You're the One (One One One One One) For Me!

11/11/11 -- My most requested date EVER.

I'm going to sound like a broken record here but this past weekend was another super busy, super happy one for me. While it's not unusual for me to perform four ceremonies in one weekend, it's not that often that I perform more than two in one day. However, seeing as last Friday was 11/11/11, LOTS of people wanted to get hitched. Had I been able to clone myself I could've performed at least twenty ceremonies-- I lost track of how many requests I got. As it turned out I was able to fit three into my calendar. 

Flower Girl-- OMG!! SO CUTE!!

Couple #1!

The three ceremonies were back to back: 4 pm at Hummingbird House, 5:30 at Mercury Hall, and 6:30 at the American Legion Hall over there by Magnolia Cafe on Lake Austin Boulevard. The first service got started a little late which, combined with Friday traffic, made the trip to the second venue a little bit like an exciting game show. Would I get there in time? (Considering how close the venues are, I actually knew that I'd get there in time, but I prefer to show up early to a ceremony just to say hello, reassure folks that I'm there and ready, and -- of course-- snap a bunch of pictures.) 

Couple #2!

Courtyard Southwest School of Art

I was able to get to Ceremony #2 in plenty of time. Ceremony #3, which also involved only a short drive, was a little trickier. By 6 pm traffic was super crazy. So when I arrived there wasn't the usual little cushion of time to say howdy. I pulled up, dashed up the stairs, and we pretty much started the ceremony within five minutes of my arrival. The couple was totally cool with this-- they had graciously offered from the beginning to be flexible with their schedule in order to have me as their officiant. (Very flattering, to understate it.) 

American Legion Hall, Austin, TX

Couple #3! They rocked it with some Journey lyrics in their ceremony.

All three of the venues are lovely, but I got a special thrill out of the third one, since 11/11/11 was also Veterans Day and the venue was originally built to honor vets. Plus, on a more personal note, I'd been to a million Austin Chronicle Christmas parties at the place, and so its halls are haunted with lots of fun memories for me. 

Wedding #4!

Because the 11/11/11 weddings were so close together-- time-wise and logistically-- I didn't get super wiped out the way I might have had they been spread out all over the Hill Country. That was especially good news since I needed to be very well rested on Saturday. Why? Because Saturday I had to drive to San Antonio to get to Wedding #4. That ceremony was at a new-to-me venue: Southwest School of Art, which is across the street from San Antonio's architecturally famous and funky public library. SSA has a GREAT history-- built by the Catholic Church in the mid-1800's, originally it was a convent and girls' school and included a gorgeous chapel. 

I mean this place is FANNNNNNCY!!

Note the groom's undershirt on this awesome cake topper. Also, the bride figure is wearing a dress just like the actual bride's dress.

These days, the facilities are rentable and you don't have to be a priest to conduct a wedding there. Lucky for me! When I walked in and saw the place, it truly took my breath away. I perform lots of weddings in all sorts of gorgeous settings. But most often in Austin I perform outdoor weddings, frequently held under Live Oak trees. Only once in awhile am I asked to do an indoor wedding, and more rare still are times when I am doing my work inside of a chapel. This wedding included lots of bridesmaids and groomsmen-- it was possibly the fanciest ceremony over which I presided. That said, bride and groom were both totally down to earth and the whole crowd had a wonderful time. Everyone was dressed to the nines and I never saw so many teetering, Eiffel-tower-esque high heels gathered in one place before. Wow. What a night. I hope I get to perform more ceremonies in San Antonio-- this was only my second, my first one also having been of the super fancy variety, held at the Witte Museum. 

Can I say it again? I LOVE MY JOB!

Ice Sculpture at the San Antonio Wedding-- some fancy cocktail came sliding down this thing.

I'd love to help you with your wedding -- creating a custom written ceremony, directing the rehearsal, performing the wedding: I do all this and more. For details you can check out my Austin Wedding Officiant website.