May 5, 2025 • 23 mins
Send me a message or any questions!
What does a wedding officiant actually bring to your ceremony? In this celebratory bonus episode marking over 500 listens, I'm unzipping my officiating bag to reveal the essential toolkit that helps me navigate wedding days with confidence and composure.
From the moment I arrive at a venue until the final signature on your marriage license, my trusty black bag (emblazoned with "and so the adventure begins") contains everything I might need to handle any situation. You'll discover why I always pack protein drinks and snacks, how my elaborate binder system preserves memories of every ceremony, and why I carry backup unity elements like hand-fasting cords that have saved the day when last-minute inspiration strikes.
The wedding world is full of surprises - like the Irish grandmother who inspired an unplanned hand-fasting ritual at the rehearsal dinner, or the melted Hershey Kisses that create havoc at the bottom of my bag. I'll share my biggest officiating challenge (correctly identifying townships for marriage licenses) and my dream of creating a specialized app to solve this common problem for wedding professionals.
As my podcast journey continues to evolve alongside my officiating career, I'm grateful for each listener who's joined me since launching in January. Whether you're planning your own wedding, work in the industry, or simply enjoy wedding stories, I hope this peek behind the curtain gives you appreciation for the preparation that goes into making ceremonies appear effortless. What items would you suggest I add to my officiant toolkit? I'd love to hear your thoughts as we continue this adventure together!
Thank you for sharing the podcast with others who may enjoy it! Share your funny wedding stories with me at theweddingwherepodcast@gmail.com. Any links referenced are on linktree.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to the Wedding Ware with officiating by
Amanda.
Welcome back to the Wedding,where this is bonus episode.
(00:34):
I am so excited that we areable to do this, and do this as
quickly as we've been able to,so I started the show January
20th.
The first episode went out andsince then we've had over 500
listens across states, countries.
All the episodes have beenloved, some loved more than
(00:57):
others.
Shout out to you prison bra.
And so I wanted to bring abonus episode to being.
Thank you to everyone followingOfficiating by Amanda on
Facebook.
This is where the polloriginated that asked you know
what kind of bonus you'd like tosee, and so today I'm
presenting to you what's in myofficiating bag, and I've got it
(01:22):
right next to me, so I'llactually be digging through it.
I will maybe include somepictures so we can find them in,
you know, facebook, a coupleother places, but I'm really
just so excited to have had somany of you on this journey with
me.
So I'm kind of like a bag lady.
(01:44):
I have a lot of crap and I needthe means to carry it along
with me, and when I typicallyshow up at weddings, I have my
officiating bag, I have my bigbulky purse upon purses and,
depending on where I'm comingfrom or where I'm going to next,
(02:06):
I often have an overnight bag.
Change of clothes, somethingkeep me busy or occupied,
especially right now we are myhusband and I are in the midst
of moving I don't think it willimpact anything.
Podcast wise, I'm trying to tonot have it do that.
And you know, I never know whathouse I'm going to be sleeping
(02:31):
out of, whether it's my parents,his parents, our house, new
house, a friend's house, a hotelroom.
So always having a change ofclothes, toiletries, everything,
just it, makes a lot of sensethese days, but I don't want to
be the bagged lady walking intoa wedding, so I just take in my
(02:55):
officiating bag, I pull out mywallet, my car keys, my phone.
Those are the only three thingsfrom my normal bag, my purse,
that come in to my officiatingbag for each and every time.
And my officiating bag is black.
It was actually a gift from oneof my friends, actually, when I
(03:18):
got engaged and I knew rightaway oh, new officiating bag,
hooray.
My old one had been like a rosegold bottom and canvas and it
started to show some stains andwear and tear.
So I retired that one out and Inow have this gorgeous black
one with silver writing on thefront that says and so the
(03:40):
adventure begins, incrediblyfitting for weddings.
Even my husband knows that itis my officiating bag.
I love it.
So I've just picked it up.
You hear the rustling.
It's me going through the bagand I have to clean out like
every three or four monthsbecause I get a wide collection
of blood in here that I have noclue where it came from.
(04:04):
But what is in my officiatingbag?
So we got some personal careitems.
We have hair ties because Ineed them and I always lose them
.
So I try to maintain like twoor three in the bag at all times
.
Simple makeup elements like twoor three in the bag at all
(04:28):
times.
Simple makeup elements lipstick, mascara.
I'm not a big makeup girl, butevery now and again I just
winter weddings.
I feel very pale.
I need just a little spruceprotein water, some snacks small
, nothing crazy.
I'm not bringing cases, I'mbringing a protein water.
