“A wedding ceremony is one of the only times in a couples lives where they will have all their favourite people in a single place with a soul purpose. I get to be a part of that purpose, it is a huge privilege and honour to represent them in this way. I love getting to help them craft and create an experience that will live with them forever. “
Have you ever wondered who it is behind that beautiful wedding cake you had? Or who it was designing your dress or who it was who did your makeup? While you may have most likely had some interaction with your wedding vendors during your wedding day, most likely the day was a complete blur and you probably only met them briefly and didn’t get to know the person that well.
In this new series of photographs and brief interviews, I will taking you Behind The Scenes of what makes wedding vendors so passionate about what they do. Why do they do they do? Why do they love weddings? Behind each wedding cake, dress, decor setup, photograph or video is a human being with a passionate flame burning inside them that drives them to make, create and/or organize on your wedding day. #weddingdaybts
Today’s Wedding Vendor is:
Shawn Miller at Young Hip and Married
What do you love to do when not working on weddings?
Spending time with my wife and kids (I have 4) is the greatest Joy of my life. We are a very tight knit family. We love to travel, and go on adventures. We camp, ski/snowboard, bike, and explore. I also love to cook and work in my shop.
What inspires you? What drives you?
Life can be pretty hard at times. I’ve had my fair share of difficult times and I know what it’s like to be down on your luck and on the receiving end of some unconditional love, support and kindness. I am driven to provide that same kind of love and support for others. Whether that is through my work doing weddings, coaching, or just cooking a great meal for my friends. I love making life a little brighter for people.
How did you start in Officiating Weddings?
My wife Erica and I were doing some couples coaching and wanted to market our services at a wedding show. We had a friend that was a Wedding Officiant and he asked if he could join us. We did our first show in the fall of 2010 and have never looked backed.
Why do you love Officiating Weddings?
A wedding ceremony is one of the only times in a couples lives where they will have all their favourite people in a single place with a soul purpose. I get to be a part of that purpose, it is a huge privilege and honour to represent them in this way. I love getting to help them craft and create an experience that will live with them forever.
What is it about weddings that excites you?
No matter who we are, where we come from, or what we believe (spiritually, politically, culturally) we can all agree on this one thing ― Love is worth celebrating! I get to be the curator of that celebration and get a front seat to all the love and joy shared in that moment. It is a wonderful feeling getting to serve couples in this way and be a part of that magical moment.
Who is your ideal client?
I love to work with couples that believe their wedding ceremony is something more than a formality. Too often wedding ceremonies can feel like a stuffy formality or a lecture. I want to work with couples that see the significance of this moment and want to celebrate their unique love story.
What should people look for in a Wedding Officiant?
People should look for 3 things. Personality, professionalism and a proven track record. Firstly, you need to like your Officiant, chemistry is very important and always makes for a more authentic ceremony. Second, are they a professional? You get one chance at this, it’s not like we can go back and edit your ceremony. So be sure it’s not your Officiant’s first time and that they know what they are doing. The third ties into the second ― do they have a proven track record? Check around and see if they have some reviews and ask around to make sure they can deliver on what they’ve promised.
What's your differentiator?
Young Hip & Married has been in the Officiant business for almost 10 years and I was the pioneer of wedding ceremonies that tell couples stories. We have a unique process that all our Officiant’s are trained in and I can confidently say that one performs wedding ceremonies better than us. But more than what we do and how we do it, Young Hip & Married has the kindest and most loving Officiant’s you will ever come across. We have over 800 5-Star review’s and if you take some time and read through them you’ll notice a common thread of couples loving their Officiant. And that’s because Young Hip & Married Officiant’s care deeply about their couples and their marriages. We don’t just want to provide them with a great ceremony, we also want them to have a marriage that is life giving and amazing.
