Rehearsals Don’t Have To Suck Since most couples are getting married for the first time everything about a wedding tends to be a mystery. That goes for the wedding rehearsal as well. So what’s needed for a wedding rehearsal. The short answer is: nothing! A wedding rehearsal isn’t really that necessary. However, if you’re going to double book your venue, pay more money to rehearse and take up more of your friend’s and family’s time then try to make the most of it. Here are a few tips on making the rehearsal worth it. Get In. Get Out . Try not to waist any time. Make sure the people orchestrating the rehearsal are ready to go. That is your coordinator and your Officiant any other professionals you’ve paid to “practice” with you. Make sure to discuss the specifics of the rehearsal with at least these two people prior to heading to the church the night or day before your big day. Follow the Leader The coordinator and the Officiant are in charge. Not the bride, not the bride’s mother, not the groom or groom’s men, not the venue manager, not the photographer. The coordinator holds together everything for the wedding up until the bride marches down the aisle. The Officiant picks up at this point and handles the ceremony. The coordinator then resumes her role after the recessional. Let the Officiant guide and direct you and your bridal party during the rehearsal ceremony. Let the coordinator coordinate everything else. Sober Sensitive and Serious  The rehearsal will come and go quickly if everyone in the bridal party and any on-looking family members arrive knowing they are expected to behave for about 1 hour. If at any point the rehearsal is going in a direction you didn’t expect, simply let the Officiant/coordinator know and adjustments can be made. While the rehearsal is going on, there will be instructions being given, inform those involved that if they don’t pay attention, they’ll look foolish the next day. Have as much as you can at the rehearsal dinner and the post-wedding reception but for your own sanity’s sake (and your wallet) let the rehearsal happen as quickly and efficiently as possible.   Contact: Ric...

It doesn’t have to be said: weddings are memory-making events. But how do you capture and keep those memories? How does a couple, years later still recall the nuances of that special day. Here are a few ways to maximize your wedding day memory-making. Beyond the Photographer Of course you’ll have a photographer (or at least someone who knows the business end of a camera). Beyond the photographer, call in reinforcement photographers from among your friends. Equip each table at the wedding reception with a cheap digital camera. Just instruct your guests to leave the camera’s when the reception is over. For even more impact give out “party bags” as guests arrive to the ceremony each with its own camera. Tweet it Up Ask an eager bride’s maid or groom’s man to set up a Twitter, Snap Chat or Instagram called, “B&D’sWedding” or something that your friends can immediately upload photos to. Remember: most people are accustomed to putting their phones on away or on silent to be respectful. Ask your Officiant to announce that it is ok for your friends and family to post to social media for the entire event. If really want to enhance the social media, set up a Facebook page to follow your wedding-adventures weeks or months in advance. Written Words Pics and comments are great for quick reminders but written words in the form of extended texts, emails and hand written letters are amazing years down the road. Surprise your future spouse by asking the significant people in her life to write her/him a letter expressing their heart felt sentiments and congratulations about their wedding day and future marriage. Pick wisely and have back ups ready. Not every one is comfortable with the written word. Present these letters to your spouse on your wedding night with a bow and a glass of champagne. Picture-Notes Consider using pictures as stationary in a few strategic places. Blow up an engagement photo and use it as your guest registry. Supply paint-pens and an unframed picture at the gift table so that guests can leave you a special note. Furthermore, place a unique photo or two at each table and use the same strategy. At the end of your reception have an attendant collect and place the inscribed photos in a memory book. The Spoken Word Voice memos and video blogs are an easy to get your guests candid (and uncensored) thoughts about your new adventure. Encourage them to be G-rated and post them publicly after you review them. But have fun with it. Place a set of prompts at each table setting to help your guests withe something to say. Things like, “When did you first meet Jeremy? What did you...

California’s Central Coast isn’t in short supply of epic venues for a wedding. San Luis Obispo County is filled with amazing spots for elopements and weddings. Ever heard of Cambria or The Cambria Pines Lodge? Didn’t think so. Many people learn about Cambria because their families vacationed to a little beach house when they were kids. Others learn about it driving north on the Hwy 1 to Big Sur, Monterey or San Francisco. Few people call Cambria, “home.” In fact, only about 6,000 people call Cambria, “home.” Cambria provides many “secret spots” for weddings, elopements and vow renewals. Fatima and Matthew call the Central Coast home. They are some of the lucky few that get to live in this beautiful place filled with fun things to do. Their entire family has made it home so it makes perfect sense for them to get married here. No need for a destination wedding. Contact: ...

