Pr. George Ceremonies, BC by Jess Ritchie

06/18/2024

No wonder people like to get married here!! The upper barn at Huble Homestead; my first visit today, such a beautiful place 😍

05/26/2024

This groom wore the same outfit he wore on their first date - very impressive!! It poured all morning yesterday but the gazebo was not needed in the end ☀️ Love a flexible outdoor wedding with relaxed folks 😊💒♥️💍

05/04/2024

Elopement improv: last night’s groom thought to use the hot tub cover as our signing table, a perfect “yes and…” 👍😂🖊️♥️💍

04/12/2024

This was such a sweet elopement; really lovely couple 🥰 With a little personalization, an Elopement should be as memorable as any style of Wedding Ceremony. The bride emailed next day “thank you for making it so special!!”. Everyone deserves that 😊💍❤️

03/08/2024

Spring is on!! And Wedding Season begins…I’m upfront with couples that I charge more than BC government marriage commissioners: as a CIMM Rev and Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant I have extensive training in personalizing weddings, the art of Ceremony, and orchestrating ceremony logistics. It’s a different service, with different pricing. Some of the commissioners do a great job but they are legally limited. What we do as Celebrants is not for everyone, and that's fine. Everyone has different priorities. As a couple you should be given a clear understanding of what your wedding officiant offers 💕💍

12/21/2023

Merry Solstice!! Rest n repair as the light returns. Spend some time in this…😊🎄

11/18/2023

Been so busy doing the things, but finally, my website is alive 😊

Prince George, BC Wedding Officiant, Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant® & CIMM Rev. Creating Personalized Ceremonies for Every Occasion. Specializing in Fun, Bespoke, Transformative Ceremony.

09/21/2023

I'm sad to say that PG Courthouse Weddings are a thing of the past! Judges and JPs in British Columbia do not generally have the authority to perform marriage ceremonies unless they are also an appointed Marriage Commissioner. There's a big shortage of Commissioners and they're legally limited in what they can do and say.

But - as a Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant® and CIMM Rev., I'm able to offer a 'Courthouse Signing' service - a simple, short n sweet legal marriage Ceremony that still reflects your beliefs and personalities.

Perfect for anyone getting married overseas or having a destination wedding*, or just wanting a low-key Wedding Ceremony. Message me to learn more or set up a no-obligation chat ❤

*Getting legally married overseas can lead to paperwork and headaches - your marriage may not even be legally recognized in Canada.

Photo by Dex Ezekiel on Unsplash

09/06/2023

Yesterday I did my first Celebration of Life - for the same family that I did my first ever wedding. How special is that? It was wonderful, the tears were swaddled in love and laughter and stories, so many stories!! The family and I spent many hours writing and crafting, and it was so clear that this was a Life Well Lived. It truly was a Celebration - and an inspiration. How do we want to spend our time alive? Making stories seems like the way…

The tokens of remembrance were Golf balls with the loved one’s signature 2 dots, a fun and fitting symbol ⛳️

“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” - Phillip Pullman

08/21/2023

On Friday I visited a pal in hospice. That night he passed on. His family are wonderful folks, so much tangible Love. You can see them already transitioning and processing; moving through this rite of passage. Jamie Anderson said: “Grief, I've learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot. All of that unspent love gathers in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in the hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.”

So when you lose a loved one, how do you give your love somewhere to go? You share your tears, your words, your stories, and your memories. You laugh together, eat together, rest together. You light a candle, whisper some words, and you take the dogs for a good long walk ❤️‍🩹

08/17/2023

Meet the boys next door, Cash and Willie. I asked them if they’d like to be freelance Ceremony snugglers. Willie said “Cool, sure, sounds fun.” Cash said “Talk to my people. I’m very busy and important.” Very different characters; very much in love 🥰🐴 🤣

08/16/2023

WEDDING CEREMONY OPTIONS: everyone has different priorities when it comes to their Wedding. I offer several Ceremony options to suit your desires. Message me to learn more or set up a No-Obligation chat to see if I'm the right Celebrant for you and to get a customized quote.

𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘖𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘞𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘌𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘝𝘰𝘸 𝘙𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘺.

