You've been dreaming about your wedding day since you were knee-high to a grasshopper, picturing the look in your partner's eyes as they watch you walking down the aisle, the perfect color of the sunset as you share your first dance... And now it's almost here. But wait, is that a flutter of butterflies in your stomach or the cold feet we so often hear about?
You've been dreaming about your wedding day since you were knee-high to a grasshopper, picturing the look in your partner's eyes as they watch you walking down the aisle, the perfect color of the sunset as you share your first dance... And now it's almost here. But wait, is that a flutter of butterflies in your stomach or the cold feet we so often hear about?
We have been going through some really dramatic crazy weather this Summer. In some parts of the country, people are experiencing a heatwave, while others are being punished by storms and flooding rains. What do you do when a storm is brewing or there is a forecast and a prediction for a gloomy time in your marriage? Let’s talk about it!! ⛈
Grace & Mercy, God has extended to each and every one of us, so why can’t you do that to your spouse in the marriage? As humans we are imperfect, we can’t expect for our spouse to not make mistakes. You can’t expect your relationship or marriage to survive if you want to call it quits every single time there is a storm. You also can’t expect a healthy relationship if you are not focusing on what’s causing the storm and your lightning bolt reaction to it. Are you sitting down as a couple to talk things out or are you pointing fingers placing blame? ⚡️
Let’s take a step back for a second. How did this storm even arrive? Why weren’t you prepared? You can’t be blind to the signs of a potential downpour in your relationship. Pay attention to the signs, don’t live in a bubble. Are you and your spouse regularly talking or is their silent treatment going on? Are one of you telling lies and getting caught? Is your partners’ love language being met? Do you pray together and have a relationship with God or a higher power? The answers to these questions are important, but so is your reaction to them. ☔️
But you can also prepare to weather your storm by having a game plan. “Babe, what do we do when we have that BIG argument?” Do you think this is a silly question to answer? It’s not – this is being proactive in your relationship and knowing that you both don’t want to go through this, but it will eventually happen. Your marriage needs to have a strong foundation in order not to be blown away and to withstand the storms.
As they say, this too shall pass, just like bad weather. But just in case it doesn’t, as a Pre-Marital Coach & Marriage Counselor, I am here to help. Make me a part of your storm team, you can do so by clicking here.
Until next time,
XO, Minister Sharnise Sears
Earlier this month America celebrated it’s 245th birthday on July 4th. Most of us went out to celebrate with family and friends to witness the sparks and flares in the sky. 💥 Depending on the neighborhood you are in, you may have heard the Fireworks go off for days after Independence Day. I thought about why people still light fireworks after a celebration has already ended, and it all became obvious to me why. They want to keep the celebration and the WOW’s going! So it got me thinking about how couples can do the same thing within their relationships and marriages. Everyone loves a good celebration, and when love is involved, it can be wonderful.
Even if everything may be “poppin” for you within your current relationship, you’ll want to continue to find ways to keep those sparks flying. Here are some ways to keep the fireworks going in your relationship:
· Sleep naked together. When’s the last time you and your partner slept naked? Sleeping naked with your partner shows them you want them and are comfortable with them. Flirt with your partner and tease them! Play around, let them expect the unexpected from you. Experiment a little, the goal is to build excitement!!!
· Date one another. If you and your partner have not been on a date this month, that’s too long! You should constantly and continuously be dating one another to keep the spark alive. Take turns planning out a nice dating event for one another and get out of the house and off the coach. Remember when you first starting dating one another, remember how you felt? Those moments need to happen every month.
· Wear something sexy. Couples get into the habit of coming home and just throwing on their PJ’s or something comfy. You slack off in your sex appeal when you don’t slip into something sexy for your partner. Silk & Satin goes a long way and will get you noticed.
Whatever you choose to do to keep the Fireworks going, make sure you and your partner are on the same page and know it’s a MUST. By next July you’ll be a pro at making your own Fireworks fly. *wink* 💥
XO, Minister Sharnise Sears
Hi Everyone!