I and bringing a bag of jerky.
Just gotta, gotta keep thatenergy up and going.
(04:49):
Bring a celsius.
Yep, that's been.
That's been key and critical.
I don't want to get too jitteryahead of a wedding, which is
where protein waters are oftenoften good.
Plus, I'm normally walking intoa situation after you know,
just mere half an hour to 15 to5 minutes before the ceremony
(05:13):
starts, a lot of the food anddrink has already been cleaned
up from the get ready rooms andspaces, and so the number of
times that I've been at a lossat finding water because, again,
it's been cleaned up, they haveto turn over the room as soon
as the ceremony's over orsomething like that, like it's
(05:34):
just easier for me to bring myown and have that handy.
For whatever it is, I couldneed little little pack of like
some Advil, some stomach acid, areliever, just little things,
not too too much.
If I'm having a specificproblem on any given day, you
know, pack it in separate.
(05:54):
But normally that's what I'vegot for me.
I have a binder.
I actually have two binders, soone binder is my scripts, my
printed scripts.
I've really worked to try toswitch to being electronic and
have my scripts on Kindle andnot have to print them out every
(06:18):
single time.
But if the couple's readingtheir own vows, I've got the
vows in the script.
If we are going to adestination that does not really
have good Wi-Fi service orthere's any sort of concerns
like that.
You know it's next to water.
I won't bring the Kindle.
Instead I will print out thesheets and the binder has
(06:38):
laminated pages like 40 of them.
I did have a bride once commentthat my binder was too heavy,
so I try to go through every nowand again and debulk it.
So that's the one binder.
The second binder is my 2025binder.
So the first couple sheets aresome of the samples of readings
(07:01):
I have for expos, cash and grabwhen I go.
It's a nice binder to kind oflike put out on those tables,
but then all the rest of thepages are blank and as I get the
signed portion of the marriagecertificate that I'm keeping for
each of the weddings, they goin there as well as any thank
(07:22):
you card or place card or justanything program that might have
my name on it or the couple'sname and their date.
Any little memento I can kindof grab goes in there.
It's kind of my record ofservices, but also pseudo
scrapbook At some point if Ifind myself again in a
(07:45):
unemployment era, as I am now,but not trying to launch a
podcast.
So I need a little bit moretime and not trying to move a
house because that's also eatingmy time.
I would love to make it moreinto the true scrapbook, you
know, get a nice piece of paperthat matches the ceremony color,
get a picture of the couple,get the review printed out and
(08:06):
put on like the back, like.
I've got some dreams for thisand it might be a while until it
actually happens, but I have avery.
I've got two binders no longerin my bag that are in storage
and one is like my first sevenyears of weddings because I
didn't do all that many.
They all fit into one binder.
And then I have a single binderfor 22, 23, 24, and now I'm on
(08:32):
my 25 binder.
So, yeah, really, reallyexcited there.
I have my Kindle, I have itwith its Bluetooth keypad, I
have it with its hearing caseand its stylus, and I really do
like to switch over more of myscripts to electronic.
It just helps that I'm notconstantly having to print,
(08:55):
because printing can be a pain.
Ink is expensive and it allowsme to make more edits quicker on
the fly and really, yep, yesand let's go.
That sounds fantastic.
I'm doing all this in a chairand running out of spaces for my
stuff.
(09:15):
I take care of mailing back inthe return slip of the marriage
license.
So I carry with me envelopes,stamps, little helpful listings
of where things go to whichcounty, listings of where things
go to which county.
Some counties spell it out foryou in their forms and they want
(09:35):
me to keep the form and sayhere's where you send it.
Some give me pre-stamped notstamped pre-labeled envelopes
Super helpful.
Others do not.
Others do absolutely nothingoutside of issue the license.
So I have to do a little bit oflookup.
I have to write it all out.
(09:56):
I got stamped, it's not aproblem, I will do it.
But in my bag I did carry thosetools a whole pack of envelopes
, rolls of stamps and all ofthat jazz.
I've got some notes.
A lot of times when I consultwith couples I'm able to be on
my computer and I take notesright into my tracking document.
(10:17):
But for times where I might notbe or I get a phone call that
comes in with a couple justgiving me details on the fly, I
have a whole bunch of scraps ofpaper with notes about the
couples and what they want, whatthey're looking for.
That I will then put into thescript and ultimately at the end
I put into the binder with allof their other intel.
(10:40):
But until it makes itstransition to the binder it ends
up in my bag.
