Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/430877
20 real weddings planning guide 2015 realadvice When planning your big day, take the time to create a ceremony that's true to you By Lauren Kramer Illustration by Mandy Lau Tie the Knot – Your Way It may be the point of the entire event, but often the wedding ceremony gets the least attention as couples plan their big day. As a result, the actual moment when you tie the knot has the potential to be stiff and uninspired — not to mention uninspiring for guests. But according to wedding officiants, more and more couples are now insisting on creating a meaningful and memorable occasion, taking the time and effort to request custom, personalized ceremonies that reflect who they are and what they stand for. Michele Davidson, owner of Vancouver's Modern Celebrant, officiates 20 weddings a year, including those of many celebrities. One client she recalls clearly was a hockey player, who seemed like the strong, silent type when she first met him. In the process of reflection that is an intimate part of her ceremony creation, Davidson has each partner answer questions so she can understand them better as individuals and as a couple. "He wrote me so much," she recalls of the hockey player. "I ran into him a few years after the ceremony and he gave me this big hug and told me his wedding ceremony was one of the highlights of his life, a pivotal experience that meant so much to him." e trouble with weddings is that historically, grooms have been told to " just get a tux and show up," Davidson says. "People tend to dismiss the groom's heart. But what I've found is that the ceremony is equally important to the man as it is to the woman." Modern Celebrant creates custom ceremonies, which means the ceremony is written from scratch for each couple. "It's like having your portrait painted, but in words," she explains. "I work through a reflective process with each couple, pulling out the threads of their personalities, life experiences and values. en I write ceremonies for them that might include the story of them as a couple, what draws them together and what the glue is that will hold them together." Shawn Miller, an officiant and owner of Vancouver-based Young, Hip & Married, also conducts careful interviews, both with the couple and their