I know it’s been quite some time since my last current blog post, almost a year to be exact, but I’m glad to be back and appreciate all of the love. As with most small businesses and families, we have all had to sit through this pandemic and reevaluate a lot of things personally. So I took a break from blogging to focus on my couples, new client relationships, and the wedding business in 2021. Has the wedding industry fully recovered? Not quite, however, I must say I am blessed to still be here and have a business overflowing with inquiries and bookings. With the Covid restrictions for the wedding industry now being lifted due to vaccine distribution, I’m sure you and your significant other have many questions surrounding if now is still the right time to get married.
“Hey baby – Let’s get Married After the Covid Pandemic”, he said. 😊
“After? After?”, she replied. 🙄
This was a scenario one of my engaged friends shared with me that made me laugh because she was not impressed. When women are ready to get married, they are ready. A pandemic takes years to recover from, so are you going to hold off on your commitment because of it? Fortunately you don’t have to holdoff any longer, as states are lifting restrictions in droves allowing friends and family to celebrate with you on your special day. This was a major reason that a lot of couples cancelled or postponed their big day which is completely understandable. There is a huge BOOM 💥 all of us in within the Wedding industry have been waiting for in 2021. I’m ready for my couples! Are you ready to set your date?
A few things you should consider if getting married in 2021:
· There is no longer a 300-person limitation here in Ohio.
· You still must comply with mask wearing and social distancing.
· All Wedding Venues, Officiants & Entertainment will be overwhelmed with requests – book quickly, consider 2022 where there may be no restrictions at all.
I’m keeping an eye on things for all of you and will promise to stay in touch.
XO, Minister Sharnise Sears
I had my first official wedding of the 2021 wedding season this month and it did NOT disappoint! Yes I was only there for 2 hours but I woke up feeling like I was partying in 1999. These are the moments I live for honestly and I’m so glad that my couples choose me to officiate their ceremonies. The decision comes easy for some couples to select me as their officiant and then for some it leaves a big question mark on their task list because they have no idea what to look for in an officiant. As a minister and officiant, we have a lot of responsibility before and during the wedding, so whether you choose me or not, you’ll want to make sure the person you choose is up to the task.
What should you look for?
· Choose someone you know or someone who knows you. If I know you or know of you, I’ll be able to use personal anecdotes during the ceremony. Plus, I’ll know how to work with you.
· Choose someone who has experience officiating. A seasoned officiant will know when you should be facing them or facing each other, we also know the order and the timing of vows and ring exchanges.
· Choose someone who has a clear speaking voice. This is easily done on our initial consultation call, if you love my voice (which I’m sure you will) then it’s a win–win for your ceremony.
· Choose someone who understands and matches your Wedding style and vibes. The last thing you would want is to choose someone who doesn’t have a sense of humor, who is uptight, or truly doesn’t enjoy their job.
· Choose someone who matches your religious beliefs. You don’t have to morally agree on everything, but the words of an officiant shares on your special day should be genuine, and if the beliefs are aligned, this is going to come across during the ceremony.
· Choose someone local. Now for the right officiant, like myself, I don’t mind traveling as I’m worth it! But I always believe that the closer your wedding officiant is to your location, the more likely they will be available for your special day.
I know that finding a wedding officiant is no easy task, a lot of couples wait until the last minute. But think about this for a minute, you are choosing me as your special person to unify your commitment. The suggestions I gave above aren’t commandments, just things to consider and I expect every couple I encounter to be comfortable in making the decision to hire me.
XO Minister Sharnise Sears
WOW!
I have never been big on “dates”. I barely even remember my own birthdate (old people problems lol) but as much as I encourage people to celebrate their wins and blessings, I would be a hypocrite to not celebrate my own success.