I keep on hand some ceremonytools, unity elements, just in
case now, if you're a couplethat you already have, you know
your unity planned and I'msupposed to be bringing it.
Yes, I make sure that that'spacked in the bag from the
(11:03):
get-go, but other times, youknow, I just have some backup
ones in case miscommunication,in case I'm feeling moved and
want to do a hand fastingceremony and the couple's open
to it.
I had a bride they weren'tplanning on it and then the
grandmother flew in from Irelandand was talking to them at the
(11:26):
rehearsal dinner about oh, youknow, your grandfather and I
were hand-fested and it wasgreat and it triggered something
in the bride to remember that Ido hand-fasting.
And so she was like oh, likeit's probably too late now, but
it would have been so cool.
And I'm like I've got an extraone in my bag, don't worry, I'll
bring it.
You know, we can do this.
(11:46):
So I always have a hand-fastingcord.
I had a few couples who havehad their ceremony spaces saged
with a smudge stick before and Ibought the sage in a three pack
.
So I still have one sage smudgestick.
Should anyone need it, want itor we just have get some vibes
(12:08):
from the venue, got it there.
I have bubbles, little wandabubbles, along with pens.
I keep it with my tens.
Should there be a, please rise,join the couple and blow
bubbles, because that happensand I want to make sure I'm
prepared as soon as I see thatsign.
I've got my bubbles.
(12:29):
Let me go grab them quick.
Um, what else is in thishodgepodge?
I carry thank you cards with me.
Oh, I carry a little comb.
That's my personal items.
I carry thank you cards.
I carry and I carry likeofficial officiant things, if
you will.
(12:49):
So I have my, my credentials,I've got my certificate.
I've got my certificate.
I've got my letter of goodstanding.
I have the printout from thestate of Pennsylvania that gives
the actual statute forPennsylvania marriage laws.
Most of my weddings are inPennsylvania, so that if anyone
has questions on wait, how canyou do what you do?
(13:10):
I point to like the subsection.
I get a little nerdy like that.
I have my stole.
I actually have two stoles.
I have a white one which hasgotten stained and I have a
black one which I wear all thetime and probably should get a
backup one or a second one.
I haven't lost it yet, knock onwood.
I haven't need to replace ityet, thank goodness.
(13:31):
It's good and reliable.
I have business cards, I have afew brochures of my services,
the pricings and everything, andI have some the Wedding Wear
stickers to hopefully pass outand get more listeners to the
podcast and outside of oh andthen post weddings.
(13:54):
So how does my bag get?
So?
Oh, I do carry a mask, just incase there's ever a situation
where I am sick, the couple issick, someone is announced
whether it's COVID or not,they're just ill.
As best as I can, I won't wearduring ceremony, but in
(14:15):
pre-interactions,post-interactions, especially if
I know I'm coming in sick, Iwant to really be as cognizant
as I can.
So I do have a mask.
Plus we all faced it duringCOVID of places that we didn't
think would have signs that sayyou need a mask in order to
enter, and we tried to, you know, vampire it with our elbows or
(14:36):
pull up our t-shirts orsomething.
You just never know whatsituation you might be walking
into.
So I have one just in case Iwon't ever be denied access on
the grounds of not having a mask.
So my bag often gets prettypretty full by the end of a
quarter because anything that acouple hands me you know thank
(14:59):
you cards or an extra favor, youknow I throw it in the bag.
I have had so many HersheyKisses melt in my bag because I
forgot that I threw the favor inthe bag.
Cookies get eaten right away.
Hershey Kisses sink to thebottom of the bag, melt and
create a big, big mess.
Hershey Kisses sink to thebottom of the bag, melt and
create a big, big mess.
And then I to go with my onebinder that's kind of
(15:21):
scrapbook-y, you know I'll putin you know business card of the
venue or a program if you'vegot them printed.
So lots of little things add upinto the bag and given that
during any three-month windowwell heck, even just in a
one-month window I'm doing likeeight to nine weddings.
(15:42):
So multiply that in athree-month window I'm just
under 30 weddings.
That's a lot of stuff thatcould be living in the bag, plus
little notes from console calls, plus the binders are getting
heavier and heavier and thickerand thicker.
So it is very important that Ido a clean out every now and
(16:03):
again, preserve things, throwthings away, just kind of assess
where it's all at, so that I'vemade it a rule that I cannot
extend to having two officiatingbags.
I need to have one, that's it.
So I have to be a rule that Icannot extend to having two
officiating bags.
I need to have one, that's it.
So I have to be a bag lady, notthe bag lady, and I love.
I love feeling like I haveanything I could possibly need.
