Our Ministers often ask about performing different ceremonies such as blessing a home. Often friends or family will ask a Minister for blessings and it is always good practice to take part in house blessing. It is a special opportunity and great feeling that is created by the actions of a Minister and a group of friends and family during house blessing. There are many ways to create a blessed house filled with good energy and positivity. Here are some tips to get you started for blessing a home:

1). Invite friends and family to the home to take part in the special occasion.

2). Communicate with the family of the house and their goals for the blessing prior to the ceremony.

3). Set a positive tone for the blessing by having everyone stand in a certain way - either a circle or your choosing.

 4). Light a pink candle (pink brings the energy of love and kindness) and pass the candle around to each individual person so they may share a blessing.

 5). Make sure the home is clean and tidy before the blessing as to create a good environment for the blessing.

 6). Try to set different intentions for different rooms of the house as to add different positive energies for different areas of the house.

 Hopefully these simple tips will help our Ministers during the act of house blessing - A blessed house is a happy house filled with joy.

1.    Make sure to Get Ordained!
This one should be a no brainer, over here at Open Ministry we are always here for you and we have your back. After becoming Ordained with our Ministry your wonderful journey of officiating ceremonies will begin.

2.    Communicate with the Bride and Groom.
Email, phone calls, text messaging is important to flesh out the concepts and any ideas you and the bride and groom may have for the ceremony vows and order of procession.

3.    Rehearse the Ceremony.
Practice, Practice, Practice! It is important for you to practice so you will be confident in your speech and body language. Remember, it is your responsibility and privilege to perform the beautiful ceremony and this will be a day you and the bride and groom will never forget.

4.    Take Charge!
Confidence is very attractive and infectious and since you have now rehearsed so many times it is only natural that you as an Ordained Minister take charge of the situation. Respond swiftly and confidently with any snags or sudden changes and own the day. The bride and groom will thank you for it!

5.    Have fun and Enjoy the Experience.
Overall, this is truly one of the most cherished acts that will happen in your lifetime. There is no better feeling then doing good work and creating a positive atmosphere in the presence of others. Indeed, this will be the first of many moments in life where you will look back and reflect on the magic of the day!

Sometimes it is hard to put into words, the feelings of the heart. When the time comes to write your wedding vows, the first step is to speak from the heart. What better way to express the ultimate love for your partner than writing a beautiful vow and promise forever. Wedding vows can be traditional, religious, romantic and often very funny. Listed below are a few ideas for inspiration!

Traditional:

“From today forward, our lives are together bound - there is no more I, but only we, and just as two flames are not diminished by joining one another, so should the flames of our spirits burn the brighter for our union.”

“This ring I pledge to you in its unbroken wholeness is a symbol of the infinite nature of my love. May the eternal shine of this ring be a symbol of the enduring trust and affection that I bring to you.”

“Above all, I promise never to lose those precious relatives to love, faith and hope, faith that we will always be at each other’s side, and hope for everyday to be better than the last.”

Romantic:

“As the spring explodes with beauty and growth, as the Summer warmth curls over us in waves, as the sweet harvest of the fall, and in the crisp cold brightness of winter, I love you every season, every year forever and ever.”

“My commitment to you is one if give willingly, absolutely, and without hesitation. I am yours utterly and have been since the moment we met. We were married before this day and will always be.”

“I've listened to my heart beat, felt it trapped in the cage of my ribs. But now I think of it like a dove - flying to you - to be joined with you, my heart soars with yours. Together our hearts take wing.”

Funny:

“I vow not to take any of your less pleasing habits personally, even though I really wish you would put the keys back on the key hook, and not leave your shoes in the middle of the hallway, and I love you.”

“I vow to be your spell checker, grammar friend, and tell you when things need hyphens. I promise to be your partner in exercise, even if I am much faster than you, and most of all, I promise to try things, even though I am sure I will not like them, just because you say, "try this!"

 “A pair of penguins mate for life, across hundreds of miles of tundra, the female penguin travels to bring food to the male, as he watches the egg over a month of sub-zero temperatures. As your husband, I promise never to ask you to do anything like that.”

Ok, so you have planned every tiny detail for your special day. Your guests are arriving and magic is in the air. The only bummer is the groom’s grandparents are too old to travel and they cannot be at your beautiful wedding ceremony. Don’t worry, we live in the days of technology. Live streaming weddings are becoming more and more common and easier than ever to do. All you need is a smart phone, tablet, or laptop and you can share the special moments live broadcast over the Internet!

First,

Pick your favorite service:

Apple Face Time is a handy tool to live stream a wedding. If you have a MacBook, IPhone, or iPad anyone can FaceTime to grandma and grandpa so they will not miss the special moment.

Skype works on a laptop, tablet, and smartphone. Skype is a free service and even allows for conference calls with up to 10 computers.

Google hangouts is another great option which allows multiple computers to come together and live broadcasts to YouTube.

Instagram Live – Instagram recently added the feature where you can live stream to others who have an Instagram account. All you need is a phone and the Instagram ap and you are good to go – just hit Live!

With a little proper planning, you can stream your wedding to others thousands of miles away very easily and share the moment with loved ones even if they are not physically there!

Getting married is one of the most wonderful events that happen in our lifetime. The lifelong commitment of two individuals to one another is so special and has strong roots of tradition. But when it really comes down to it, the ceremony is about the two people and their love and commitment for one another so why not tie the knot in a non-traditional way? Here are some ideas for a fun funky off beat wedding!

Skydiving:

Love is literally in the air for this thrill-seeking duo as they exchange vows on board a plane and then jumped out of it from 16,000ft with the best man, bridesmaid and the officiant close behind. Why not seal the deal with an “I do” during the freefall, followed by a kiss?

Ceremony on a Subway:

This couple decided to tie the knot and wed on the N train as it passed from Brooklyn into Manhattan on the Manhattan Bridge. Why? Because it's their favorite subway line of course! They even decorated poles with charming silver bells and purple to match the bridesmaid’s dresses. This was truly a ceremony for everyone and it was the more, the merrier, with all their delighted and surprised commuter guests treated to a beautiful ceremony.

Wedding on a Mountaintop:

Hiking can be one of the most serene experiences. With so many trails and mountains, you really can’t go wrong finding beauty in nature. This beautiful location in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains is truly special to the couple, making the decision to tie the knot there an easy one.

Underwater Wedding:

Do you like to snorkel or scuba dive? True love awaits in the ocean! This couple enjoys the beauty of the underwater world and shares the special moment.