Every time I read blogs and snippets about small businesses, I always hear about the successes with a very small sentence about the losses. I know we aren’t “supposed” to harp on losses because we’re celebrating but why can’t we celebrate the loss too? Without loss, can we truly be successful?
Well, here are my losses AND successes in a nutshell. It is my hopes in sharing this that YOU will be encouraged to share and celebrate both loss and wins in your own life while also learning and growing from them all.
Minister Sharnise Sears (formerly Weddings By CPE) was officially launched on July 7th 2017 and we have served over 135 couples with weddings and premarital counseling since our launch.
2017: All gains, no loss..per se’. I did however, have a wedding fail were I overpromised and under delivered. Completely dropped the ball and overstepped my “Officiant” boundaries. I was even trying to design couples wedding “programs”. Way too much. All of my “advice” came from various Facebook groups so needless to say, not all advice was bad but good lord I needed perspective and real guidance. I did win Wedding Wires Couples Choice Award and that was pretty cool!
Lesson of the year: Girl, Slow Down.
2018: 49 Weddings. Chile…49! I was booked and busy doing the absolute most but missing my family and a very important piece to this business: EDUCATION. Honestly, I showed up and read a semi curated ceremony script and went about my way..essentially doing a job and not running a business with strategy or goals. This was realized early on so, by July of 2018, I was on the hunt for knowledge. I attended my first Wedding MBA and got all the info from various experts and was determined to be great. I found a mentor in the wedding business that continues to give me sound advice. I also connected with some amazing Officiants and wedding vendors that I could glean from. Goals were set by November and I decided to scale back for 2019. I DID win Wedding Wire’s Couples Choice Award again and was recognized by American Marriage Ministries in various blog posts.
Lesson of the year: Girl, it is okay to be your authentic self.
2019: Between weddings, elopements, and premarital counseling, I was FULL but still felt my brand hadn’t been established properly. I hired a marketing team without doing my due diligence in research and that didn’t work out too well. I paid for a lot of miscellaneous marketing things actually…none of which helped me with growing my business. I did however, hire a business coach and wrote down all of my goals that I am still slowly implementing. Long story short, I spent so much money in such a small amount of time with no ROI. I knew I was in trouble when I looked at my calendar for 2020 and didn’t see any weddings booked.
*Marriage Win & Fail* If you know me, you know I am BIG about happy and healthy marriages so here is my personal snippet on grace in marriage. It was always my desire to build something with my husband. He is also a Licensed Minister and I believed this would be an awesome business and ministry for both of us to build. When I tell you I HARASSED him to do this with me…please believe the struggle was real. But after much resistance and heartache about it, I was reminded about what our premarital counselor told us 7 years ago: “one of you have to learn how to speed it up and the other needs to slow it down”. Guess who needed to slow down? (slowly raises hand). I will continue to pray about us building something together but I will also let God lead the way in this area. I am grateful for a spouse that knows God and extends grace to me and my crazy ideas every single day. Swoon
At the end of 2019, I decided to practice what I preached. I set more goals (scary ones both personal and professional) and claimed 2020 as the year of discipline.
Lesson of the year: Girl, your help comes from the Lord.
The year of our Lord 2020: How fitting that a global pandemic would hit and MAKE us all more disciplined and focused!. With everything slowing down, Covid-19 ain’t stopped or slowed the love. I have booked more weddings, elopements, and premarital counseling with couples that want to hire me because of my skill and not just because I do “this". I have focused a lot more on building better relationships with my couples so that I can be a vessel and resource for them well after they say “I-do”. These awesome couples have allowed me into their homes and their mental spaces and trusted me with the most sacred moment of their lives. They’ve even referred me to their family and friends and that is the ultimate compliment imo. I have connected with Wedding “Friend-Dors”and built actual relationships with them and they have strengthened and gassed me up with blogs, referrals, likes, shares, and tags.
I ain’t spending no unnecessary money on my business but I will use my dollars wisely with my goals in mind. It’s only July and 2021 has me semi booked and busy and I am ready. SHE READY!!! (in my Tiffany Haddish voice).
