A Loving Unity Wedding Officiant! 207 590-6339 www.LovingUnity.com

Largo, Florida – January 26, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Loving Unity Officiants  has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Customized Wedding and Commitment Ceremonies!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Loving Unity Officiants stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Loving Unity Officiants for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Rev. Virginia and Dave Bishop are among the very best Officiants within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

Labels: beach weddings in FLorida, commitment ceremonies, florida officiants, Same Sex Marriage, same sex weddings, tampa bay weddings

Some of you know, I have a few volunteer organizations I work with but one that really warmed my heart recently was when we granted a wish for a Breast Cancer Survivor!!!!  A delightful and awesome opportunity was presented to me.  I was honored to officiate the wedding of Cassiday and Douglas at the Safety Harbor Resort in April.  Their eyes truly sparkled as they shared their own personal words of vows, and exchanged rings.  Their daughters looked on with misty eyes, and so did all the other vendors who helped make Cassiday's wish a reality!!!  This was truly made possible by the love and generosity of a variety of people who gave of their time and talents to make this wish come true!!!   Congratulations Cassiday and Douglas, we wish you a very long, happy, and prosperous life!!!!  May you be blessed.



Event Planner:  TammyWaterman of  Events by Special Moments
Photographer:  Brian C. Idocks  Photographics
Videographer: Mike & Dave Furhmann of Artistic Media
Music: Neil Barnhart of Creative Prodctions
Florist: Scott, Apple Blossoms
Hair & Makeup: for the bridesmaids (the couples daughters) Michelle Rene
Venue and Accomodations and Spa for the Bride: Tina and Katie of the magnificent Safety Harbor & Resort
Tudexo: Sacino's Formalwear
Bridal Gown:  MakingMemories

When you spend your time volunteering for a cause like Brides Against Breast Cancer, you truly can see that dreams do come true.

By the way, the special guest, the pink poodle, is a good luck charm that Cassiday takes everywhere she goes.  She took it into surgery with her at the Moffet Cancer Hospital for good luck so her lymph nodes would be clear...............they were!!!

Labels: Brides Against Breast Cancer, Safety Harbor Resort Florida, tampa bay weddings, Wedding Venues

Yes! We actually have TWO weddings scheduled for Valentine's Day! One is actually the winner of the contest that I had been running on this blog. But, for this entry, I wonder how many people actually know the History of Valentines Day???

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine! But, who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentines Day - and it's patron saint - is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been the month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, has both Christian and Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentius, all of whom were martyred.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl - who may have been his jailor's daughter- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed. "From your Valentine", an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legend is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial - which probably occurred around 270 A.D. - others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentin's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to "Christianize" celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival.

During the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of bird's mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February - Valentines Day - should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Greetings Americans probably began exchanging handmade valentines in the early 1700's. Esther A. Howland began to see the first mass-produced valentines in America.

Imagine that!!!! I personally have a small collection of antique valentines postcards, I love them. Do you have any, do you save your valentines?

Labels: tampa bay officiants, tampa bay weddings, Valentines Day

Tampa Bay Watch was the scene of the beautiful wedding of Alison and Jason!  The grounds and ocean view were outstanding and the perfect backdrop for a lovely oceanside wedding.  The sun shone brightly as Alison and Jason exchanged their vows.  Their readers shared a unique and humorous poem called :A Lovely Love Story" by Edward Monkton. It is a childrens book that has quite a bit in common with how one goes about seeking their mate. I have shared that reading in a prior post.  They added many unique details to make their guests feel special, notice the seating cards placed in bottles in the sand, next to sand dollars and shells.


Location: Tampa Bay Watch  - Contact Laura McMurdock 727-867-8166
Catering: Olmpia  - 813-251-8225
Wedding Cake - Sweet Memories 727-784-9487
Florist - Rainbow K  Contact Phoebe 727-784-3961
Music- Grant Hemond DJ 727-736-2316
Valet Parking - Kris Jakobs 727-692-6756
Photography - Erik Wentworth 863-647-4600

Labels: tampa bay weddings, unique wedding ceremonies, venue

The Chester H. Ferguson Law Center is an event center with contemporary accommodations in a traditional and sophisticated setting. I features 6 meeting rooms with a minimum capacity of 6-12 to a maximum capacity of 150. It is close to the downtown Tampa area, and I 275, has free parking, and can be the setting for elegant dinner parties, wedding receptions, banquets and other large gatherings. Their in-house caterer has an established reputation for exceptional food, creativity and presentation, combined with outstanding service. They will work with you to seamlessly blend each element of your menu with style and on budget. For further information and more detailed description of the individual banquet rooms, check their website www.hillsbar.com or you may contact Terri Schanken at 813-221-7785 or email her at teresa@hillsbar.com or Laurie Rideout at 813 221-7771 or email her at laurie@hillsbar.com

Consider this great location when you plan your event.

Labels: Association of Bridal Consultants, bay area bridal association, florida j, florida officiants, lovingunity officiants, tampa bay bridal association, tampa bay weddings

Labels: creative weddings, destination florida weddings, dove release, doves, doves in florida, tampa bay weddings