Who Will Marry You if Your Officiant is Sick?

On Saturday, I got a call from a groom. Could I officiate at their wedding the very next day? Their officiant was sick with the flu — and had no back up.

A bride asked me today on the phone, “So, who will marry us if you get sick, if you are not available?”

Another wedding minister told me he has gotten a rash of calls recently from brides where the officiant — a relative like an uncle, even a priest — said they could no longer officiate at their wedding this summer.

What would you do?

Well, I have a team of 5 ministers I refer weddings to when I am already booked. They also can back me up, if I got sick. Because I work off a script — approved in advance by most couples — they would do exactly what was planned. They don’t have to guess what vows or readings you want. They would share the couple’s love story just as written. It would cost you nothing (I would pay them for their time.)

Thanks be to God in over 6 years of doing weddings full-time, I have never missed a wedding — ever.

As for Sunday’s wedding? I was available to do the wedding at the beautiful Galleria Marchetti in Chicago. I thank them for giving the groom my info. It went very well.

A Sweet Proposal Story Involving Bride’s 3 Year Old Daughter

On Saturday, I told this sweet proposal story to 175 guests.

How did Travis propose to Elizabeth?

She knew it was coming — they had looked at rings together — but not when. The center diamond is the stone her dad gave her mom the day Elizabeth was born, to be hers one day.

April 2009, Travis buys the ring and hides it in his room. He is normally terrible at keeping secrets.

June — two months later — they both plan a trip to South Haven, Michigan. The three of them go — they rent a cottage on the lake. His plan is to propose at sunset on the beach.

After a full day of swimming, they are all yawning. At 6:00pm, Gracyn (the 3 year old daughter of the bride) says, “I want to go to bed.” She has never said those words since.

He looks online — the sunset is at 9:51pm (Michigan is in the Eastern time zone). He wasn’t going to stay awake that long. He wants Gracyn to be there for the proposal. The next day, other family members were going to come.

Earlier in the day, coins had fallen out of his pocket when he was lying on the floor. Gracyn picks them up, calls them her treasure and plays with them.

So, now, he says, “Gracyn, I’ve found another piece of treasure.” She puts her hands out. The coins are in it. He puts the ring in her hand. She gets wide-eyed. She closes her hands and walks over to her mother. Gracyn knows exactly what is going on.

Elizabeth is in the living room — but oblivious. He whispers to her, “Go give it to mommy.” Elizabeth is only a few feet away, watching TV. She doesn’t hear their interaction.

Gracyn walks over and puts just the ring on her mom’s stomach. Elizabeth turns to Travis and says, “What is this?!” Then he gets down on one knee. He says a few words. He ends with “Will you marry me?”

She says yes and starts to cry.

“Mommy, why are you crying?”

“I’m happy. Travis is going to marry us.”

I got choked up telling it. And I had written the story.

While I am telling this story, Gracyn, the girl of honor, now 4,  is standing a few feet away from me.  For some of the wedding she is standing between the matron of honor and me. Some of the time she is standing next to her mom, the bride. Some of the time, she is sitting in the first row next to her grandparents. Regardless, she is adorable.

Gracyn participated in the unity sand ceremony too, pouring her color on top of her mother’s.

The wedding was at the historic Lily Reid Holt Memorial Chapel on the campus of Lake Forest College. There are Tiffany stained glass windows and ceiling lights. Faye Kelly, Director of Special Events, is there for the entire rehearsal and ceremony — a rare thing for a person in that role. It really helps the couple, it really helps me. She’s great.