This was a long read so I thank all of you that have a great attention span and have made it this far. I’d like to let you all know that I could not have done any of this without God…and the tribe he has blessed me with. I pray that you all are encouraged today.
Scripture for the year:
“To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.” Jude 1:1-2
XO, Minister Sharnise Sears
Wedding prep is super fun right? It’s a magical experience full of Pinterest boards, wedding registries, and honeymoon options. But with all that planning have you considered the actual ceremony?
When couples choose to book their day with me, the first question I ask is
“What do you envision for your wedding ceremony?”
Typically, I get a deer in the headlights glare because no one ever asks that question.
In the olden days, you would go to your pastor/priest to request your wedding date, maybe go through pre-marriage counseling, have a rehearsal and then show up at the wedding. No planning involved for the actual ceremony. The script is pre-written and has been spoken over countless marriages over time.
So, trust me when I say, I get it.
Planning the ceremony is something new.
Times have surely changed. When booking your wedding day with an independent officiant, the choice to have a traditional or non-traditional ceremony will now be as detailed as your reception and décor. With all the new “unity ceremonies” and add-on’s such as a “rose ceremony” or the “whisky ceremony” or even the “PB&J ceremony” things can get a tad bit overwhelming and may even cause some anxiety…which then leads to avoidance…which leads to choosing someone to just show and read (not recommended).
Mindful Meditation helps you to plan better and helps to relieve anxieties
Here’s is something that I have been incorporating in my life as apart of my self-care that I think will help every bride/groom to be less overwhelmed as it pertains to planning the wedding ceremony.
Let’s do a quick activity (read first apply later preferably during your meditation).
1. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths for 1 full minute
2. Think about getting ready on your wedding day
3. Think about your wedding dress
4. Envision the doors opening and walking down the aisle toward your Groom
5. Imagine now standing in front of your Groom and Officiant
Now, what words do you want to hear? Are you nervous? If so, what will calm you? A funny love story? A sentimental poem? Will performing cultural or religious wedding traditions make you feel like “Yassss, its finally happening?!” Will having your favorite family member or friend sing a song or read a passage be comforting to you? Will you feel supported if your guest were involved in some way?
You’ve been to plenty of weddings where you’ve heard and seen things you DEFINITELY wouldn’t want incorporated in your ceremony so talk about them. Pinterest it if you must! What do you want for your wedding ceremony?
Your ceremony is what legally binds you in marriage. And I say this all the time: It’s the difference between throwing a big party or have a real wedding. Take the time to envision your ceremony details and that will make your wedding day all the more memorable.
XO, Minister Sharnise
GASP*
Its been an entire month (and a few days) since I’ve last updated WBCPE’s blog post. In my defense, I had a perfectly planned blog about a past wedding that I wanted to share with you all but due to unforeseen circumstances, “we” decided it isn’t the right time.
So! Just like marriage, a monkey wrench has been thrown, I got off focus, but now I am back at it.
I’ve literally gone mad trying figure out what else can I possibly blog about that you haven’t already read? I even stalked other Wedding Officiants blogs and I was literally bored to tears when I saw similar posts on all of their websites. When to hire the officiant? Should you have a rehearsal? Wedding bloopers and so on. BORING!
After much consideration, I have decided to use this space as my personal journal about wedding planning, ceremony planning, married life, and wife life. Hopefully it won’t be too boring and if it is, consider it my small version of therapy and just pray for me mmmkay?
I’ll keep this short but I wanted to circle back on the “unforeseen circumstances”.
Dating, relationships, weddings, parenthood, and marriage is chock full of unforeseen circumstances. These life events are awesome until something unforeseen occurs and throws your whole life off. If you’re anything like me, you’ll try to push past any upset. You’ll be the strong one. You’ll carry the issue on your back in efforts to prevent those involved from falling apart. But most importantly, and unfortunately, during those times you’ll forget to take care of you.