Wedding ceremonies take time to create. Olive Tree Officiating ensures that your ceremony planning will be perfect. How do I do this? By working with each client and offering my experience as an Officiant/Celebrant, working with you, your Planner/Coordinator, the Photographer and all other support professionals to ensure that your ceremony is exactly the way you want it to be. Contact:  Ric@OliveTreeOfficiating.com Like any creative, unique work of art, planning a wedding ceremony that reflects the values and beliefs of the couple requires time and attention. For each minute you invest in the planning of your wedding ceremony, you should expect to receive back, years of satisfaction. A bride and groom will ask all kinds of questions about their special day. Flowers, food and fabric are only part of the total picture you will hope to create for your guests. Ceremony planning should receive the same attention to detail as picking out colors, flowers and food. Those minutes, hours, days and months you spend creating the vision that will become your wedding day, must include specific attention to the details of the ceremony. Music, vows, rings, bridal parties, attendants, guests of honor and special ceremonies are just a few of the components that bring out the “special” in your special day. Wedding Ceremony Planning Most modern weddings include a Wedding Planner or Coordinator. At the very least, you’ll consult with a site or venue coordinator or manager, someone who ensures a basic level of support so that the important things aren’t forgotten. The same is true for your ceremony. Olive Tree Officiants provides Ceremony Planning. Now you have an OTO officiant and a wedding planner looking over and designing your ceremony. Wedding Ceremony Planning ensures your creative past and present are included into your unique, and customized wedding ceremony. The Ceremony Planner is an experienced Officiant, someone with years of knowledge in the wedding industry, specifically focused on the ceremony planning, design and execution you will need on your special day. This person is kind of like a planner, and they work in partnership with you, your fiancé, your Wedding Planner and all the other professionals present, to make sure your wedding ceremony happens without a problem. The Ceremony Planning Specialist is present to maximize your creativity as it shows up in the ceremony. Olive Tree Officiants have seen a few weddings. We live and breathe the wedding industry. That means we are ready to make suggestions for you, wording, ceremonies, inclusions and exclusions to your ceremony that will best embody your beliefs, values and history while painting a picture of the future you will lead with your fiancé. We are here to help you capture the joyful past...

Weddings in the San Luis Obispo countryside are frequent and amazing. Clare and Brenton achieved something all weddings wish to attain: elegance and enthusiasm. Wedding Elegance Clare and Brenton had it all figured out: the location, the decorations and planning, the attire of the groom and his men, the guests, including loads of family and of course, the beautiful bride with her entourage. Weddings set in the countryside always enjoyable and refreshing. Clare and Brenton achieved a Central Coast wedding, in San Luis Obispo of high elegance. Wedding Enthusiasm Officiating CA Central Coast weddings, specifically those hosted in the foothills or along the coast of San Luis Obispo always includes wonderful people. The family and friends of Clare and Brenton were nothing less than warm, loving and enthusiastic. Often families host a home-wedding and arrive at the wedding energized and enthusiastic. Clare’s family was ready to serve and ready to have a good time. They had an obvious energy and joy to create a day that Clare and Brenton would not soon forget. It’s obvious that they will be a loving support to Clare and Brenton long after the wedding day. We wish Clare and Brenton all the best in their new marriage.                                                                                                                      Edna Valley Edna Valley is a small citrus, grape and apple filled valley on the southern end of the city of San Luis Obispo. It is home to picturesque, Tuscan-style homes, acres of golden hills, rolling with wheat and grape vines and a cool ocean breeze. It’s ideal for weddings, elopements and honeymoons. Contact:  ...

Avila Beach with Janice-Dave The world of weddings has grown for the better with Ric Latendresse of Olive Tree Officiating. I bring reliability, maturity, intelligence and a sense of humor to your weddings, elopements and vow renewals. I am available for religious and non-religious ceremonies in any location. I am an experienced Officiant/Celebrant servicing weddings and elopements in the Central Coast, San Luis Obispo County, as far south as Santa Maria and as far north as San Simeon. Contact: ...