Eastern Iowa Wedding Officiant - Lori

03/02/2024

A trip down to DeWitt. The perfect halfway point to meet my couple. I had a some fun and a few laughs with Karlee & Andy while talking about their upcoming wedding.

03/02/2024

Hey friends. The more the merrier. We have a group of friends already committed. Let me know if I can add you to our group. This should be fun. The food looks amazing.

30/01/2024

On the fence about a micro-wedding? Why? We can deliver an amazing experience. We offer a beautifully decorated venue, a talented wedding photographer and experienced wedding officiant. This is the same team of vendors we used for our New Year's Eve weddings. Our team didn't disappoint. Next year's micro wedding or as we call them, Complete Petite Weddings, is set for January 25th 2025. Call Samantha at 563 652 5882 for more information or to book your 2 hr time slot.

Check out our team! The Timber Center Natalie Petersen Photography Creating Your Dreams, LLC Eastern Iowa Wedding Officiant - Lori

18/01/2024

THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 2024
11AM - 2PM at The Timber Center for the 2nd Annual Timber Center Bridal Event

Pre Register to get your swag bridal bag!

This will be a fun day! You don't have to be a bride to enjoy checking out our great local vendors, since this event has more than just bridal needs,

While you are there:

Check out the food from The Timber Center catering and grab a 🍸.

See the gorgeous decoration options from Creating Your Dreams, LLC

Be sure to talk to Christina with Iowa Barnyard for your event planning, rentals, and Beauty services.

Erin Manson Kirchhoff will be there to share information about Midnight Farm event space.

Natalie Petersen Photography will there too!

Need a tux or other rentals, see Greg and staff Highway 61 dry cleaners and Tux rental.

Thinking about a tan or a relaxing massage? See Nicole from Bella Tan.

The will also be Dessert Vendors, Gift shops, salons and spas, event planning, options for permanent Jewelery and make up!
Just to name a few!

I will be offering a show special. Be sure to ask. (Must be at the show to qualify for this discount.)😉

14/01/2024

An outdoor wedding on the 11th November Off Shore Hotel & Resort. No matter the season, that view or venue, never disappoints.

14/01/2024

I am working to grow my wedding officiating service. Growing my page is a big part of trying to grow my business. Right now, with having a full-time job, I am low volume, by choice. I choose to do about 20 weddings a year. With the hope of retiring from the "real job" in the next 3 to 5 years, and being able focus on more weddings, this is the time to start increasing my presence on social media. As much as I hate to do this, since we get asked ALL the time, I have a HUGE but SMALL favor to ask.

Go to the 3 little dots…(on the upper right corner of page)

- Hit “Invite Friends”
- Select "Invite All"
- Done

You’ve SUCCESSFULLY supported and potentially helped grow my business for $0.00 and less than 1 minute of your time.

Thank you for supporting and help grow small and local businesses!

Photo creds 📸 go to Maggie Leigh Photography (Be sure to like or follow her page too!)

13/01/2024

This will be a BIG show. A REALLY BIG show! Be sure to like or follow this page! It is a great place to find local vendors that provide all kinds of great services.

Wedding and Event Planning

05/01/2024

Over the years, I have talked to couples that initially thought that they needed to go out of county to find high quality vendors and venues. I can tell you, that is not the case. We have some tremendous talent and incredible businesses right here in Jackson County. Jackie's Ice Cream Iowa Barnyard The Locket Photography Natalie Petersen Photography The Timber Center to name a few.

If you are getting married in 2024 or 2025, be sure to stop by the Bridal Fair on January 21st. Find out for yourself.

03/01/2024

NYE wedding! What a wonderful way to end the year...MARRIED to your best friend. 💕

02/01/2024

❤️ It does my heart well knowing that I was able to make my couples wedding ceremony both personal and special.

01/01/2024

As of now, 8 - 2024 weddings are booked! My first 2024 wedding is in mid March. I am looking forward to working with my amazing 2024 couples.

31/12/2023

It's a wrap! The last wedding of 2023. Looking forward to 2024❤ Natalie Petersen Photography The Timber Center

29/12/2023

Yes... there is still time to get married on New Year's Eve! If you already have a valid marriage certificate from one of the 99 Iowa county recorder's office... come on, what you waiting for?

02/12/2023

A Merry Millwork Market outdoor Christmas fair. Coming up at 11:00am... the fashion show!

