Shannon, Tobin, Milan, and Me

There was a tremendous rainstorm that poured down on Lafayette Square Park less than an hour before Shannon and Tobin were scheduled to be married on that amazing September day. Yet, here we are half way through the ceremony: the sun is shining, Milan is with his people, and all is well!

From the bride and groom:

"Ruth did a fantastic job of guiding us in the right direction, yet allowing us the freedom to curtail our ceremony to be exactly how we wanted it. She was a pleasure to work with during the planning, rehearsal, and wedding day. Ruth is professional and timely. She 'goes with the flow' and is flexible to needs, wants or any ideas you can dream up. We highly recommend Ruth's services. She worked perfectly in our quirky, fun, park ceremony!"

-Tobin and Shannon Lichti, St. Louis, MO

Daily Miracles

I found this challenging gem today:

"And could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of life, your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy." - Kahlil Gibran

The People of Haiti Need You

Today I am praying for the people of Haiti, a strong and beautiful people, many of whom live a level of poverty unimagineable to most North Americans. Now they suffer even more deeply following such a devastating earthquake. If you are someone who believes in prayer, please include them in your prayers. If you have some extra change to spare, please forward it toward relief efforts.

For information about trustworthy aid organizations which will use your financial contributions wisely, see Sarah Van Gelder's blog with the Huffinton Post. http://http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-van-gelder/what-you-can-do-for-haiti_b_422058.html

New Year 2010, Parte Dos

I am excited about the possibilities for my Celebrant work in 2010. Here are some of the things I am considering:

There were a number of weddings I officiated this past year where everyone could have benefitted from the use of a sound system. I believe that I could be heard (my fifteen years in the classroom and several years of community theatre taught me a lot about projecting my voice!), but the bride and groom and readers were not always able to be heard. So I think it is time to look into getting my own sound system.

I would like to offer couples the option to use a credit or debit card to pay for my services. I know that there can be all kinds of crazy fees involved in doing this, but if I can figure out a way to make it work for St. Louis Ceremonies, I will.

I am going to develop my Spanish-speaking and comprehension skills. My recent experience with a December wedding stirred an interest in me for speaking this language that a growing number of new St. Louisans speak as their original language. If I work hard, perhaps a year from now I will be able to say that I offer bi-lingual ceremonies. OK, maybe two years from now, but eventually I hope to make this happen!

I have signed up to take “Funerals and other Ceremonies for Healing” this winter from the Celebrant Foundation and Institute. Once I receive certification, I look forward to expanding my Celebrant practice into funerals, memorials, and other ceremonies to assist people with some of the more difficult transitions and losses that are a part of being human.

If this year is anything like the last, I know it will be filled with more of the wonders and blessings that are at the heart of celebrating life’s most profound moments. I can’t imagine doing anything else!

The New Year 2010

This past year has flown by, as they all seem to these days. Recalling twenty-five weddings and one memorial service in 2009 brings on a rush of memories and feelings. As I reflect back I am grateful for so much.

First I want to say thanks to all of you who trusted me with your wedding ceremonies in 2009. I feel privileged to have worked with you to create some truly lovely and meaningful ceremonies.

Regarding St. Louis Ceremonies, I find I am most grateful for the people who have helped me to get things rolling this year. The list is long so I won’t attempt to name everyone who has shown me so much support and encouragement, but I do want to mention a few:

Thanks to local Celebrant extraordinaire Lamira Martin, from whom I received over thirty leads this year. I am most grateful for the wisdom of her experience and for her refreshing lightness of being!

In preparing to set up my website, my St. Louis friend Andrew Wimmer and Seattle Celebrant Annemarie Juhlian were invaluable in providing me with guidance and suggestions as I went through the early stages of website development. As the website vision moved toward a reality, Zoe Feast of Indigo Image helped me to pull it all together. My deep gratitude goes out to you all.

And, finally, none of this would be happening as smoothly as it has been without the constant support of my husband, Rocky. He has been on board this Celebrant project 100% from the start. Rockmeister, you are the man!