Today, the idea of self-care is so prevalent, it almost makes you feel guilty that you aren’t somewhere on a yoga mat drinking a green smoothie whilst getting your toes polished and reading a self-help book.
Am I right?
Well here’s the thing, your marriage (or any intimate relationship really) can only be as strong as it’s foundation. If at the core of the foundation is God + the two of you (or just the two of you if you’d prefer), and one of you or the both of you struggle with taking care of yourself aka self-care, then your foundation will start to crumble.
I am NOT saying leave your job to relax on a yoga mat but if your job is causing you to stress to the point that you cannot be the husband/wife/bae/father/mother that you need to be then yes, leave your job to get on someone’s yoga mat.
EDITED TO NOTE: Talk to your spouse before leaving your job. I don’t need not one bride fussing me out because of this ok?!
You cannot provide a safe space for your loved one if you’re falling apart spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally or even financially. You will most definitely fall short in some of these areas because we are not perfect, but whatever you fall short in, either God or your spouse should be able to lift you up and encourage you through your struggles and guide you into caring for yourself (self-care). If relying on either source is an issue or if the idea of caring for yourself causes you even more stress, please seek therapy.
It is THEE best thing you can do for yourself and your relationship.
If finding a therapist is even more stressful, please just pick up the phone and dial this number:
1-800-273- TALK (8255)
Light, Love, & Blessings,
Minister Sharnise Sears
Listen…(or read rather) I know you’ve been looking for a wedding officiant because you’ve made it to this blog. And I know for sure your mind has been boggled from seeing pricing for wedding officiants ranging from free 99 to something you definitely did not expect nor budget for. So, I’m writing this to give you a little perspective and to hopefully help you to narrow your choices.
Its a big deal. Trust me.
Choosing your officiant via the all mighty innanet couldn’t be more confusing. Especially if you haven’t marinated on the only part of your special day that converts your big party to a real wedding. Let’s be honest for a moment, when you thought about your wedding ceremony, you thought about walking down the aisle, crying a little, saying I-do, then exiting the building to get to the party…in that order. You haven’t thought about the timeline, the structure of the ceremony, rituals/traditions/enhancements, etc. and why would you? This is probably your first wedding. All those details should be left to the pros.
Wait.
Pro’s? or a friend? Or maybe a relative that’s known you since diapers? (insert cringe here)
Yes, a pro! Professional Wedding Officiants do exist. We haven’t been on the map for long, but we do exist. Before us pros came into the picture, marriages were solemnized by members of clergy (pastors, priest, etc.), judges, or laypersons. Nowadays many couples do not have a church home, don’t want a religious ceremony, and would rather not step in front of a judge...for any reason. Times have changed and practically anyone with the right license can pronounce you married so let’s put some things into perspective before you book.
You wouldn't go to a mechanic just because the name on their building says mechanic, right? You’d probably ask around for a referral, preferably one with experience, and a good reputation. And of course, you want the pricing to be fair. But you know as well as I do what happens if you go cheap. Your car needs to LAST and not just run for the moment. It also needs to be serviced thoroughly and correctly or you will be back in a week or sooner.
This is the exact the mindset you should have when choosing your wedding officiant. I could go into thorough detail about the differences between hiring a pro or choosing the other options, but I am not a fan of bashing in order to make other people (or myself) look good. I believe that the work of those individuals and reviews speak for themselves. There are tons of people that have officiated ceremonies for close friends or family and it turned out great. But again, I am here to help you narrow down your choices and keep your attention span for the next 30 seconds.
Here’s my advice and shameless plug: When hiring the professional wedding officiant, you should hire the one that will not only create a ceremony that no one falls asleep on but will also help you with the details of your ceremony. And it’s a plus if they can also help you with the details of your marriage. Your marriage needs to LAST and not just be legal in my opinion, but I digress.