(16:26):
There have been times whereI've run out of pens in my bag
because I've used them and putthem down or left them, had
people borrow them.
So I really should stock thebag a little bit more with some
more pens.
But outside of that, I amreally excited with my bag.
I do feel lost without it.
(16:47):
Even if I go to like anelopement where I've got the
lines memorized and I just needa pen for signing the license, I
still probably have my bag withme when I get on site.
I either store it in one of theget ready rooms or, if that's
not possible, under a chair inthe back row yeah, typically
(17:07):
where I put it and just let it.
Let it go and let it be.
I do the hardest thing that Iwish and I would take it as an
old school little booklet if itexisted, but I'd rather see it
created as an app.
So if you are a techie personout there and you know how to
(17:28):
create apps, let's chat.
Because man oh man.
So for marriage licenses youhave to sign the designated city
, township or borough along withthe county.
Villages don't count,unincorporated towns don't count
(17:50):
.
It has to be very specific anda lot of times that is not the
place that is listed on, likethe gps mailing address.
It is not the place that thevenue touts, it's not the place
that the couple says.
You have to find it on your own.
So I pay attention to roadsigns when I drive in.
(18:11):
Oh, it says entering thevillage of village doesn't count
.
Where's my next borough, town,bigger establishment?
So my dream of dreams would beto create an app for officiants
that literally is just where amI?
And, based off of where you'regeographically standing, it
(18:35):
tells you from the smallestlevel, like the name of the
venue, because some places dowant the name of a venue all the
way up.
So I did a wedding at ParadiseStream Resort, which the couple
was like oh it's in Mount Pocono.
Okay, the mailing address hasit in Cresco.
(18:59):
It's called Paradise Streambecause it's actually in
Paradise Township, which is inCresco, next door to Mount
Pocono.
Lots of different elementsthere, so I had to really dig in
on how to fill out this license, in which case it was Paradise
Stream Resort, paradise Township, monroe County, because
(19:25):
Paradise Township is weightyenough on its own.
If Township wasn't applicablethen I'd go with Cresco.
Mount Pocono more describeslike the general region of
saying almost like the Poconosis close to Mount Pocono.
More described like the generalregion of saying almost like
the Poconos is close to MountPocono, but it's not.
But there's so many venues thatwhat the locals know it as
versus what it really is, versuswhat the mailing address is.
(19:47):
You want to get as specific aspossible on the marriage license
so that it isn't returned, andyou want to be clear on the
marriage license so that itisn't returned.
And you want to be clear andyou can even get into sometimes
where the county is justslightly different, whether you
are in the borough of or thecity of.
(20:07):
Yeah, wilts fair, wilts fair isfound like that.
So if you're an app person,that's something I would love to
chat with you on and create,because that is an addition.
I would totally have in my bageither a little lookup book or a
actual like on my phone.
I'd make sure it was ready togo for everything.
Plus and here's the hard partyou have to make it accessible
(20:31):
without cell service, like youalmost have to like get into
that SOS system so that it canstill find your phone even if
there's no bars and no service,because when you are out at a
venue in the middle of nowhereand your phone has nothing and
the venue has no Wi-Fi andyou're on like a walking trail
randomly, I still need to knowwhere am I?
(20:54):
Just a food for thought there.
Is there anything else you guysthink I should have in my bag?
Or is there anything you as acouple would find useful if I
carried it around with me?
Do you want remade out like tipenvelopes I don't really get
tipped all that much, but likedo you want chipped envelopes?
(21:16):
Do you want QR code that getsleft behind that says scan here
to send me a picture and leaveme a review?
I normally have emails that arescheduled to go out after a
wedding, but I'm happy to carrysomething in my bag to leave
behind to make it more seamlessof a process for you guys.
More seamless of a process foryou guys.
Thank you so so much for workingwith me to get this far.
(21:39):
I feel like I just put out the250 bonus and now I'm putting
out the 500 bonus, and I knowthat it'll take a little bit of
time to hit the thousand bonus.
But that's also what I said intrying to get to the 500,
because we were just duplicatelike we had to get double the
numbers.
So I don't know when we'll hearanother bonus.
(22:03):
There's a part of me that hopesit's soon and there's another
part of me that's like, wow, Idon't know how quick I can keep
coming up with this content anddo like two for weeks of
episodes.
So we shall indeed see.
But thank you, thank you.
Thank you.
(22:23):
Thank you for listening to theWedding Wear with Officiating by
Amanda.
I hope you enjoyed today'sepisode and found some
inspiration or insight for yourown special day.
