The home wedding option

A garage is turned into a lovely location for a small, intimate wedding with family and friends.

Size isn’t everything … at least not when it comes to weddings. Some couples dream of a large event with lots of people at an amazing venue. Some couples prefer a smaller, more intimate event with a few friends and family. It really is up to the couple to plan for a wedding they can look back on fondly in the years to come.

Here in Lethbridge and southern Alberta, there are a good number of wedding venues that can cater to any size of celebration you could want. But sometimes I am asked by a couple for some ideas on small, budget-friendly venues. To those inquires, I could quote Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz … “There’s no place like home; there’s no place like home; there’s no place like home.”

Yes, weddings at home are an alternative and they can be the preference for many couples. For a smaller wedding, there are certainly benefits to planning for a home ceremony. Being prepared for inclement weather is one of those benefits. Sometimes it can be fairly easy to move the wedding into a sheltered space if things turn wet or cold or … this is southern Alberta after all … ridiculously windy!

I have performed ceremonies in living rooms, sunrooms, carports, garages, backyards, large houses, small apartments, and on decks and patios, both exposed to the elements and under protective awnings. So, just about any home setting can serve well for a wedding, depending on the number of people attending.

During the past two years, the in-home wedding seemed to become a little more popular in Lethbridge and southern Alberta due to COVID and the necessary restrictions that were in place. But weddings at home were popular before the pandemic and they remain so now with the easing of restrictions.

If you like the idea but aren’t sure if the space you have is appropriate, let me reassure you that any space you are comfortable with is fine for a wedding. Never forget that the ceremony is all about you and what you’d like it to be. With a little creativity, you can make many areas perfect for your wedding.

This past June, I performed a wedding in a garage. I have to tell you, the couple involved decked it out wonderfully, even including small tributes to family members who had passed away. Depending on where you stood or were seated, you would not have known it was a garage!

Seating for the guests creates the desired aisle!

A nice arch, some flowers, and a backdrop create a wonderful ceremony site

The possibilities in backyards can also be quite impressive. A short time ago, I was asked to perform a backyard wedding in Lethbridge. This was pretty much a regular size lot, and it was perfect for hosting family and friends for an intimate wedding ceremony. The couple had chairs set up for guests, an arch for the ceremony, a fence decorated for a backdrop, and a family member controlling music through a Bluetooth speaker. It was sunny, the temperature was comfortable, and … it wasn’t windy! You can’t ask for much more than that with outdoor weddings in Lethbridge!

Certainly, there are other options couples can consider for the smaller wedding. There are parks, campgrounds, private rooms in restaurants, and other venues that can work for you. But I think a wedding at home can create a different kind of memory as each time a couple is in their yard or garage or living room, they are right back where they were married. So, the ceremony can live on for them … plus they then have a built-in place to celebrate anniversaries right where they got married!

Venues are obviously an important part of a wedding ceremony, but you could find the ideal location for you is closer than you think.

Cheers!

When boogie fever strikes at the wedding reception

As a marriage commissioner in Lethbridge, I do not attend the receptions. I’m there to officially marry the couple, then I’m done. And I’m okay with that. But I suspect I may be missing out on some hilarious shenanigans at the post-ceremony party.

I’m not 100% certain what the acceptable embarrassment level is for brides, but in some cases, it must be pretty high. Here’s a bride who can be absolutely certain her guy loves her. After all, he and his pals put on a complete dance show for her.

The Reception Show

It’s up to you to decide if this is a thriller or a chiller. But it’s definitely fun! So, guys … now you know what you have to live up to at your reception.

Take care.

Getting hitched in the Great Outdoors

Sometimes being indoors for a wedding just isn’t what a couple wants. They want to get married outside, whether that be in their backyard, on an acreage, or in park setting. I love performing ceremonies outdoors, but there are a few things a couple should keep in mind.

Outdoor weddings can be amazing if you keep a few things in mind!

1. Weather. This is, of course, the biggie! Poet Robbie Burns wrote that the best laid plans of mice and men can still go wrong and, boy, oh boy, does that ever apply to the outdoor wedding. And while it applies no matter where you live, here in southern Alberta it’s practically a mantra.

   Around here, we never really know what the weather will bring our way, no matter what the season. I’ve officiated at a wedding on what should have been a beautiful autumn day in September that turned out bitterly cold and snowy. I’ve had to rush through things a bit when a thunderstorm rolled in just as the ceremony was wrapping up and guests were rushing for cover.

