May the 4th be With You!

I had a great time this afternoon, officiating a special Star Wars-themed wedding for Chris and Janice Bold. They are huge (!) science fiction fans, so when the chance to have a wedding on May the 4th came by, they couldn't resist.

It was fun, sweet, and, most importantly, totally them. That's the key to any wedding - put as much of your story into as possible.

Thanks Chris and Janice for having me share your special day.

Here's the Global News clip: http://globalnews.ca/news/536094/couple-carry-the-force-with-them-as-they-celebrate-star-wars-wedding-in-cloverdale/ 

And CTV: http://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=919759, along with a photo gallery: http://bc.ctvnews.ca/more/photo-galleries/may-the-4th-be-with-them-sci-fi-fans-wed-on-star-wars-day-1.1267308 

Finally, here's a story from The Province:

“I will honour you, I will be faithful to you, and I will protect you from the Dark Side.”

With that unique wedding vow uttered at a club house in Cloverdale on Saturday, May the Fourth, two passionate sci-fi fans tied the knot in a Star Wars-themed wedding.

Groom Chris Bold dressed as a stormtrooper, while bride Janice wore a white Princess Leia cape.

Getting laughs and cheers from the crowd, after saying “I do,” Bold kissed his bride one time with his stormtrooper helmet off, and one time with it on.

Self-described as fun-loving and “very bizarre,” the couple said they wanted to make their big day memorable for family and friends by doing something very far — light years as it were — from the norm.

“We both like to do things a little different, we’re very bizarre people,” Janice said after the ceremony.

Chris said that, in fact, he had first planned on doing a Dr. Who themed wedding — but the couple felt Star Wars was more accessible.

They also wore Lord of the Rings wedding bands, designed by Janice, complete with “Elvish script” engravings.

The couple made their vows in front of a movie screen-sized photo of R2D2 and his partner C3P0.

Bold’s groomsmen stood by him dressed as Chewbacca and Darth Vader.

Small statues of Yoda and Wicket the Ewok flanked the Intergalactic wedding party, and a stately bust of planetary hit man Boba Fett adorned another corner of the club house.

And the crowd loved it.

As two adorable flower girls, also dressed as little Leias, walked the aisle, one woman turned to another and said: “It’s different, I’ll give them that. It’s neat actually.”

The wedding officiant Jordan Bateman wore a brown Jedi robe and wielded a blue light sabre.

In a ceremony sprinkled with Star Wars quotes, Bateman cited the wisdom of Yoda, advising the couple that a good marriage is based on couples doing “the little things” for each other, no matter what.

“Do or do not, there is no try,” Bateman told the couple.

After the ceremony Bateman said he has done some interesting theme weddings, including a couple who walked a yellow brick road aisle and wore costumes from The Wizard of Oz, but the Star Wars wedding “was craziest” by far.

“It was amazingly sweet too,” Bateman said. “The best weddings inject the couple’s personality into it, and Star Wars fits this couple, it’s a big passion for them.”

May 4 has come to be recognized as Star Wars Day by the movie franchise’s fans, after the films’ iconic phrase “may the force be with you.”

Back at It!

Well 2013 is here and I wanted to update the site just to say we're still here and happily booking away for 2013. We have a bit more limited schedule this year as Jordan and I have both gone back to school so please inquire as early as you're able. For weddings, we remain passionately committed to make the weddings we perform special, memorable and personal. We love what we do and are so happy to share in your day! Best way to get us is by email- weddings@jordanbateman.com We'd be happy to send your our info, fee and also our Getting Married Kit. If you'd like to meet with us for coffee to see if Jordan or I are the right fit for your day, we're happy to do that too. Email and we'll set something up!

PopMarriage Podcast #7 - 106 Minutes of Romance

We're back with their latest PopMarriage podcast, talking wedding chains (marrying off sets of friends over a period of time), kazoos, personalizing weddings, teamwork in marriage, how much romance a woman wants (106 minutes, apparently), and a couple who have had 22 marriage ceremonies.

And then the debut of our top 5, including a costume themed debate over who is more famous: Danny and Sandy from Grease, or The Macho Man Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth.

Download it on iTunes (search for jj weddings or click here) or listen here:

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Wedding Mad-Libs!