𝗔𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗡: a 10-minute Ceremony customized with your choice of TONE and your choice of PRE-WRITTEN VOWS 🌳

𝗦𝗣𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗘: a 20-minute Ceremony customized with LIGHT PERSONALIZATION plus your choice of TONE, one additional RITUAL, and the option to WRITE YOUR OWN VOWS 🌲

𝗠𝗔𝗣𝗟𝗘: a 30-minute Ceremony customized with FULL PERSONALIZATION plus your choice of TONE, unlimited additional RITUALS, and the option to WRITE YOUR OWN VOWS 🍁

------

I also offer a ‘Courthouse Signing’ service for those who want to be legally married before an overseas or destination wedding (getting married outside Canada can lead to a lot of paperwork on your return and/or your marriage may not be recognized). Neutral TONE with your choice of PRE-WRITTEN VOWS.

------

*PERSONALIZATION = I learn all about you both and your Love Story including how you met and started dating, when you fell in love, how you got engaged, who’s supported your journey, your shared passions and interests and your vision for your life together. I weave all this information into a unique script for a heartfelt, transformative Ceremony experience.

*TONE = eg. intimate, sacred, formal, religious, lighthearted, natural, spiritual, traditional, warm, fun

*RITUALS = The Exchanging of Rings ritual is included in all Ceremony Options. Additional Rituals are things like Tree Planting, Handfasting, Candle Lighting, Glass Breaking, Knot Tying, Sand Pouring and many, many more!

*VOWS = I supply a wide variety of pre-written vows to choose from, and offer guidance and support for those writing their own.

08/14/2023

A couple that I recently married got this sweet wedding favour to me even though I didn’t attend the reception dinner (they tried hard, but it was after 4 PM, so…). I love practical gifts, personalized playing cards are genius!! If you zoom in you can see their initials and wedding date. A lovely momento🃏❤️😊

08/13/2023

WILD CEREMONY SPOTS: these pics are a glimpse of my acreage to give you a feel of the wild, rustic vibe. I don’t have direct lake front access (the cover pic is from a client’s home), but I do know some nice spots if you want to be by the water 💦 There are several paths of trees on my place that make perfect ceremonial aisles as you walk to the meadow or homestead area 🌲💒 If they want to, clients I work with can choose anywhere on the 21 acres as their own special Ceremony spot. You’re guaranteed a completely private Ceremony surrounded by Nature 🍁🦉🌼🍃🌸🦋🌾🐦‍⬛🌿🐿️💫💕

08/13/2023

WELCOME! I'm Jess Ritchie, a registered Wedding Officiant, CIMM Rev. and Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant® specializing in Personalized, Custom Ceremonies that reflect your story and beliefs. I offer a range of services for Life's Big Moments: weddings, elopements, vow renewals, divorce, significant birthdays, job loss, funerals, celebrations of life, pet memorials and more. All are welcome: new-Canadian, interfaith, intercultural, in*******al, LGBTQ2IA+ ally.

I offer Wedding Ceremony options to suit your desires and budget, from “courthouse signing”, short n sweet and elopement to fully personalized. I also have 21 treed acres at Ness Lake and offer folks I work with the opportunity to come here and find a special spot of their own for their Ceremony 🌲

For the couple in this pic we wrote a Lord of The Rings themed Ceremony sharing how they met, fell in love and got engaged. It was so moving and very fun! Message me if you want to know more about Wedding options or other Ceremonies (my website is coming soon.) Warmly, Jess 😊

08/13/2023

ALL ARE WELCOME: I serve all humans. Any faiths, beliefs, backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, genders and orientations are welcome. My training and licensing are inclusive and together we can create a Ceremony that reflects who you are and what you care about 💕

08/13/2023

WHY CEREMONY MATTERS: ​It's important to recognize and acknowledge significant life events. When we don't, we tend to get stuck, or miss an opportunity for gathering and celebration. Ceremony helps us move through pivotal moments more easily. It gives us opportunities to connect, process, support and celebrate. It enables us to move forwards with wholeness, confidence, grace and peace. Life-Cycle Celebrants® are professionally trained Ceremony Specialists - you can trust us to honour your important milestones 💖