Weddings - At Your Location - Michigan

12/02/2023

I will confess. I did not perform this wedding ceremony!

10/01/2023

It's a perfect time for a wedding!

07/28/2023

A beautiful space for an outdoor wedding - Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing, 2395 Washington Road, Lansing

05/01/2023

Looking for uplifting music? Check out this concert!

Renown new thought musicians gather for an evening of song and fun.

09/28/2021

Wedding rehearsal at Wuldamar Nature Center

09/28/2021

11/04/2020

If you are same s*x couple and concerned about losing your marriage rights, I can help you make your marriage happen in a beautiful and meaningful way.

08/25/2020

Yes, I am available for wedding ceremonies during the pandemic. Just request safe practices!

08/24/2019

Weddings at your location. This one was at a steak house

08/23/2019

Testing it for cool dance moves? Don't forget to book your wedding officiant - one who will work with you to make this truly your dream commitment of love.

06/29/2019

As Pride month comes to a close, the love goes on!

04/04/2019

June is a popular month for weddings. Don't forget to book a wedding officiant!

02/16/2019

10/12/2018

Picture yourself and your beloved standing amidst the beauty of autumn. What a great time to declare your love to each other.

09/01/2018

Hello September! What a perfect month for a wedding. The parks are less crowded. The temperatures are more welcoming. And your friends and family are likely finished with their vacation schedule!

03/17/2017

The Force is With YOU! Traditional or "out of this world" - it's all about how you want to celebrate your commitment to love!

05/10/2016

Should you prefer a free fall to start your ceremony, I'll be happy to comply ... as long as I meet you on the ground!

12/10/2015

PROVIDING THE BASIS FOR MEANINGFUL CEREMONIES

Interviewing: Rev. Ketchum
When speaking with Rev. Sharon Ketchum, you know that she’s gets it, she understands exactly what a wedding ceremony should be. “All you really need are the couple, two witnesses, the minister and the marriage license … everything else that happens is a bonus!” The couple especially needs to remember that mistakes will happen, but a bit of humor is a great and memorable thing. A really great wedding has a lot of laughs and a few tears.”

Rates for a ceremony range from $100 for an “elopement-style” ceremony for less than 15 guests, up to $325 for a large wedding, rehearsal and as many meetings as necessary. Rev. Sharon has officiated over 100 weddings, including ones for same s*x couples. Her great wealth of experience offers you many options to customize your service and insure that your ceremony run smoothly. And as Rev. Sharon says, “It’s so important that the couple owns the ceremony, and that they are really comfortable with it. This will translate into a more meaningful event. I really want the ceremony to mean something to them because during the vows, they’re the ones making a commitment, not me.”

The ‘How-To’
Rev. Sharon like to meet with the couple twice before the wedding. In the initial meeting, you’ll be asked what’s important for your ceremony. You’ll receive a generic ceremony layout to look at, and then together you can build your specialized ceremony from there.

Things that make each ceremony unique include music, members of the wedding party, possible double ring ceremony, level of involvement of parents, candlelight ceremony, who is walking the bride down the aisle, etc. Sometimes there are finer details that are best to finalize about one month before the wedding.

Rev. Sharon outlines the three things that have to be included in every wedding ceremony:
• establishing that the bride and groom are here by their own free will
• the bride and groom must say that they take the other as their lawful wedded spouse
• the pronouncement of the new couple
Beyond these requirements, there are other elements to think about such as the “sacred” including prayer, and addressing God, Spirit or Divine Love; the “celebratory” element including how great it is to be there celebrating love and marriage, and this couple; and the “vows”.

Ideas from an Expert


If it is agreeable with the couple, Rev. Sharon recommends facing the bride and groom out towards the crowd during the ceremony. The minister or chaplain will stand in front with their back to the guests. The guests are there to see the bride and groom and don’t want to see their backs during the best part of the wedding!
It’s great to involve children in your ceremony – children of the bride and/or groom, nieces, nephews, godchildren, etc. Rev. Sharon likes to invite the children to come forward to bless marriage. Younger children can be guided to simply ‘bless this marriage with love’, while the older children may wish to say more.
If there are children of the bride and/or groom present, it is very meaningful to have a symbolic event to denote the forming of a new family through the wedding. This can be done through another exchange of special vows, or something physical like a necklace or ring.
For unity candles, Rev. Sharon suggests lighting a third candle from the two already lit by the bride and groom’s parents. Rather than extinguishing the original candles, you have signified more, not less, by ending with three lit candles.
If you and your fiancé plan to write your own vows, give copies of them to your officiant in case you need some help with the lines on the big day.
Think about holding your ceremony in a unique place – a park, a hotel, any place is possible. You could also hold the ceremony at the same place where your reception will be, and this will cut down your costs as well!
Make sure have a good microphone system for your officiant, ideally a lapel microphone since the minister is normally already holding a book or notes for the ceremony. You don’t usually need to worry about a microphone for bride and groom, unless you are planning a very large event.
Grooms – don’t lock your legs during the ceremony! This will cut off your blood circulation and can lead to passing out. Believe her, she’s seen it!