25/11/2023

Yes, 'tis the season.... 2024 bookings have started. September and October look like, again, will be the most popular months for weddings.

20/11/2023

No need for a long engagement to save thousands of dollars for a wedding. Want to get married New Year's Eve? You can! For $1000 you can rent the beautifully decorated Timber Center in Maquoketa for 2 hours on New Year's Eve day. You also get a seasoned officiant with a ceremony customized for you and a professional photographer. Eastern Iowa Wedding Officiant - Lori The Timber Center and Natalie Petersen Photography have teamed up to do Petite (micro) Weddings on NYE. There are limited time slots still available. Call Samantha for additional details or to book your wedding. 563 652 5882

15/11/2023

For those fall outdoor weddings.... the guests loved these cozy blankets.💕

14/11/2023

September and October 2024 are shaping up as I'd expect. Booked 2 weddings for those months just today. Other October dates are already booked. 💐

It is so wonderful to see couples prioritizing their ceremony. One couple booked me even before the venue was locked down. 💕

05/11/2023

Emails like this, make me smile and warm my heart. 🥰

Communication is the key! Dialogue with my couples is the most important part of delivering them the ceremony they want. If my couples choose, I will send them a copy of their draft ceremony script. (Some couples want to be totally in the moment and don't want to see the script.) I am always open to adding elements or making changes. It's your wedding! You should be able to choose what you want in it.

05/11/2023

Vendors should all have a common goal. That is to do what we have to in order to make our couples wedding day the best day possible! Typically, the interaction between the officiant and the DJ is minimal. It's getting set up with a microphone and a quick sound check immediately before the ceremony.
This week's wedding was so different. I started working with Geoff from Massetone Entertainment a week ago. Our couple wanted a bilingual ceremony. Geoff went to work on translating portions of my ceremony script. We tagged teamed it pretty well. I did the ceremony and he repeated portions of it in Spanish. Great collaboration between vendors! That's what can happen when you hire experienced vendors. 😉 Thanks Geoff! We made a great team.

24/10/2023

100 THANK YOUs, to the 100 couples who have trusted me with their wedding ceremony. As promised, I gifted my 100th couple a $100 bill.

I celebrated my 100th ceremony at the The Midnight Gem in Swisher with Bailee and Nick.

21/10/2023

Since I've been officiating, I've done a lot of things for the first time. Tonight's first was a virtual rehearsal. My couple and their wedding party at a Cedar Rapids venue and me on my couch in rural Bellevue. It worked!

It was neat to watch the sun set during their rehearsal.

I can't wait to join them tomorrow at the venue for their ceremony.

17/10/2023

Captured by Corbin Photography - Allison, it has been too long since we worked a wedding together! I can't wait to work with you again.You bring out the smiles in every one. (Or maybe it's your green frog....😉)You captured some great memories for Molly and Troy. 💕

16/10/2023

Making wedding plans? Does all of the advice, pressure and demands from well intended family members have you considering foregoing an actual wedding and just running off and getting married?
We might have another option for you. I have teamed up with The Timber Center, Natalie Petersen Photography, Creating Your Dreams, LLC for Petite Weddings on New Year's Eve. You get a the beautifully decorated Timber Center, a talented wedding photographer and an experienced, easy to work with wedding officiant and invitations for up to 50 guests, all for $1000. Your wedding done your way! We still have a couple time slots available. Call Samantha for more details or to book your New Year's Eve wedding. 563 652 5882

15/10/2023

Weddings are a celebration. A celebration of love. During times of celebration, we should get to have a little fun. Molly and Troy wanted to live in the moment and not anticipate their ceremony. They did not want to see the custom ceremony I wrote for them, ahead of the ceremony.
The ceremony included a one minute photo shoot for the guests with their phones and then they put them away. Look at these smiles.❤️

03/10/2023

Bridal shows... I love being able to meet couples and talk about the OPTIONS they have for their ceremony. If you talk to an officiant and they tell you 'how they do it,' keep looking. An officiant should be listening to what YOU want or offer suggestions when you want them. It's your ceremony, not theirs.

📸 credits to Amanda McLeod Photography

20/09/2023

Yes, it's this easy to plan a wedding! The hard work of finding a hall, decorating, booking a photographer and lining up an officiant are already done.
Creating Your Dreams, LLC The Timber Center Natalie Petersen Photography

Call Samantha if you have additional questions or to book your 2 hour time slot. 563-652-5882
🥂 Cheer 🥂 in the New Year as a married couple!