Ok, I’m not digressing hear my small rant: Everyone will tell you to skimp on what you can in order to have a fantastic party and usually this first negotiable is the wedding officiant. UGGHHH! Let me share some truth: You have options. If you choose to skimp, choose to elope to the courthouse and make it legal. No one wants to sit through a boring 30+ minute ceremony watching people they don’t know walk down the aisle, then hear the same thing they’ve heard a million times during wedding ceremonies; love is patient love is kind love is blah blah blah, when you know good and dern well that love and marriage can be trial, tribulation, and sometimes down right unbearable. Tell the truth and shame the devil mmkay?! END RANT.
I hope you’re reading this and understanding my humor :)
I would just tell you all to hire me because I’m the best in the land (Cleveland yasssss) but as you can tell from my post, I am not for everyone and I am ok with that.
There are pro’s that will spend time with you helping to create the ceremony you never knew could exist… if they can make your guest cry and laugh at the same time, that’s straight magic right there. Hire the one that either has experience or education (or both) in all things wedding ceremony such as bi-cultural traditions, rituals, etc. They know how to handle emergent situations like forgotten rings, MOB not showing up, or handling an inebriated best man. Book the pro that you can really connect with, relate to, believes in YOUR love, and really knows how to make your ceremony about the love you share. From consultation to ceremony planning (and maybe even coaching), your Officiant should be your wing man and number one cheerleader. Like a lady wolf, one foot behind you yet right beside you, helping to cover every aspect of your wedding ceremony from all angles.
Bottom line, a Professional Wedding Officiant will either dampen or enhance the best day of your life. Choose wisely. Hire the Pro and not the one just here for the party.
You knew it was coming because it’s everywhere. All in the news. Spammed in your email. And commercialized with almost every retailer. It’s the dreaded Valentines day.
Singles dread this day if they aren’t boo’d up. Seasoned marrieds typically ignore it. So, one could conclude that this supposed day of celebration for newly weds and those in new relationships, right?
Maybe.
Fact: Valentines Day can literally make or break your relationship. 62% of consumers celebrate Valentine’s Day and 53% of relationships end because Valentines Day was not acknowledged. But why are we tempting fate with this mess with only a 50% chance of survival?!
I personally don’t care that some people believe that it’s a made-up holiday cause as for me and my house? We shall recognize! We may not always buy the “things”, but we most definitely do something. Okurrrrrr!
If you don’t know me personally or can’t tell by my degree in biblical studies (a hard-earned degree btw…toots horn), I am a lover of historical things. If I’m going to make an effort to acknowledge this particular day, I need all the answers.
Learning about the people who came before us and the things they’ve endured before our time is truly a magical experience for me. So here’s a little V-Day history lesson for ya that may soften your heart and lead you to celebrate or acknowledge this day for more than what society attempts by force.
“Your Valentine”
Saint Valentine’s Day is an official feast day in recognition of Saint Valentine of Rome. He was imprisoned and then martyred for officiating weddings for soldiers (who were forbidden to marry) and for spreading the word of God by ministering to Christians persecuted under the roman empire. Before he was killed, he healed a judge’s daughter from blindness and wrote her a letter (probably a love letter… #swoon) that was signed “Your Valentine”.
In honor of this courageous man, we now recognize Saint Valentine’s Day: A day to profess or reflect on love and theoretically lay your life down for what you believe. Clearly, St. V was a rebel. A fighter. A lover… and I can totally dig that. I can celebrate this.
Here’s what I’ve decided to do instead: Forget societies version of Valentine’s Day. Especially if you’re only looking to receive something. Celebrate if and when you’re ready to stand and fight for love and not just the romantic kind of love but ALL love.
Whatever you expect for Valentine’s Day (love letter, flowers, cards, candy, clean house, pedi, mani, money etc.) do it for yourself FIRST then do for others.