This podcast is hosted onBuzzsprout and can be found on
all major platforms.
If you haven't already, pleasesubscribe, like, comment and
share to help us reach even morelisteners who might laugh a
(22:44):
little at the wedding wear.
For the links referenced in theshow, visit Linktree at
Officiating by Amanda.
You can also follow thebusiness on Facebook WeddingWire
and the Knot to stay up to dateon everything going on.
If on Facebook WeddingWire andthe Knot to stay up to date on
everything going on, if you havea question you'd like me to
answer on the podcast, just sendan email to
theweddingwirepodcast atgmailcom.
And if you're ready to inquireabout officiating services for
(23:07):
your own big day, you can reachme at officiatingbyamanda at
gmailcom.
Thank you so much for tuning inand until next time.
This has been Amanda.
Welcome to the Wedding Ware with officiating by
Amanda.
Welcome back to the Wedding,where this is bonus episode.
(00:34):
I am so excited that we areable to do this, and do this as
quickly as we've been able to,so I started the show January
20th.
The first episode went out andsince then we've had over 500
listens across states, countries.
All the episodes have beenloved, some loved more than
(00:57):
others.
Shout out to you prison bra.
And so I wanted to bring abonus episode to being.
Thank you to everyone followingOfficiating by Amanda on
Facebook.
This is where the polloriginated that asked you know
what kind of bonus you'd like tosee, and so today I'm
presenting to you what's in myofficiating bag, and I've got it
(01:22):
right next to me, so I'llactually be digging through it.
I will maybe include somepictures so we can find them in,
you know, facebook, a coupleother places, but I'm really
just so excited to have had somany of you on this journey with
me.
So I'm kind of like a bag lady.
(01:44):
I have a lot of crap and I needthe means to carry it along
with me, and when I typicallyshow up at weddings, I have my
officiating bag, I have my bigbulky purse upon purses and,
depending on where I'm comingfrom or where I'm going to next,
(02:06):
I often have an overnight bag.
Change of clothes, somethingkeep me busy or occupied,
especially right now we are myhusband and I are in the midst
of moving I don't think it willimpact anything.
Podcast wise, I'm trying to tonot have it do that.
And you know, I never know whathouse I'm going to be sleeping
(02:31):
out of, whether it's my parents,his parents, our house, new
house, a friend's house, a hotelroom.
So always having a change ofclothes, toiletries, everything,
just it, makes a lot of sensethese days, but I don't want to
be the bagged lady walking intoa wedding, so I just take in my
(02:55):
officiating bag, I pull out mywallet, my car keys, my phone.
Those are the only three thingsfrom my normal bag, my purse,
that come in to my officiatingbag for each and every time.
And my officiating bag is black.
It was actually a gift from oneof my friends, actually, when I
(03:18):
got engaged and I knew rightaway oh, new officiating bag,
hooray.
My old one had been like a rosegold bottom and canvas and it
started to show some stains andwear and tear.
So I retired that one out and Inow have this gorgeous black
one with silver writing on thefront that says and so the
(03:40):
adventure begins, incrediblyfitting for weddings.
Even my husband knows that itis my officiating bag.
I love it.
So I've just picked it up.
You hear the rustling.
It's me going through the bagand I have to clean out like
every three or four monthsbecause I get a wide collection
of blood in here that I have noclue where it came from.
(04:04):
But what is in my officiatingbag?
So we got some personal careitems.
We have hair ties because Ineed them and I always lose them
.
So I try to maintain like twoor three in the bag at all times
.
Simple makeup elements like twoor three in the bag at all
(04:28):
times.
Simple makeup elements lipstick, mascara.
I'm not a big makeup girl, butevery now and again I just
winter weddings.
I feel very pale.
I need just a little spruceprotein water, some snacks small
, nothing crazy.
I'm not bringing cases, I'mbringing a protein water.
I and bringing a bag of jerky.
Just gotta, gotta keep thatenergy up and going.
(04:49):
Bring a celsius.
Yep, that's been.
That's been key and critical.
I don't want to get too jitteryahead of a wedding, which is
where protein waters are oftenoften good.
Plus, I'm normally walking intoa situation after you know,
just mere half an hour to 15 to5 minutes before the ceremony
(05:13):
starts, a lot of the food anddrink has already been cleaned
up from the get ready rooms andspaces, and so the number of
times that I've been at a lossat finding water because, again,
it's been cleaned up, they haveto turn over the room as soon
as the ceremony's over orsomething like that, like it's
(05:34):
just easier for me to bring myown and have that handy.
