Maria Pelton. Photo provided
M
HOW TO PUT
WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER
Your Love into Words
Most people will list public speaking as being among their biggest fears, so the thought of expressing their deepest feelings in front of a room full of family and friends on their wedding day feels down right terrifying. Yet, more couples are doing just that with the help of people like Maria Pelton. Maria is a certified non-denominational minister and the Director of Ceremony Services at Carissa Ceremonies, which was started by her sister, Jessica Rowell, fifteen years ago. “We come from a long line of entrepreneurs, and we love talking to people, being with people, and are natural presenters,” said Maria. She is now Carissa Ceremonies lead officiant (Jessica has gone on to pursue other interests) and has made it her business to ensure your wedding is tailored to your unique vision. “I write all the ceremonies from scratch. They’re never cookie cutter.”
34 | SARATOGA BRIDE | SPRING/SUMMER 2022
LISTEN, CONNECT, CREATE Crafting the right words to say during the ceremony always begins with actively listening first. During your initial one-hour consultation, Maria will learn how you and your fiancé met, your engagement, and the role the family has played in your relationship. She’ll go over the traditional aspects of the ceremony, including the processional, the welcoming of family and friends, discussing special moments, the exchanging of vows, and if you’d like to add a special ritual. These rituals can be a reading that embodies the relationship, or a symbolic gesture of the couple’s unity, such as the fasting of hands with a rope, scarf, or ribbon, or a sand ceremony where two containers of colored sand are poured together to represent the blending of the couple’s lives together.
saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
