ceremony essentials:the short storyThis gathers the details of your must-haves for your ceremony, and helps me build it so it feels just right for you.Nothing complicated here — just the good stuff.This is the only form you’ll need to fill out, and I do recommend going through it together. Once I have this info, I’ll start creating your ceremony.Let’s get you married — your way!Request Form: Ceremony Essentials_Short Story_Offsite Notify the basicsJust a few quick details so I keep everything straight.Your first name (person filling this out)Your last nameYour email addressYour partner's first nameYour partner's last nameaddressing + pronouncingHow would each of you like to be addressed during the ceremony? Some people go by shortened names or nicknames in daily life but want their "real" names in the ceremony, so I want to make sure I get this right!How to address youYour pronouns (optional)How to address your partnerYour partner's pronouns (optional)At the end of your ceremony, I usually pronounce couples as ‘married humans’ — simple, inclusive, no titles. Would you like to stick with that, or do you have something else in mind? Yes, stick with 'married humans' We have something else in minda little about the happy coupleJust a few quick questions so I can make your ceremony feel authentic to you — you don't have to get deep or complicated.(If you need to take a look at the ceremony styles again, you can find them here.)Which ceremony style do you prefer from the options I sent? A - the delightfully unserious one B - the ridiculously short one C - the comfortably simple oneHow did you meet? (short version is perfect — first impressions, a funny detail, whatever stands out)What are you like together? (a few words is perfect — calm, chaotic, goofy, opposites, same brain, etc.)What do you love about each other? (big or small, serious or funny)What’s something that feels very “you two”? (a habit, phrase, shared obsession, little quirk — anything)If there’s a short quote, song lyric, or random line you love that you'd like included in your ceremony, you can drop it here (optional, of course). (Just a reminder: my ceremonies are non-religious, so no prayers or religious texts, please.)venue infoVenue nameGuest countIs the ceremony indoors or outdoors? Indoors OutdoorsIs there a backup ceremony space if the weather is bad? If yes, where?Large venues or guest counts often require sound amplification. Will a microphone be available for your ceremony? Yes No Not sure yetIf your ceremony is large enough to need a microphone, your DJ, venue, or AV team will need to provide it — I don't currently provide sound equipment.cast of charactersWedding party, kids, or pets involved? Just give me the basics! Tell me yes or no for each, and if yes, about how many.For example:Wedding party: Yes, 8 totalKids: Yes, 2 flower girlsPets: Yes, our golden retriever is bringing the ringsDo you have a wedding party?Any kids in the ceremony?Any pets in the ceremony?your crewDo you have any of these? Just give me what you know — we can modify later as needed.If you have a wedding planner/day-of coordinator, please provide their name and email address in case I need to communicate with them about ceremony timing, rehearsal logistics, processional cues, sound, weather-plan changes, or any other assorted wedding-day happenings.Wedding planner/day-of coordinatorPhotographerA/V technicianVenue coordinator/contactDJ/live musicVideographerceremony detailsDo you want guests to take photos/videos during the ceremony? Yes, it's fine if guests have their phones out No, please ask them to put phones awayOpening remarks: I'll remind guests to turn off their phones — anything else your guests should know before the ceremony begins?Closing remarks: Any announcements? What do the guests need to do now?How do you want to handle the vows portion of your ceremony? We want to say our own vows (we’ll write something and read it to each other) We want something simple and guided (you’ll say it, we’ll repeat after you) We just want to say I DO and you say the rest (we’re not into public speaking) Something a little differentHow would you like to handle the ring exchange? I’ll guide you either way — this stays easy. We want a short, repeat-after-me line (you’ll say it, we’ll repeat) We’ll exchange rings, but we don't want to say anything We don't plan on exchanging rings Something a little differentWould you like to include a brief memorial moment during your ceremony? Yes please No thanksIs there someone you’d like mentioned by name?If you'd rather not mention someone specifically, we can just take a moment to 'remember those who couldn't be with us today'.Will a friend or family member be doing a reading during your ceremony? If so, tell me who will be reading and what they’ll be reading, if you already know.Would you like to include a “giving away” moment in your ceremony? Yes NoTell me who will be involved and how you’d like that moment to look. For example: who will be escorted, by whom, and whether you’d like me to ask a question or simply acknowledge the moment.How are you dressing for your ceremony? No judgment here, just want to be sure I dress appropriately. Traditional wedding attire (tuxes/gowns and all) Dressy, but not traditional Casual (nice, but comfortable) Super casual (jeans, shorts, etc.) Supreme casual (pajamas and slippers) Haven't decided yet Something elseDo you have certain colors or a theme picked for your wedding? Tell me about it here.final touchesDo you want to review a draft of your ceremony beforehand, or would you rather be surprised? We'd love to review it We'd rather be surprisedquick note about your draftThe Short Story ceremony is designed to keep things simple, with just a few personal touches about you two.When you review your draft, you’re absolutely welcome to suggest small wording tweaks so it sounds natural for you — but if you start thinking about adding more details, full stories, or rewriting bigger sections, that’s usually where things move into a more custom ceremony.If you end up wanting to go that direction, we can definitely talk it through and make it happen.Anything off limits? Things you don’t want mentioned in the ceremony, phrases that make you cringe, topics we’re not touching, etc. (don't be shy here — you won't hurt my feelings).Totally optional — just in case there’s anything you’d rather keep private or leave out.Anything special happening during your ceremony that I should know about? A reading, a unity ceremony, a family member participating, a cultural tradition, etc. — if we've already talked about including something special, just give me a quick reminder here.Anything else you want me to know? If there's anything we haven't covered that would help me create a great ceremony or be better prepared, this is the place to tell me.send your ceremony essentials!