   After one experience in February, I no longer agree to perform outdoor weddings in the winter! Unseasonably warm weather leading up to the big day returned to what could be expected for that time of the year with temperatures close to -20 and windchills making it feel even colder. So cold, in fact, that the ink in the pen I kept in my suit pocket to protect wouldn’t flow properly when it came time to sign the license!

   During the height of a particularly bad forest fire season a couple of years ago, smoke from British Columbia was blowing through so thick you couldn’t see clearly across the river valley. It added a certain aroma to the outdoor festivities on an acreage site and it made breathing a little difficult for some folks.

   Even a beautiful, sunny summer day can provide some challenges. I officiated at a ceremony on a hot day without a single cloud in the blue sky. Gorgeous setting. Lots of people. And no protection from the sun. Temperatures soared to 32C and the start of the ceremony experienced a bit of a delay. I had to ask guests to retreat to the outer perimeter of the venue to seek shade until we were ready to begin.

   For these and other weather-related challenges, I always advise couples to have a Plan B for the ceremony location … just in case.

2. Accessibility. When looking at an outdoor location, you need to keep in mind your guests and whether some may have a challenge accessing the site. Sometimes it’s a matter of parking. Is there space available to accommodate guests’ vehicles or are people going to have to walk quite a ways? Is the site, itself, at the end of a narrow, rough, or steep path? Does it provide adequate shelter on a hot, sunny day? (See ‘Weather’, above!) Are there any amenities (washrooms!) nearby? While a ceremony may be only 20 minutes long, delays can greatly extend this period of time … and when you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go! So, if you are looking at a ‘natural’ outdoor area, please be sure to be on time so guests don’t have to sit with their legs tightly crossed.

3. The Ceremony. Indoors, there are things like chairs and sound systems that can enhance the experience for everyone. Once you move outside, these are things that need to be considered. Some venues have an outdoor option available and they can provide chairs and usually a sound system. Sometimes it’s a matter of a DJ service having long enough extension cords or a power system to ensure sound is available.

   Backyard ceremonies are often easy as lawn chairs take care of the seating and mics and speakers aren’t necessary for guests to hear the ceremony. But if you opt for something a little remote or even in a city park, these are things you’ll need to consider. I have officiated at ceremonies in park settings where the couple has arranged to rent chairs from a local provider. At small ceremonies in a park setting, guests have been asked to bring along a lawn chair for sitting.

   Additionally, keep the license signing in mind. I have a magnetic board I use for the license to reduce the possibility of it blowing halfway to Medicine Hat! Have I mentioned that it sometimes gets windy in Lethbridge? If you’re lucky enough to be marrying on one of the two or three days out of the month that is relatively calm … BONUS! But it is very handy to have a small table set up with chairs off to the side for the signing.

4. City parks. Lethbridge has some lovely park settings, some of which have picnic shelters available. But those shelters do need to be rented if you want to ensure availability. While this hasn’t happened to me yet, I can’t imagine how disappointing it could be to think you could simply show up at a park with guests in tow and have access to a picnic shelter, only to find none are available. Or to have a group that did book the shelter show up halfway through your ceremony. Awkward! If you are thinking of using a shelter at a Lethbridge park, please check out availability and pricing at the City of Lethbridge website - Picnic Shelters.

It is wonderful to have a wedding outdoors and it can make for an extra special day with many fond memories … just be aware of possible challenges and try to plan accordingly.

Take care.

I now pronounce you ... ready for some laughs

Sometimes in life, things don’t always go as planned or how we’d like … if you know what I mean.

Flower girls can do the darndest things

Take weddings for example.

A wedding is one of the most significant celebrations a couple can experience. It’s a time of love, a time of commitment, and sometimes a time for a little bit of an oopsie!

As a marriage commissioner in Lethbridge, I will often advise couples not to be surprised if things don’t go exactly as they hoped. One of the secrets to a successful ceremony and reception is being able to roll with punches, so to speak. Enjoy a laugh if there are goof-ups. I can promise you it’s better than getting upset and allowing little things to cast shadows over your special day.

Officiating at weddings in southern Alberta, I have seen a few surprises along the way that resulted in some laughs – unity candles that wouldn’t stay lit, flower girls screaming and crying all the way up the aisle, sound systems that wouldn’t work.