For whatever it is, I couldneed little little pack of like
some Advil, some stomach acid, areliever, just little things,
not too too much.
If I'm having a specificproblem on any given day, you
know, pack it in separate.
(05:54):
But normally that's what I'vegot for me.
I have a binder.
I actually have two binders, soone binder is my scripts, my
printed scripts.
I've really worked to try toswitch to being electronic and
have my scripts on Kindle andnot have to print them out every
(06:18):
single time.
But if the couple's readingtheir own vows, I've got the
vows in the script.
If we are going to adestination that does not really
have good Wi-Fi service orthere's any sort of concerns
like that.
You know it's next to water.
I won't bring the Kindle.
Instead I will print out thesheets and the binder has
(06:38):
laminated pages like 40 of them.
I did have a bride once commentthat my binder was too heavy,
so I try to go through every nowand again and debulk it.
So that's the one binder.
The second binder is my 2025binder.
So the first couple sheets aresome of the samples of readings
(07:01):
I have for expos, cash and grabwhen I go.
It's a nice binder to kind oflike put out on those tables,
but then all the rest of thepages are blank and as I get the
signed portion of the marriagecertificate that I'm keeping for
each of the weddings, they goin there as well as any thank
(07:22):
you card or place card or justanything program that might have
my name on it or the couple'sname and their date.
Any little memento I can kindof grab goes in there.
It's kind of my record ofservices, but also pseudo
scrapbook At some point if Ifind myself again in a
(07:45):
unemployment era, as I am now,but not trying to launch a
podcast.
So I need a little bit moretime and not trying to move a
house because that's also eatingmy time.
I would love to make it moreinto the true scrapbook, you
know, get a nice piece of paperthat matches the ceremony color,
get a picture of the couple,get the review printed out and
(08:06):
put on like the back, like.
I've got some dreams for thisand it might be a while until it
actually happens, but I have avery.
I've got two binders no longerin my bag that are in storage
and one is like my first sevenyears of weddings because I
didn't do all that many.
They all fit into one binder.
And then I have a single binderfor 22, 23, 24, and now I'm on
(08:32):
my 25 binder.
So, yeah, really, reallyexcited there.
I have my Kindle, I have itwith its Bluetooth keypad, I
have it with its hearing caseand its stylus, and I really do
like to switch over more of myscripts to electronic.
It just helps that I'm notconstantly having to print,
(08:55):
because printing can be a pain.
Ink is expensive and it allowsme to make more edits quicker on
the fly and really, yep, yesand let's go.
That sounds fantastic.
I'm doing all this in a chairand running out of spaces for my
stuff.
(09:15):
I take care of mailing back inthe return slip of the marriage
license.
So I carry with me envelopes,stamps, little helpful listings
of where things go to whichcounty, listings of where things
go to which county.
Some counties spell it out foryou in their forms and they want
(09:35):
me to keep the form and sayhere's where you send it.
Some give me pre-stamped notstamped pre-labeled envelopes
Super helpful.
Others do not.
Others do absolutely nothingoutside of issue the license.
So I have to do a little bit oflookup.
I have to write it all out.
(09:56):
I got stamped, it's not aproblem, I will do it.
But in my bag I did carry thosetools a whole pack of envelopes
, rolls of stamps and all ofthat jazz.
I've got some notes.
A lot of times when I consultwith couples I'm able to be on
my computer and I take notesright into my tracking document.
(10:17):
But for times where I might notbe or I get a phone call that
comes in with a couple justgiving me details on the fly, I
have a whole bunch of scraps ofpaper with notes about the
couples and what they want, whatthey're looking for.
That I will then put into thescript and ultimately at the end
I put into the binder with allof their other intel.
(10:40):
But until it makes itstransition to the binder it ends
up in my bag.
I keep on hand some ceremonytools, unity elements, just in
case now, if you're a couplethat you already have, you know
your unity planned and I'msupposed to be bringing it.
Yes, I make sure that that'spacked in the bag from the
(11:03):
get-go, but other times, youknow, I just have some backup
ones in case miscommunication,in case I'm feeling moved and
want to do a hand fastingceremony and the couple's open
to it.
I had a bride they weren'tplanning on it and then the
grandmother flew in from Irelandand was talking to them at the
(11:26):
rehearsal dinner about oh, youknow, your grandfather and I
were hand-fested and it wasgreat and it triggered something
in the bride to remember that Ido hand-fasting.
And so she was like oh, likeit's probably too late now, but
it would have been so cool.
And I'm like I've got an extraone in my bag, don't worry, I'll
bring it.
You know, we can do this.