It has been a FANTASTIC wedding season! We have met a bunch of really cool and fun couples this year, bbut I have just been so focused on weddings I forgot to update with all of the special moments and cool ideas. I did tweet some of this, but didn't post it here yet. I'll try to be better! I love seeing something new at wedding and was pretty impressed when I saw what Audree and Alex had done. They were having a wedding in the beautiful ballroom of the Vancouver Hilton Metrotown, but they had some quirky and fun personal touches. For example, they had their tables named for NFL teams with the logos as centers (they were big football fans). Instead of programs they had fortune tellers (cootie catchers?) with wedding info and they had guests fill out these wedding mad-libs during the down time. I bet they got some sweet and funny responses!

PopMarriage Podcast #6

Our latest PopMarriage podcast is now live (should be on iTunes later today) and it's a good one: new wedding stories, 7 things every couple should know and a call for couples to step their game up. Plus our usual banter, Jordan's usual Longmire plug, TomKat and more!


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Thumbprint Tree

There's always something new and adorable in weddings and this week its the thumbprint tree. Not sure how long these have been a trend but it was my first time seeing one this week. I also saw another handmade one when I married Jeff&Danielle yesterday, so I'm assuming it's a new trend! I thought it was so sweet.

This is Carly and Scott's tree which was printed as a big beautiful framed picture. It's a bare tree and guests leave their thumbprint and sign their name and it looks like foliage for the tree.

The little sign underneath said something to the effect of 'Thank you for leaving your mark on our lives'. They were using it instead of a guest book and I'm sure we're planning to hang it up at home later.

I'm sure there a tons of ideas for this on Pinterest, so check it out.

"Sincere and Heartfelt"

I had a very good run of weddings on the weekend (although the weather was pretty poor)--three couples in three different phases of life, each with a unique story and special touches.

This morning, one of the brides, Lucinda, sent me the following:

"Our ceremony was beautiful, sincere and heartfelt, and Gary and I completely owe it all to you. Somehow, you knew just what to say that was exactly what we were about.  I had so many people comment that they loved everything you said and that it was the best ceremony they had ever been to."

That's probably the highest compliment you can give Jenny and me--that we captured who the couple was and ran a ceremony that felt authentic to the people who know and love them best.

True Love Trumps Rain!

This past weekend I had the true honor of performing a wedding for a lovely couple called Fred and Mandy. They had a touching story about difficulties and struggles they had overcome throughout their lives on the path to finding one another. They were so in love that when I met them for coffee to chat about the wedding they both teared up just telling me how much they looked forward to being married!

Fred and Mandy were having their wedding on a private property that had it's own little chapel built on it and their reception in the gardens outside. Much to all of our disappointment it poured on Saturday. It poured during set-up, leading up to the wedding and for a majority of the afternoon. Everything was wet and soggy but the wedding party and their guests did not let that stop them! And in that moment, when Mandy emerged in the doorway of the little chapel, the rain no longer mattered. The bad weather had been eclipsed by the beauty of the moment in which Fred and Mandy became husband and wife.

The ceremony was short but sweet and so heartfelt for these two. I shared a special reading I had chosen for them, which they said was just perfect.


Ever Changing, by Sharon Frye: 
I traveled on a winding path, 
Alone, along life's road. 
The burdens that I tugged along 
Were such a heavy load. 
The baggage that I carried 'round 
You gladly undertook. 
So I could stop and find some rest 
And take a second look. 
And there you were, with heart in hand 
And much to my surprise. 
No more doubt could undermine 
What shone within your eyes. 
The love I saw flowed from your heart, 
Encircling me just right. 
'Til I beheld the magnitude 
Of love's pure shining light. 

The pic is of the couple and I right after the ceremony. I'm wearing my rain jacket, which had soaked through, but you can tell from the looks on all our faces that it didn't matter much. 

Congrats Fred and Mandy! 

Sent from my iPhone

PopMarriage Podcast #5

We are back with our PopMarriage podcast--recapping our spring 2012 weddings, looking at the trend toward rustic ceremonies (wildflowers and mason jars! Pinterest!) and talking about the need for space in relationships. PLUS: Liam and Miley, Longmire and Sister Wives!

Listen here--or download us on iTunes!

And So it Begins...

Wedding Season is finally here!

Though we do perform weddings throughout the year, this weekend marks the true start of our 'wedding season'.

I'm thrilled to kick it off with Melanie and Marcus at gorgeous Saar Bank farm in Abbotsford this afternoon.