But I’ve been fortunate enough not to experience the funny moments in these wedding videos.

http://bit.ly/wedgoofs

I hope you have a chuckle or two and if you are looking for a marriage commissioner in the Lethbridge area, I would be honoured to serve as your officiant.

Take care.

Love and marriage in the time of COVID continues

A year of altered wedding plans, postponements, and simpler ceremonies seems like it will continue following the Alberta government decision this week to not move ahead with Step 3 of the COVID-19 recovery.

With the numbers of cases trending back up, it’s a decision in line with the overall plan, and the right move to make at this time. But what does that mean if you have a ceremony planned in the coming months?

Well, I guess that’s very much a personal decision. Looking at the months to come, I can tell you that I’ve certainly seen a decrease in the number of weddings compared to what I would say is usual. The numbers started falling right about this time a year ago.

Some couples who decided to postpone last year are going ahead this year rather than continuing to wait for things to get back more to normal. Others continue to delay their plans in hopes of being able to invite more family and friends to their ceremony.

That’s understandable if you’ve been dreaming of a big wedding and really want to see that come true. Regulations in Alberta still mean a ceremony can only have a maximum of 10 people in attendance. That includes the couple, their witnesses, and their marriage commissioner, meaning only a maximum of five other people can attend.

If you’ve decided you don’t want to wait, boy oh boy, will you have a great story to tell years from now. Image being able to tell people, “We loved each other so much we got married in the middle of a global pandemic!”

And you can always plan for a big bash in celebration of an anniversary at a later date.

Something to keep in mind is, of course, the well-being of everyone in attendance.

• Having some hand sanitizer available could be a good idea.

• Social distancing – that six-foot rule – is something that should be observed whenever possible. So, if I stand a bit further away from you … relax, it’s not your breath!

• As your marriage commissioner, I wear a mask right up until we’re ready to start the ceremony. Then, the mask comes off as we’ll need to ensure what we say is clearly understood.

• Speaking of masks, you might want to consider having some disposables available in case anyone forgets to bring one along. Back near the beginning of the pandemic when you could still have 50 people attend, I performed a wedding ceremony where the couple had custom-made masks at the venue entrance as gifts for their guests. Now that’s a unique memento from a wedding held at a very specific time in history!

• Guests should leave soon after the ceremony as receptions are among the social gatherings currently prohibited in Alberta. That could be something for that big anniversary bash later on!

Whether you opt to have a small, intimate ceremony now or hold off until you can go big, as a marriage commissioner serving couples in Lethbridge and southern Alberta, my goal remains the same. I want to help you have a wedding ceremony that you can always look back at with fond memories in the years to come.

If you’d like to connect, you can email me at derekbly57@gmail.com or phone me at either 403-328-7710 or 403-380-7722.

Take care!

Getting Married in Lethbridge in the time of COVID

To say that 2020 has been a crazy year would be an understatement. And if you were planning a wedding at almost any point during this year, you may have had to change plans, reschedule, scale back, or even give a loud scream of frustration!

All perfectly understandable as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe. But all is not lost!

As I write this post, the Alberta government just announced new regulations that came into effect a few days ago. These changes have already impacted some couples planning to marry before Christmas. For couples who have the option to be flexible in their Lethbridge wedding plans, it is still possible to move ahead. Of course, if you do want a larger ceremony, you may have to wait a bit. The promise of a new COVID vaccine that could be available in large numbers by next summer offers the hope of a return to something a bit more normal.

Right now, though, if you still wish to marry soon, you do need to keep in mind regulations that may be in place on your wedding day.

As of Nov. 24, 2020, regulations include:

• No indoor social gatherings are permitted in any setting (private homes, public spaces, or workplaces)

  • Indoor close contacts must be limited to people in the same household

Then, for weddings, it notes:

• Maximum of 10 people for wedding ceremonies or funeral service.

  • This includes the officiant, bride/groom, and witnesses

That sounds a little contradictory, so I contacted the Marriage Unit of Vital Statistics in Edmonton to clarify these points. Basically, a wedding can only include 10 people. As noted, that includes the couple, the marriage commissioner, and their two witnesses. That accounts for five of the 10 people allowed. So, only another five would be allowed to attend.

After the ceremony, guests who do not live at your home would be expected to leave because it would then become a social gathering. That means any kind of reception would be a no-no.

Time to get creative!