(11:46):
So I always have a hand-fastingcord.
I had a few couples who havehad their ceremony spaces saged
with a smudge stick before and Ibought the sage in a three pack
.
So I still have one sage smudgestick.
Should anyone need it, want itor we just have get some vibes
(12:08):
from the venue, got it there.
I have bubbles, little wandabubbles, along with pens.
I keep it with my tens.
Should there be a, please rise,join the couple and blow
bubbles, because that happensand I want to make sure I'm
prepared as soon as I see thatsign.
I've got my bubbles.
(12:29):
Let me go grab them quick.
Um, what else is in thishodgepodge?
I carry thank you cards with me.
Oh, I carry a little comb.
That's my personal items.
I carry thank you cards.
I carry and I carry likeofficial officiant things, if
you will.
(12:49):
So I have my, my credentials,I've got my certificate.
I've got my certificate.
I've got my letter of goodstanding.
I have the printout from thestate of Pennsylvania that gives
the actual statute forPennsylvania marriage laws.
Most of my weddings are inPennsylvania, so that if anyone
has questions on wait, how canyou do what you do?
(13:10):
I point to like the subsection.
I get a little nerdy like that.
I have my stole.
I actually have two stoles.
I have a white one which hasgotten stained and I have a
black one which I wear all thetime and probably should get a
backup one or a second one.
I haven't lost it yet, knock onwood.
I haven't need to replace ityet, thank goodness.
(13:31):
It's good and reliable.
I have business cards, I have afew brochures of my services,
the pricings and everything, andI have some the Wedding Wear
stickers to hopefully pass outand get more listeners to the
podcast and outside of oh andthen post weddings.
(13:54):
So how does my bag get?
So?
Oh, I do carry a mask, just incase there's ever a situation
where I am sick, the couple issick, someone is announced
whether it's COVID or not,they're just ill.
As best as I can, I won't wearduring ceremony, but in
(14:15):
pre-interactions,post-interactions, especially if
I know I'm coming in sick, Iwant to really be as cognizant
as I can.
So I do have a mask.
Plus we all faced it duringCOVID of places that we didn't
think would have signs that sayyou need a mask in order to
enter, and we tried to, you know, vampire it with our elbows or
(14:36):
pull up our t-shirts orsomething.
You just never know whatsituation you might be walking
into.
So I have one just in case Iwon't ever be denied access on
the grounds of not having a mask.
So my bag often gets prettypretty full by the end of a
quarter because anything that acouple hands me you know thank
(14:59):
you cards or an extra favor, youknow I throw it in the bag.
I have had so many HersheyKisses melt in my bag because I
forgot that I threw the favor inthe bag.
Cookies get eaten right away.
Hershey Kisses sink to thebottom of the bag, melt and
create a big, big mess.
Hershey Kisses sink to thebottom of the bag, melt and
create a big, big mess.
And then I to go with my onebinder that's kind of
(15:21):
scrapbook-y, you know I'll putin you know business card of the
venue or a program if you'vegot them printed.
So lots of little things add upinto the bag and given that
during any three-month windowwell heck, even just in a
one-month window I'm doing likeeight to nine weddings.
(15:42):
So multiply that in athree-month window I'm just
under 30 weddings.
That's a lot of stuff thatcould be living in the bag, plus
little notes from console calls, plus the binders are getting
heavier and heavier and thickerand thicker.
So it is very important that Ido a clean out every now and
(16:03):
again, preserve things, throwthings away, just kind of assess
where it's all at, so that I'vemade it a rule that I cannot
extend to having two officiatingbags.
I need to have one, that's it.
So I have to be a rule that Icannot extend to having two
officiating bags.
I need to have one, that's it.
So I have to be a bag lady, notthe bag lady, and I love.
I love feeling like I haveanything I could possibly need.
(16:26):
There have been times whereI've run out of pens in my bag
because I've used them and putthem down or left them, had
people borrow them.
So I really should stock thebag a little bit more with some
more pens.
But outside of that, I amreally excited with my bag.
I do feel lost without it.
(16:47):
Even if I go to like anelopement where I've got the
lines memorized and I just needa pen for signing the license, I
still probably have my bag withme when I get on site.
I either store it in one of theget ready rooms or, if that's
not possible, under a chair inthe back row yeah, typically
(17:07):
where I put it and just let it.
Let it go and let it be.
I do the hardest thing that Iwish and I would take it as an
old school little booklet if itexisted, but I'd rather see it
created as an app.
So if you are a techie personout there and you know how to
(17:28):
create apps, let's chat.
Because man oh man.
