Author: debloren

I’m feeling particularly generous this holiday season. I’ve been in The Dils Center nearly two years. I’m blessed to own and operate my photography studio and my wedding business in an executive suite on the second floor. The last two years have been hectic, exciting, worrying, and wonderful.

I wouldn’t change a thing….

To celebrate my two-year anniversary at The Dils Center, I’m offering four holiday boudoir and pin-up portrait packages this year. I’ve added more products to each package. I’ve lowered the price on my lowest package and have added some exciting extras to a new top-tier package.

You may take advantage of my holiday payment plans. You asked. I listened. Simply pay the non-refundable retainer to reserve your spot, and make payments on the rest. I’ll break it down to as many payments that work for you. All sessions must be paid in full the day before your session. If you’d like, you may reserve your spot but schedule your actual session later. That way, you’re on the list for this exclusive offer.

If you’d like to give the gift of photography to someone, you may purchase a gift certificate toward a future boudoir and pin-up session. You may purchase a gift certificate good toward a future session OR purchase the entire session. I’ll honor these packages for any gift certificate purchased by December 24, 2019.

Beauty photography is idea for women of all ages, shapes, and sizes. I’ll customize the session to YOU. The only restriction is that you have to be at least 18 years old.

To learn more about my holiday sessions, click HERE.

To reserve your spot, call or text me at (740) 525-6974 or send a message via email by clicking HERE.

Four years ago today, my then-fiance-now husband and I drove to Columbus, OH and got married. There were no announcements. No guests. It was just me and Johnny and an officiant we met for the first time.

My decision to elope wasn’t an immediate one. I had a beautiful New Orleans wedding pictured in my mind, officiated on the Langles Bridge in City Park. It was wonderful, in theory, but I decided to go another way because, quite frankly, other people can be a pain when planning a wedding.

I planned a beautiful event to celebrate our love. I was so excited! Then, I wasn’t. Some of the guests were more concerned about who would be the designated driver after the reception than the fact that we were getting married. Somewhere, the purpose of our wedding got lost. There were disagreements. I cried. Then I tossed a handful of frustrations to the wind and planned an intimate elopement for two.

Johnny and I drove to the wedding chapel with the guidance of our GPS. The chapel was inside the wedding officiant’s home, and Johnny drove slightly past the driveway. When he realized that we had reached our destination, he quickly swerved toward the driveway and nearly landed in a ditch. Our officiant saw it happen…as well as another couple who were there for a sign-and-go. It was a bit embarrassing, but we survived.

The woman who married us has did a beautiful job with our ceremony. She had converted the top floor of her home into a wedding business, and she made the process of getting married quick and easy. To this day I have no idea what she said during our ceremony. The excitement of marrying the man I loved overshadowed her words, but I remember that in the moment it was beautiful. Minutes later, I told Johnny that I, too, would like to marry couples one day because she made made our wedding special. Little did I know that I would own a wedding officiant business one day.

Today is the anniversary of that wedding trip to Columbus. I woke at 4:00 A.M., like most days, and taught my online classes. I have a crazy work schedule. I teach English as a Second Language to students in China; I am a wedding officiant; I am a photographer; and I am a ghost writer/editor for individuals who publish books and websites. I am busy. I split my sleep most days into two three- or four-hour naps. I sometimes forget what day it is. Today was no different.

When I woke this morning, I had forgotten that today was our anniversary…and so did my husband! It was a Facebook “happy anniversary” wish from my sister-in-law that reminded me. Johnny and I had to laugh. I knew our anniversary was this week but with my wacky sleep schedule, I didn’t realize that today was October 9. He thought today was October 8. It may not seem romantic, but this is what marriage is about… learning to laugh at our moment-to-moment faux pas, as well as staying together when the rough patches hit and neither of you feel like laughing.

How will we celebrate?

He’s making his delicious white chicken chili for our anniversary. (My husband is a great cook!) We plan to go Halloween costume shopping and then spend the evening watching a movie together. Although we’ve celebrated our anniversary with fancy dates in the past, today we want a quiet celebration. Through the good times, the obstacles, the laughter, and the tears, we’re still going strong. That’s reason enough to celebrate.

