How to Have a Commitment Ceremony in South Florida/Miami

Commitment ceremonies are similar to regular weddings, but the exception is that there is no legal document. These are intimate events that show love and commitment toward another person.

In South Florida, there are thousands of couples that say, "I do" officially, but I believe that there may be more that may desire something without the legal aspect.

As an officiant in the Miami area, I find that commitment ceremonies can have some of the same benefits as a regular wedding day. Of course, there are some things that will be different for those interested in having a commitment ceremony in South Florida/Miami.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Officiant
• Props/decorations/venue
• Attire/theme
• Loved ones
• Music
• Food
• Photography
• Anything else that tickles your fancy

1. Venue selection will be the first thing to decide because this can determine the budget of event. Try to avoid a costly venue, and try for a free one. Parks and beaches are great options for example. Based on the location, select your vendors near the area to keep costs low. Great food, and photographers can be found almost anywhere in South Florida.

2. Go to the many Web sites that have wedding officiants. Gathering Guide, Party Pop, WedPlan, WedOne, and many others for listings. There are many for the South Florida area. The best part is that they are organized to show where they are located, or at least what areas they serve. Keep in mind, there is no legal marriage certificate, so you can technically ask anyone to officiate.

3. Once you have found vendors and an officiant, confirm with an agreement on specifics. Try to pay everything in installments to maintain leverage. Get as many reviews and/or samples as possible from the vendors to ensure a wonderful commitment ceremony event.

4. Inform your guests well in advance of the theme and attire requirements. Select the couple look once planning begins. Consider hiring a party planner to assist in the work load, if the celebration is expected to be large.

5. Always have a contingency plan for weather interruptions. Miami and the entire state of Florida can be unpredictable when it comes to weather. Therefore, make arrangements to move the event inside at a moments notice, if you desire the outdoor affair.

Tips & Warnings

• Check blogs by officiants and vendors to get a better feel for them
• Check the reviews and try to set up a meeting before hiring
• Prepare the commitment vows and give a copy to your officiant in advance
• Don't ever hand over the credit card to a planner indefinitely and not receive constant updates. Better yet, always try to stay in control, there are identity theft issues to consider.

Resources

• Yelp
• Merchant Circle
• JMK Notary & Svcs

[DreamLiving]

on 5/27/2009 5* article to help those keep love strong.

[Sondrac]

on 5/26/2009 Nicely written. Thanks for sharing.