good people.
After completing the paperwork two nurses were called in to act as witnesses. Haydn got out of bed and walked a little unsteadily to a chair nearby.
I kept the ceremony short and simple. I handed Rebecca's ring to Haydn and asked him to repeat after me... "with this symbol of my love...." Several weeks of pent up emotion suddenly rushed to the surface and he could not contain himself and he burst into sobbing tears. Rebecca immediately followed suit. It was a moment of profound emotion that is very difficult to describe. The joy of being alive and able to share this with one another. It took a long while for him to get all the words out but he did and a few short minutes later they were married.
I truly wish both of them all of the best. They have already overcome a major challenge and I hope it gets easier from here.
Rebecca and Haydn are Australians and they've been together for 6 years. Haydn travels extensively doing mine exploration. Most recently his job took him to Cameroon where he was managing a project. He became ill with what would later be diagnosed as pneumonia. He was taken to a local hospital and rapidly got worse. He spent 5 days with his temperature at 42 degrees in appalling conditions in the hospital. Finally he was emergency airlifted to South Africa on the verge of death. Rebecca flew in from Australia to meet him in South Africa. Within a few days of proper treatment he improved markedly and was getting better daily.
They had been intending to get married for some time and decided that now is the time. Rebecca called me and asked if I would marry them at the hospital.
When I arrived and saw Haydn it was clear that he had been through a rough time and although improved, he was only partly on the road to recovery. Both he and Rebecca are quiet and unassuming but after some short conversation it was clear to me that they are also both strong and good people.
After completing the paperwork two nurses were called in to act as witnesses. Haydn got out of bed and walked a little unsteadily to a chair nearby.
I kept the ceremony short and simple. I handed Rebecca's ring to Haydn and asked him to repeat after me... "with this symbol of my love...." Several weeks of pent up emotion suddenly rushed to the surface and he could not contain himself and he burst into sobbing tears. Rebecca immediately followed suit. It was a moment of profound emotion that is very difficult to describe. The joy of being alive and able to share this with one another. It took a long while for him to get all the words out but he did and a few short minutes later they were married.
I truly wish both of them all of the best. They have already overcome a major challenge and I hope it gets easier from here.
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