We all know the saying “you can’t pour from a empty cup” right? Well, St. Valentine didn’t have the distractions or issues that we face today. Our 21st century version of giving ourselves up entirely for love would be a double whammy and we probably wouldn’t make it past the age of 18 if we lived like he did. Therefore, we modernize. We practice self love so that we can love others and allow them to love us.
It may seem corny and maybe narcissistic to do this when you’re single but it’s the best way to show people that you love YOU and your life is not on hold for what may happen in the future. Take that trip girl!
If you’ve taken a lover (in my Carrie Bradshaw voice), communicate to your lover exactly what you want and expect on this day (or any other holiday). Don’t be shy about it either!
Even if you’re married, know this: marriage changes over time. Your values, wants, needs, and expectations WILL change…so celebrate how you see fit. Do something for you, do something for bae, or heck do something for the dog or the kids!
If we can only gather one good lesson from the life and death of Saint. Valentine, it’s this; Do Love with action…but DO LOVE.
XO Minister Sharnise Sears
I am so happy to announce that Weddings By CPE has received Wedding Wire’s Couples Choice Award for 2019! This is our second year winning but it’s the first time we ever really attempted to celebrate or make a big to-do about it.
During a recent conversation with a colleague, I casually mentioned receiving the email for this award and she immediately halted the conversation to express her excitement. The look on my face was priceless because I did not have that same reaction.
To be perfectly honest, I thought everyone received the award…but, in all actuality, there aren’t many Officiants or wedding vendors that receive more than 10 5-star reviews within a year (that’s the requirement for nomination).
After the conversation, I sat back and re-read all the reviews we’ve received since 2017. All 5-star reviews. Nothing but happy couples expressing their appreciation of my services and character.
And then… it finally hit me!
Couples took the time out of their busy day to show their appreciation! (Did I just repeat myself?!)
Reviews mean everything to business owners. It helps potential clients know exactly what they’re getting into when they purchase a product or hire the business for a service. Without reviews, you’re really shooting in the dark. So, when a client leaves a glowing review, they’re saying; You need to hire this person (or company)!
“The Couples Choice Award honors the exemplary work you’ve done over the past year and the highly regarded reputation you’ve established with your clients.” -Wedding Wire
I am not perfect by any means and being perfectly honest, there were a few bloopers that have occurred on occasion (like that one time I sent everyone into a panic because the groom forgot the ring! Nice way to handle a crisis Minister Sears…smh!) but I am so thankful and grateful to all of my brides and grooms that have extended grace and left a kind review despite any shortcomings.
Because of grace, I will celebrate!
If you’re a business owner, I wrote this for you. Celebrate your wins. Thank your clients. If you’re a bride or groom, I wrote this for you too. Celebrate your #couplesgoals wins! Every milestone, every heated fellowship (for my super saints and aint’s lol), every anniversary, and every hallmark holiday is worth celebrating.
For me, I won’t just celebrate my personal success, but I will celebrate for the honor of being apart of a momentous occasion and a memory that will last a lifetime.
XO Minister Sharnise Sears
Hooray! We’ve made our second blog post ever!!! I had every intention on posting at least every 30 days but..meh…life happened. So here we are! I will seriously not make this announcement at the beginning of every future blog, but I will always be super excited.
Before a couple books their wedding day with me, I always offer a free in person or virtual meet up to ensure we are a good fit. I truly believe that nothing is worse than booking an officiant that has no idea who you are, what you want/need, or even care to pronounce your name correctly (and guest can really tell!).
Kendra & Al Alexander Photo Credit http://www.kayladuffinphotography.com
During the initial consultation, I ask each couple about their religious backgrounds, beliefs, or preferences, regardless if they’ve already informed me of their choice of a religious or non-religious ceremony. It’s a good way for us all to gauge where you are spiritually and to understand what you expect for your customized ceremony script.
Sometime ago in 2017, I was contacted by a couple that requested a non-religious/short and sweet wedding ceremony. They were from out of town but the majority of their family and friends reside in good old Cleveland, Ohio.
