Summer Weddings in San Diego

Okay. Okay. So I obviously didn't marry the Obamas. This isn't their first dance together as husband and wife. They look good though, don't they!?

Just thought I'd post a few new tips since it has been quite a while since I wrote on this blog.

No matter where you live, it seems that summertime is the most popular time to tie the knot. Here are a few helpful things to remember when planning an outdoor wedding when the temperature could be hot OR unpredictable.

1) Think of your guests. It may be the couple's day, but the longer it takes to walk down the aisle the longer your guests will be waiting, sitting and sweating. You may opt to have a shaded area for guests to wait before the big moment.

Communication will be the key. Have people available to act as liasons between the couple or whatever part of the couple may be delayed, and someone at the wedding location. Avoid seating the guests until just minutes before the walk down the aisle so they can try and stay cooler. If it is a long ceremony, consider having it in the late afternoon or early evening when there is more chance for a breeze and cooler weather. If it is a shorter ceremony and the guest count isn't too high, you may consider having them stand. This works great if there is plenty of room for people to gather and still clearly see the ceremony. Having chilled bottled water and sunscreen available are other possible ideas.

2) Besides the heat of the sun, wind, especially by the ocean can be an issue. Consider this when thinking of decorations, hairstyles and special ceremonial aspects. A candlelighting or sand ceremony can be challenging with the wind blowing. You may choose to instead integrate a wine or rose ceremony. These will provide similar sentiments, with less chance of wind related problems.

3) Although it is RARELY an issue in San Diego County, rain can certainly change plans quickly! I remember performing an August wedding in Western Washington and it poured for hours. We patiently waited, hoping it would clear just long enough to perform the 15 minute ceremony, but apparently it was meant to be a rainy wedding. Luckily there was a huge tented area that was set up for the reception. We moved things out of one of the corners of the tent and proceeded. It may have been frustrating to some, but it actually lightened the mood. I find imperfection generally does that to weddings. I see this as a very good thing!

CONGRATULATIONS! ENJOY YOUR SPECIAL DAY WHATEVER THE WEATHER!

Last Minute Holiday Weddings in San Diego County - Officiant Available to Help You Create Your Day Your Way!

Although I am on hiatus from officiating weddings on a regular basis, I have decided to open up my calendar for the holiday season. I know that some people want to get married on a specific holiday and for some it is the only day off they may have or the only time they can get all their loved ones together.

I am available to officiate weddings Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, New Year's Day and Valentine's Day 2009. Call me at 619-384-0761 or email me at sindisomers@gmail.com for a complimentary initial meeting and be on your way to saying, "I do"! I also offer vow renewal, commitment and domestic partnership ceremonies.

I am based in the city of San Diego, but am able to travel to the location of your choice. Whether in , Encinitas, El Cajon, Mission Valley, Pacific Beach, Chula Vista or anywhere in between. Want to validate your love and commitment in a more public way? Getting married in San Diego? Rev. Sindi Somers is at your service and wishing you and yours the happiest of holidays!

Call 619-797-0705 or email Sindi at sindisomers@gmail.com.

Vote No on Prop 8!

Hello all!

If you have read previous blog posts, you know that I believe marriage is an agreement between souls, regardless of their body's gender. Proposition 8 is a step backwards and needs to be stopped.

Please vote NO on Prop 8 and support human rights! http://www.noonprop8.com/

Get out and vote this Tuesday, November 4!!!

My opinion....Vote Obama! YES on Prop 2 and NO on Prop 8!

Thank you!

Gay Marriage in California - It's about Time!

It's legal! And all I really do have to say is that it is about time! Marriage is an agreement between two souls, just as any relationship is. The souls may be in male bodies, female bodies or one of each. Below is an excerpt from the CDM wedding ceremony that I use as my template to work with my couples to create a personalized statement of their beliefs.

"Marriage is living with your best friend, someone you can give love to and receive love from."

Nowhere in that statement does it say what gender your best friend is. I am here to help you make your public statement, as well as help provide you with the legal rights you and your partner deserve.

I'm an ordained minister and I can marry you! I was ordained in 1986 at the Church of Divine Man in Everett, Washington. If you are a couple in the process of planning your wedding.....CONGRATULATIONS!

I offer an initial complimentary meeting and can be reached via email at sindisomers@gmail.com or by phone at 619-797-0705. I am based in San Diego and travel throughout the county. I am also open to discussing travel to other locations, outside of San Diego County.

I hope to hear from you and would be honored to be a part of your special day.

Vow Renewals and other Celebrations

It's fun to celebrate life's many transitions and milestones.

In addition to performing weddings, I officiate vow renewal, commitment, re-commitment, domestic partnership and other ceremonies.
Ceremonies are rituals that make statements about our beliefs, relationships with others and where we are in our lives. From the CDM Wedding Ceremony:

By performing this marriage, (the couple) make a public statement about their private thoughts and commitments to each other.
Lori and Tim, pictured above, are an easy going, kind, accepting and generous couple that I had the honor of meeting and being the officiant for their ceremony. They were legally married when I met them, but they wanted to host a festive celebration with family and friends in Mexico. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful wedding. Congratulations Lori and Tim!