So for marriage licenses youhave to sign the designated city
, township or borough along withthe county.
Villages don't count,unincorporated towns don't count
(17:50):
.
It has to be very specific anda lot of times that is not the
place that is listed on, likethe gps mailing address.
It is not the place that thevenue touts, it's not the place
that the couple says.
You have to find it on your own.
So I pay attention to roadsigns when I drive in.
(18:11):
Oh, it says entering thevillage of village doesn't count
.
Where's my next borough, town,bigger establishment?
So my dream of dreams would beto create an app for officiants
that literally is just where amI?
And, based off of where you'regeographically standing, it
(18:35):
tells you from the smallestlevel, like the name of the
venue, because some places dowant the name of a venue all the
way up.
So I did a wedding at ParadiseStream Resort, which the couple
was like oh it's in Mount Pocono.
Okay, the mailing address hasit in Cresco.
(18:59):
It's called Paradise Streambecause it's actually in
Paradise Township, which is inCresco, next door to Mount
Pocono.
Lots of different elementsthere, so I had to really dig in
on how to fill out this license, in which case it was Paradise
Stream Resort, paradise Township, monroe County, because
(19:25):
Paradise Township is weightyenough on its own.
If Township wasn't applicablethen I'd go with Cresco.
Mount Pocono more describeslike the general region of
saying almost like the Poconosis close to Mount Pocono.
More described like the generalregion of saying almost like
the Poconos is close to MountPocono, but it's not.
But there's so many venues thatwhat the locals know it as
versus what it really is, versuswhat the mailing address is.
(19:47):
You want to get as specific aspossible on the marriage license
so that it isn't returned, andyou want to be clear on the
marriage license so that itisn't returned.
And you want to be clear andyou can even get into sometimes
where the county is justslightly different, whether you
are in the borough of or thecity of.
(20:07):
Yeah, wilts fair, wilts fair isfound like that.
So if you're an app person,that's something I would love to
chat with you on and create,because that is an addition.
I would totally have in my bageither a little lookup book or a
actual like on my phone.
I'd make sure it was ready togo for everything.
Plus and here's the hard partyou have to make it accessible
(20:31):
without cell service, like youalmost have to like get into
that SOS system so that it canstill find your phone even if
there's no bars and no service,because when you are out at a
venue in the middle of nowhereand your phone has nothing and
the venue has no Wi-Fi andyou're on like a walking trail
randomly, I still need to knowwhere am I?
(20:54):
Just a food for thought there.
Is there anything else you guysthink I should have in my bag?
Or is there anything you as acouple would find useful if I
carried it around with me?
Do you want remade out like tipenvelopes I don't really get
tipped all that much, but likedo you want chipped envelopes?
(21:16):
Do you want QR code that getsleft behind that says scan here
to send me a picture and leaveme a review?
I normally have emails that arescheduled to go out after a
wedding, but I'm happy to carrysomething in my bag to leave
behind to make it more seamlessof a process for you guys.
More seamless of a process foryou guys.
Thank you so so much for workingwith me to get this far.
(21:39):
I feel like I just put out the250 bonus and now I'm putting
out the 500 bonus, and I knowthat it'll take a little bit of
time to hit the thousand bonus.
But that's also what I said intrying to get to the 500,
because we were just duplicatelike we had to get double the
numbers.
So I don't know when we'll hearanother bonus.
(22:03):
There's a part of me that hopesit's soon and there's another
part of me that's like, wow, Idon't know how quick I can keep
coming up with this content anddo like two for weeks of
episodes.
So we shall indeed see.
But thank you, thank you.
Thank you.
(22:23):
Thank you for listening to theWedding Wear with Officiating by
Amanda.
I hope you enjoyed today'sepisode and found some
inspiration or insight for yourown special day.
This podcast is hosted onBuzzsprout and can be found on
all major platforms.
If you haven't already, pleasesubscribe, like, comment and
share to help us reach even morelisteners who might laugh a
(22:44):
little at the wedding wear.
For the links referenced in theshow, visit Linktree at
Officiating by Amanda.
You can also follow thebusiness on Facebook WeddingWire
and the Knot to stay up to dateon everything going on.
If on Facebook WeddingWire andthe Knot to stay up to date on
everything going on, if you havea question you'd like me to
answer on the podcast, just sendan email to
theweddingwirepodcast atgmailcom.
And if you're ready to inquireabout officiating services for
(23:07):
your own big day, you can reachme at officiatingbyamanda at
gmailcom.
Thank you so much for tuning inand until next time.
This has been Amanda.
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