Throughout multiple emails, I discovered that my bride had a catholic background but because she had been divorced with no annulment, she felt as though she could not incorporate God into her ceremony. The Bride and the Groom also had a deep love and respect for the Dali Lama and Buddhist philosophy. Now, we all know Catholic and Buddhist belief systems don’t really go hand in hand…right?
By religious rules, they don’t but in all actuality, they really do.
On another note, who’s marriage is it anyway?
The reason why most Independent Professional Wedding Officiants exist is to unite couples that love one another together legally and that’s it. Most of us are in this marriage business because we know there is too much red tape that attempts to confine couples into boxes of what religious sects deem as a perfect and acceptable marriage.
Just like snowflakes, no two weddings are exactly alike.
Your wedding and your marriage is yours to create. Traditional or Non-Traditional, Religious or Non-Religious...only matters if it matters to you.
Kendra & Al' Alexander’s prayer Photo Credit http://www.kayladuffinphotography.com
Welcome to my very first blog post! I honestly have no idea what I am doing but I promised myself in 2017 that I would step out of the “I don’t know” box and create the “I tried it” box.
Actually, I’ve been adding to my new box quite frequently over the past 3 years and I haven’t looked back…well maybe one or twice but its been pretty progressive. I’m adulting.
If you’ve stumbled across this blog, you’re either planning a wedding and looking to hire a pro wedding officiant or you’re looking for help within your relationship. Either way, I’m glad you found me here.
This is my love story and how Weddings By CPE came into existence.
In March of 2013, I met my husband, Mr. Anton Sears. My cousin was engaged to Anton’s co-worker at the time, and they decided to set us up on a blind date. Short story even shorter, we met, fell in love, and 8 months later we got married! He’s been my homie, lover, encourager, and best friend since.
I never imagined myself being married until I met him. I was attracted to his peaceful spirit and gentleness with my two sons…and of course his gorgeous smile. One day I asked him “Why do you love me babe?” his response?… “Because I choose to”.
Can you see why I said “Yes”?! #swoon
He is/was the total package and now our family is complete and whole with three boys and a girl pup named Daisy. We recently celebrated our 5 year anniversary on November 10th (all applause and gift cards are welcome ‘cause the struggle was real!).
Speaking of struggle, the journey we have been through has been quite the adventurous one. During our first three years of marriage, we went through the tough stuff that no one could have prepared us for.
We had no idea that we would fall in love so quickly, get married, blend a family, buy a house, and have a baby all in our first year of marriage. We had no idea how much work it even took to wake up every day and choose to be married. We had no idea we would lose our partner parent and that grief would hit us hard. We had no idea how much therapy we would need to process all of this. But were still here. Still thriving.
If it weren’t for our faith in God, our premarital coaching basics, and our tribe/prayer warriors, we would have not made it this far.
Since I consider myself blessed for making it to year 5 (and hopefully many more) and having all the help and support that we so desperately needed during those hard times, it’s only fair to pass this blessing of love and spiritual support along to others.
Weddings By CPE was created in 2017 with love in mind. I want to help couples tell their love story, just like I’m telling you mine, in a meaningful way so that you can bless others as well. Love is the gift that keeps on giving!
I want to help couples start their marriage on the right foot with premarriage coaching…Not the boring do’s and don’ts of relationships but the real in depth thought provoking conversations that will help you build an ironclad foundation.
I want to stand together with you to pray, fight, and protect your love like many others have done for us.
In my future blog post, with the permission of other couples, I will share their love stories in hopes to encourage you to keep believing in Love.
XO Minister Sharnise Sears
Minister Sharnise Sears - Photo Credit www.stayfocusedfilms.com
Our Wedding Day- Photo Credit www.denniscriderphotography.com
5 Year Anniversary - Photo Credit www.stayfocusedfilms.com