It is important to me to work with my couples to compose a ceremony that best represents their beliefs, thoughts and ideas. Lori, Tim and I created a ceremony that blended their views incorporating different traditions and beliefs, including wu-wei. Wu-wei is a key principle of Taoism, which can be defined in contemporary terms as "going with the flow". I am grateful to Lori and Tim for introducing me to this concept.

I had previously studied a similar principle at CDM that was presented as "non-resistance". Both approaches resonate with me. Regardless of one's spiritual beliefs, the use of wu-wei and/or non-resistance in one's life can help reduce stress, struggle and conflict. If you want to experience an easier more joyful life explore the concepts of wu-wei and non-resistance. In order to integrate these concepts into your life, you may find you have some unlearning to do, as our society rewards effort and doing vs. non-effort and non-doing.

But then life is full of learning and unlearning opportunities. These learning and unlearning experiences are just some of the the things we have to celebrate! Thinking of publicly stating your love and union with your significant other? Perhaps your ready to walk down the aisle again to renew your vows and recommit to the one you love. If you're interested in setting up a complimentary initial meeting with me, call 619-797-0705 or email me at sindisomers@gmail.com. Enjoy your day and remember to CELEBRATE (click it to celebrate)!

Getting Married Soon?

Short notice weddings are my niche for two main reasons; it provides a service for those needing an officiant at the last minute and it tends to work best with my schedule. Because of various commitments it is challenging for me to sign on to perform weddings more than six months in advance. For some couples this works fine and for others of course, it doesn't.

For warm and welcoming couple, Crystal and Brett, pictured above, it worked great! I performed their intimate wedding and handfasting ceremony two years ago in a beautiful Seattle park. I now have the honor of performing their "big ceremony" in California this summer! Congratulations Crystal and Brett!

In addition to scheduling, I have found that the less time a couple spends planning their wedding, the less time they have to get stressed out about it! It has been reported that the top three most stressful experiences a person can go through are starting a new job, moving and getting married. Regardless of the situation, there will be stress involved and it will be emotional, however the more a couple can relax and enjoy the journey vs. getting fixated on the expectation of perfection the more fun they, and those around them will have.

In addition to short notice and last minute weddings, I am often available on holidays, as well as for theme, costume and out of the ordinary ceremonies. Want to plan something especially unique and perhaps edgy? Ask me to be a part of it...I just might say yes!

Marriage Requirements in California

In my blog, I hope to share information that can assist in the planning of weddings and other ceremonies. To start I thought I'd come up with a list of required elements for a wedding. All other items are optional. As the big day approaches, your stress level may rise. My hope is that this list may help demonstrate that your wedding doesn't HAVE to be complicated to be legal.

Pictured above are Luke and Jessikah, a lovely, vibrant couple I married last year. Their approach was simply to have fun with the process. They didn't want a "perfect" wedding, but instead a celebration of their love that was a fun and happy time for everyone involved. And that is exactly what they created. Congratulations Jessikah and Luke!

REQUIREMENTS FOR A LEGAL MARRIAGE/WEDDING IN SAN DIEGO

1) One bride - hopefully happy with her decision and excited about taking this new step.

2) One groom - hopefully happy with his decision and excited about taking this new step.

3) Both the bride and the groom need valid picture ID and must bring it with them when applying for a marriage license.

4) Someone to officiate the ceremony - this individual can be any of the following, according to the California Family Code, Section 400.

a) A priest, minister, or rabbi of any religious denomination.
b) A judge or retired judge, commissioner of civil marriages or retired commissioner of civil marriages, commissioner or retired commissioner, or assistant commissioner of a court of record in this state.
c) A judge or magistrate who has resigned from office.
d) Any of the following judges or magistrates of the United States.
- A justice or retired justice of the United States Supreme Court.
- A judge or retired judge of a court of appeals, a district court, or a court created by an act of Congress the judges of which are entitled to hold office during good behavior.
- A judge or retired judge of a bankruptcy court or a tax court.
- A United States magistrate or retired magistrate.
- A legislator or constitutional officer of this state or a member of Congress who

represents a district within this state, while that person holds office.

5) Both the bride and groom must be unmarried at the time they apply for their license.

6) The bride, groom, marriage officiant and witness if applicable must be physically present together in the same location for the marriage to be performed. Marriage by proxy is NOT allowed in California as per the Family Code, Section 420(a). Both parties must appear in person and bring valid picture identification to the County Clerk’s Office to apply for a marriage license in California. Valid picture identification is one that contains a photograph, date of birth, and an issue and expiration date, such as a state issued identification card, drivers license, passport, military identification, etc. Some counties may also require a copy of your birth certificate.

7) If you have been married before, you must provide information regarding how it ended. You will need to know the exact date it ended, and how it ended (Death, Dissolution, Divorce or Nullity). Some counties may require a copy of the final judgment if your previous marriage ended by dissolution or nullity.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LEGAL INFORMATION