Where to Find Her
If you’d like to speak with Rev. Ketchum further about how you’d like to make your ceremony meaningful, you can call 226 339-1907 or email [email protected]. There is no charge for an interview meeting to see if Rev. Sharon is the right and perfect officiant to help you celebrate the commitment of your love.
For initials meetings, contact by email is wonderful.

06/27/2015

06/27/2015

July 26, 2006 Albert James Melo and Ian Daryl Brown traveled to Kitchener from the United States to commit their love to each other in marriage.

06/27/2015

Performing marriage ceremonies for all who love each other for over a decade and prior to that holy unions. Blessing the love!

06/04/2015

Throwback Thursdays - a wedding from 2004

04/15/2015

It's that season - wedding time. Let your venue say something about you - whether it be a bowling alley, a golf course, the beach, a chapel or your favorite spot. You are creating a milestone in your life and in your love!

02/25/2015

Brides.com: . A five-tiered savory cake made of assorted cheeses, created by Cabbage Patch Restaurant and Catering.

10/18/2014

When wedding planning gets stressful... a little something to laugh about.

For the blushing bride and groom, their wedding days is one of the biggest days of their lives, but for their wedding photographer, it’s just another Saturday night spent with people he or she has to pretend to understand. You may think being a professional wedding photographer is a perfect job, but…

10/08/2014

Breathing venues certainly add a certain something to that special moment. But you have to be ready to deal with the elements. A beautiful clear but brisk day! This ceremony took place at Port Cunnington, Ontario.

12/21/2013

One of the many wonderful ways to personalize the celebration of your love and commitment.

There is a beautiful tradition to release butterflies at the end of a ceremony. It comes from a touching Indian legend.
Indian Legend
If anyone desires a wish to come true they must first capture a butterfly and whisper that wish to it.

Since a butterfly can make no sound, the butterfly can not reveal the wish to anyone but the Great Spirit
who hears and sees all.

In gratitude for giving the beautiful butterfly its freedom,
the Great Spirit always grants the wish.

So, according to legend, by making a wish and
giving the butterfly its freedom,
the wish will be taken to the heavens and be granted.

Today we have gathered to grant this couple
all our best wishes and are about to set these butterflies free
in the trust all these wishes will be granted.

12/21/2013

There is a beautiful tradition to release butterflies at the end of a ceremony. It comes from a touching Indian legend.
Indian Legend
If anyone desires a wish to come true they must first capture a butterfly and whisper that wish to it.

Since a butterfly can make no sound, the butterfly can not reveal the wish to anyone but the Great Spirit
who hears and sees all.

In gratitude for giving the beautiful butterfly its freedom,
the Great Spirit always grants the wish.

So, according to legend, by making a wish and
giving the butterfly its freedom,
the wish will be taken to the heavens and be granted.

Today we have gathered to grant this couple
all our best wishes and are about to set these butterflies free
in the trust all these wishes will be granted.

11/10/2013

WEDDING TRADITIONS
The bride stands to the groom's left because in Medieval times he needed to keep his sword hand free. A.) to fend off attacks from those not wanting the wedding to take place and/or B.) to keep an unwilling bride at his side.

10/01/2013

Meaning of "White" Color in Bride's dress
Color "White" was denoted as purity and virginity, which was thought to ward off evil spirits, for centuries. But in Ancient Rome, yellow was the socially accepted color for a bride's wedding attire, and a veil of flame-hued yellow. The veil or "flammeum" covered the face. There are two women noted to have made the white wedding gown popular; Anne of Brittany in 1499 and Queen Victoria, who broke the tradition of royals by marrying in silver. By the late eighteenth century, white had become the standard wedding color. Before the introduction of the white wedding gown a woman just wore her best dress. However, if you are in China, white is the colour of morning and red is the preferred colour for brides.

09/19/2013

I try to help with all aspects of a wedding. Right now there is a bride-to-be planning an ecologically friendly wedding. She's looking for a used wedding gown that looks something like this. Size 4-6-8 for a 5' 2" bride. Can you help?

07/26/2013

I'm guessing Cat Woman. What's your guess

You'll have to guess which superhero the bride is!

07/26/2013

What to wear under that perfect tux

If I was at Comicon, this would be the perfect wedding photo, eh?

07/26/2013

You'll have to guess which superhero the bride is!

07/26/2013

If I was at Comicon, this would be the perfect wedding photo, eh?

07/21/2013

Would love to have you like my page! Thanks for the click!

Rev. Sharon Ketchum provides customized spiritual services for weddings, celebrations of life, naming ceremonies and more

07/21/2013

I didn't officiate this wedding, but it would have been wonderful to bless this happy couple!