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Maureen Thomson - ArticlesWhen my daughter was in kindergarten, she completed a project that was entitled "The Most Important Thing About Me". It was a great idea, because it taught the kids to really sift through the many facets of their lives and produce one "best" thing. I guess if I had to tell you the "most important thing about me" in regard to my role as your officiant, it would be that I am passionate about my work. I love what I do and it shows in the quality of the work that Lyssabeth's offers.. I love the creativity we express through a wonderful and innovative ceremony; I love getting to know new people, learning about them and their stories and how those can be incorporated into a memorable ceremony.
I take particular delight in trying new things for ceremonies and sharing ideas that have worked for other couples. There is simply no better job than working with a couple to create an intimate, unique and memorable wedding day experience. With a degree in Social Work and a background in fundraising, marketing and event coordination, I soon became passionate about self-employment (my own and other people's!). So, in 2001. I took my talents for writing, public speaking, organizing, creativity, and event coordination. and began looking for a new direction in which to channel them. As usually happens when I go looking for opportunity, it found me in the form of a gorgeous, but somewhat dilapidated old Victorian house in Denver, Colorado. I bought the house, restored the downstairs to its glorious 1892 splendor and opened our doors to host small weddings. Shortly thereafter, I obtained my ordination through the Universal Life Church and began performing the ceremonies myself. I am now licensed to perform ceremonies in most states (which feeds my love of travel and seeing new places). Most of my weddings are performed right here in sunny Colorado. I no longer hold weddings in the Victorian, for the most part, although I am happy to host small elopement ceremonies (just for the couple and perhaps a witness or two) in the parlor of my Victorian, which I made my home in 2003 and where Jeremy and I happily hang our hats between adventures. My spiritual philosophy is to respect all beliefs and religious values as long as they do no harm to others. I am most fortunate to have met so many individuals with diverse beliefs and I have learned much along the way! Other things about me that are also "most important" are that I grew up in Rhode Island, but have managed to lose most of the accent (although if dropping the letter\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"R\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" is important to your ceremony, rest assured, I can do so in a heartbeat!). I moved to Colorado in 1995 and love it, although I miss the ocean. I have two daughters--after whom the business is named--Bethany (26) and Alyssa (22) who, along with granddaughter Kaydi, never cease to amaze me. I have been blessed to find the love of my life, my husband, Jeremy, who enthusiastically supports me in everything I do. He is my best friend and my true hero. In addition to my friends and family, my other passions include reading, hiking, cooking, entrepreneurship, biking, enjoying the Colorado mountains, traveling, and anything to do with the written or spoken expression of the English language (which lends itself to a very annoying insistence on proper grammar, punctuation and spelling in written ceremonies, so I'll beg your indulgence in advance). As Lyssabeth's has grown, I have had the privilege of adding delightful and creative staff to write, perform and photograph ceremonies. I couldn't manage without their wonderful talent and enthusiasm. 12 Reasons Why Colorado is a Great Place to be MarriedForget Vegas! For my money, Colorado is one of the most spectacular places on earth to be married. The Wedding Officiant's FeeI was flabbergasted to receive an email the other day, chastising me for our $369 Classic Custom ceremony fee. According the writer's calculations, the fee for a "15 minute ceremony" resulted in us obtaining the astronomical hourly rate of $1,476! Wowza! If that were true, I'd be writing this article from my summer mansion on the shores of the Mediterranean while my cabana boy massaged my tootsies! Having a friend Perform Your wedding CeremonyFor a variety of reasons, many couples are turning away from church weddings in favor of nontraditional locations in which to hold their wedding ceremonies.With more creative options for ceremony locations, it was inevitable that a similar rise in options for ceremony officiants would follow. Couple this with the current precipitous economy, and some brides and grooms are leaning toward asking a friend or family member to officiate at their wedding ceremony. Go Ahead and Laugh! Including Humor in Your Wedding CeremonyHumor can get us through some very sticky moments. Picture the following scenario: The beautiful bride descending the staircase with her beaming father to the hushed awe of her guests. Such a poignant moment. She's so elegant, so poised, so radiant …until her heel catches on the step and she tumbles, landing on her backside and unceremoniously bumping down several steps with all the grace of the proverbial bull--and a drunken one at that--in a china shop. Tips for Including your Dog in your Wedding CeremonyI live in Colorado, and people here are nuts for their mutts! Leash-free dog parks and pooch-friendly businesses abound. Colorado Springs has been voted one of the top pet-friendly cities in the country by Forbes Magazine.
And this doggie-mania often extends to the wedding day. More and more brides and grooms are coming up with ingenious, creative ways to include their canine companions in the wedding ceremony. 10 Affirmations for a Stress-free Wedding dayWe know the wedding planning process can be stressful and hope that these tongue-in-cheek affirmations will get you through with a song in your heart and a smile on your face. 10 Ways To Get Your Fiance Involved In The Wedding Planning ProcessLet's face it, the wedding planning process is geared toward the female psyche. Why else would there be so much emphasis on the elements of colors, flowers, emotions, fashion and cake? (Okay, maybe the guys can embrace the cake idea, but forget the rest!) We're not Religious, But our Parents Are!Tips for having the ceremony of your dreams while reassuring your parents that you will not suffer eternal damnation!One of the stresses that many couples face in planning their wedding ceremony is when their religious beliefs (or lack thereof) conflict with those of their parents or grandparents. Gone are the days when the God-fearing children of God-fearing parents stood complacently through cookie-cutter ceremonies performed at the local church in exactly the same way. Memorializing Deceased Family Members in Your Wedding CeremonyYour wedding day can be a bittersweet celebration if you've lost a parent or other close family member. While on the one hand, you're thrilled to be proclaiming your love and commitment before your family and friends, you can't help but be saddened that it's not your father's arm upon which you'll be walking down the aisle or that the place of honor for the groom's mother is conspicuously vacant. Things to Consider When Choosing Your Wedding OfficiantChoosing a ceremony officiant for your big day can be a daunting task. If you are getting married in your church or synagogue, the decision is simple.--you take what they give you, usually. But maybe you don't belong to a church yet want a heartfelt ceremony that expresses your personal beliefs. If you are like many brides- and grooms-to-be, you are looking for creative alternatives to the traditional cookie-cutter ceremony.
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