From backyard weddings to Netflix in under 3 years. #LoveIsBlindOfficiant
In July of 2020, after taking a layoff from my job as a dental assistant due to the global pandemic, I took a leap of faith and started my Instagram page to promote my passion project of becoming a wedding officiant. Little did I know that within less than 3 years I would be receiving an email from the producers of Love Is Blind asking if I was available to officiate a wedding.
How it all began
The first wedding I ever officiated was actually in August of 2018 for some close family friends. I had no idea what I was doing but my husband and I had such a beautiful and special ceremony that I knew I wanted to recreate that same experience for our friends. I got right to work, spending hours on Google and Pinterest learning what goes into a ceremony script to create something super special for them. Finally the day arrived and although I was incredibly nervous, once the ceremony began I felt such a connection to the moment. After that I continued my work as a dental assistant just kind of dreaming of when I would get the next chance to officiate again.
Laid off
We all know what happened in early 2020...the world hit pause. The Covid 19 pandemic struck and like many other people I was laid off from work. For me this time was a blessing in disguise. While staying home with my kids and attempting to home school (serious air quotes around home school) I thought to myself "how can I work from home?". Obviously I can't be a dental assistant from home so I needed another option. At the time one of my co-workers was engaged and asked if I could officiate her backyard ceremony. I of course said yes and was so excited to get another opportunity. That's when it clicked! I knew how much I loved being a wedding officiant and wondered how I could advertise my service to other people...Instagram! I didn't tell anyone what I was doing, mainly for fear of being embarrassed if it totally flopped but I was more than pleasantly surprised to start receiving requests right away.
Adventure Elopements On The Rise
With the pandemic in full effect for all of 2020 many couples had to make big changes to their wedding plans. Some rescheduled, some cancelled, and some pivoted from a large wedding to an elopement. Those couples who chose to elope may not have needed catering but they did need a wedding officiant and I was ready. The first elopement I was a part of was at Ruby Beach in Forks, WA. If you've ever been a fan of the Twilight series then I'm sure you've heard of this place. Even outside of its Hollywood connection, this place is absolutely stunning and a dream location for couples to exchange vows. Officiating that first ceremony there put me on the market to becoming an adventure elopement officiant.
Passion Project Turned Full Time Job
As the world headed back toward normalcy it was time for me to decide if I too would go back to my normal job. I gave myself three months to figure out if I could turn this passion project into a full time gig. I hustled! Marketing myself through different apps and websites such as Wedding Wire, The Knot, and Thumbtack, gaining as much visibility as possible while also staying true to the type of service I wanted to provide. It worked. After three months of grinding and booking weddings for the remainder of the year I officially resigned from my dental assistant job. I did more than just turn this into a full time gig, I built the foundation of a small business, my business, Another One Ties The Knot.
Love Is Blind
One day I was just minding my business, as one does, and I received a peculiar email asking if I had a particular date available for an upcoming wedding that was being filmed. By that point I had successfully officiated a couple hundred weddings, many of which were recorded by videographers. But there was something about the wording of this email that I knew was different. I replied saying that I did have the date open and would be happy to chat about the details. From there a producer from the Netflix show Love Is Blind called me and explained the request. To say that I was shocked is a massive understatement. I had been a fan of the show since season one and could not believe what I was hearing. I of course agreed to be a part of the project and it was one of the coolest experiences of my life.
To Micah and Paul, since the airing of the show I have been asked by many people what was going through my mind during this ceremony to which I have said the same thing. At the time the ceremony was filmed the show had not yet been released. I had no prior knowledge of the relationship they developed. All I had to work with was two names of two people who were engaged to be married. With every ceremony I officiate I rarely know the guests so being in a room full of strangers is not new or scary to me. What I do know is that the emotions were real and that was a very personal moment in which I witnessed two people have to make an incredibly tough decision to not get married. It was sad and my heart went out to them in that difficult moment. I wish them both all the best as their lives continue on post Love Is Blind.