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all wedding. Our love is different. Our stories are different. While many people love the traditional marriage ceremony, there are a few of us who want something a little more whimsical…something that embraces the weird and wacky as well as the love we feel for each other.

And who’s more whimsical than Dr. Seuss?

That’s why I’m offering Dr. Seuss-inspired wedding vows at my chapel or at your chosen location.

If you want a fun and light-hearted ceremony, the Dr. Seuss ceremony is available in my Intimate Elopement for Two packages as well as my Contemporary Secular Ceremonies.

“We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.” ~ Dr. Seuss

In other news…. The Mid-Ohio Valley Wedding Officiants chapel is closing July 30

Mid-Ohio Valley Wedding Officiants will permanently close its doors at The Dils Center July 30. While this marks the end of my tenure at The Dils Center, it’s only the beginning of the next exciting milestone in my business. I’m not closing my officiant business…. I’m closing the chapel until I relocate to a new venue.

I want to thank the couples of The Mid-Ohio Valley for the love and support I’ve received this past year. Your stories have inspired me, made me laugh, and made me cry. I know that getting married is your big day, but the love I’ve witnessed over the past year has blessed me 100-fold. Thank you for choosing me as your wedding officiant.

For my big send-off and launch into my next adventure, I’m hosting a contest for one complimentary wedding vow renewal, elopement, or Simple Ceremony. Here’s the catch, you must redeem your gift and use it in the chapel no later than July 30.

To enter, write an essay of one page or less telling me why you or someone you know deserves a complimentary wedding or vow renewal. Tell me your/their love story and why now is the perfect time to get married. Make me laugh. Make me cry. Move me. The essay that touches my heart the most will win a ceremony valued at up to $150.

The good news is that everyone who enters the contest will receive a special offer that is valid for a July chapel wedding.

There are two ways to enter:

1.) Send your contest entry to the Mid-Ohio Valley Wedding Officiants Facebook page HERE.

2.) Send your contest entry to movwedding@gmail.com.

Click HERE to see a few of the beautiful couples I’ve joined in matrimony. Will you be next?

Contest entries must be received no later than July 15 at 11:59 PM EST. Choice of religious or non-religious ceremony. Guest limit is 17 people. Please note that prizes are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash. You must obtain a valid WV Marriage License prior to your ceremony.

As I put the finishing touches on a Signature Ceremony that I will officiate this weekend, I can’t help but reflect on why I chose to become an officiant a year ago and what it means to me today.

A year ago I became an ordained wedding minister. I owned a large photography studio, and I loved the idea of officiating weddings as an adjunct to my main business. One month after my ordination, I officiated my first wedding. One year later, I’ve switched gears and have made my wedding officiant business my number one priority.

I’ve learned that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to getting married. In fact, my Sign-and-Go ceremonies (often called “just sign the paperwork” weddings) have just as many tears of joy as my customized Signature Ceremonies. The moment I pronounce a couple married, their family tree instantly changes. I love that. I love being part of it. My biggest surprise is how often I have to work hard to “keep it together” so that I don’t burst out in tears, as well. It is certainly an emotional and humbling experience to do what I do.

I have performed a variety of weddings this past year. I officiated a ceremony in a hospital room as the groom’s mother had only days to live. I married a military couple who traveled from China to marry in front of their closest family and friends. I’ve married same-sex couples, one of which was denied by 10 ministers before I said I’d marry them.

If I had to do it over again, I’d say “Yes” to this newfound business I’ve created. My only regret is that I waited so long to do it. As I make plans to expand my service options, I’ll keep you informed of my progress. I’ve worked in several careers ranging from counselor to copywriter/editor to photographer to college instructor to now an ESL teacher for Chinese students. All of my choices have been rewarding, but I can honestly say that watching two people make a life commitment to each other–and their families–has been my greatest reward of all.