I’ve seen several couples in Lethbridge expand their guest list by incorporating technology. Setting up a laptop or smartphone can provide a means of webcasting the ceremony by Zoom or similar tools.

In one case, a bride had her mother, who lives in another province, ‘walk’ her up the aisle virtually! The bride held her smartphone in one hand with Mom on the line. Sorry, I can’t remember if Zoom or Facetime or some other app was used. But it allowed Mom to be with her daughter as she walked up the aisle. And when I asked who had the honour of presenting the bride to be married to the groom, Mom was able to claim that honour by video. It was quite touching and something I hadn’t seen before.

Perhaps a ‘reception’ could take place virtually, too. People linked together at one time, all with food and beverages, celebrating with the couple at a distance. Toasts to the bride and groom could be made this way, too.

Another couple took a unique approach to honouring their guests when having a group of 50 was still possible. Customized masks were available for all guests when they arrived for the ceremony at a local venue.

So, all is not lost! You can still have your Lethbridge wedding during the time of COVID. And just think what stories you could share with future generations! “We loved each other so much, we didn’t let a global pandemic keep us from getting married.” Now, how’s that for a tale to tell the grandkids years from now?

These regulations are in place for three weeks beginning Nov. 24. So, that means they end Dec. 15. None of us can know at this point what happens after that, but it's probably safest to think the limitations on gatherings could continue for a bit after this point if the province doesn't see some significant reduction in the number of infections taking place.

If you are wanting to get married during the COVID situation and are flexible in how this can happen, I’d be honoured to serve as your marriage commissioner in the Lethbridge area. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. We can chat about your ceremony and plan to make it something you’ll always fondly remember.

And if you have some creative ideas for making weddings special with regulations in place, I think it would great if you could share with everyone.

Until next time, take care and stay safe.

A Winter Wedding

Norland Historic Estate, Dec. 30, 2017

The lane leading up the estate. Just about picture perfect for a winter wedding.

The New Year rolled into Lethbridge with record cold temperatures and lots of snow. So much snow I had to store some of it in banks. Snow banks. Along my driveway. Yeah, yeah. That’s a groaner, for sure. But you get the idea.

Still, the weather wasn’t enough to deter weddings in Lethbridge. We Lethbridge marriage commissioners are kind of like the U.S. Postal Service; “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays this marriage commissioner from the swift completion of his appointed rounds." So, on Dec. 30, 2017, I was off to the Norland Historic Estate for a wedding ceremony in an incredible setting. www.thenorland.com/

The interior is really well-lit and has a simple, yet elegant feel to it.

Sometimes I am asked about wedding venue options in Lethbridge. To be honest, choosing a location can depend on so many variants that it’s difficult to actually recommend a specific one. It really is dependent on what each particular couple is looking for.

A noticeable trend during the past wedding season was the great outdoors. In 2017, I performed ceremonies in backyards, on farms, at acreage sites and in Indian Battle Park. Of course, at this time of the year an outdoor wedding may not be all that practical. I suppose if everyone bundled up it could be doable. Something around a bonfire with lots of hot chocolate, coffee and tea would be an idea!

However, the Dec. 30 wedding for Kimberly and Don was, as noted, at the Norland Historic Estate … and it was rather a spectacular setting. The house, itself, dates back to 1909-1910. Originally a farm house surrounded by bald prairie, it’s location is now beautifully treed and feels quite elegant.

It was actually my first ceremony at this location, but I have two and possibly three weddings there already set for 2018. I’m looking forward to seeing it in the summer, surrounded by green rather than white! In either colour, I have a feeling the Norland Historic Estate is a pretty unique venue.

Whatever venue you have planned for your 2018 ceremony, it would be my honour to serve as your marriage commissioner and work with you to provide a unique celebration of your special day. If you like to reach out to me, Let’s Chat!

It's a launch!

Welcome to the first post in the Lethbridge Wedding website blog. As marriage commissioner appointed by Alberta to serve the Lethbridge area, it's my hope that this blog will serve as a bit of a resource for you.

You're looking for ideas and information about wedding ceremonies and you'll find that here at lethbridgewedding.com. But through this blog I plan to share items I hope will inspire and maybe amuse you as you plan for your own ceremony. I will also post a bit about some of the ceremonies I am honoured to perform with the hope that this, too, may give you some ideas for your own wedding.

So, welcome to my blog. I hope you come back often and feel free to comment on what you see.