The Heart Of The Couple Is The Heart Of The Ceremony
Heart Ceremonies:
Personalized Wedding Ceremonies
Rev. Stephanie Anne Thompson, Wedding Officiant
610.762.9137
Mother & Son, Spring 2011 
Stephanie & Jeff, Spring 2011
There is only one
happiness in life:
to love & to be loved.
-George Sand
The highest happiness on earth is
marriage. ~William Lyon Phelps
A happy marriage is the union of
two good forgivers. ~Ruth Bell Graham
True love begins when nothing is
looked for in return. ~ Antoine De
Saint-Exupery
Only love let's us see normal
things in an extraordinary way. ~ Anonymous
The best and most beautiful
things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the
heart. ~ Helen Keller
One word frees us of all the
weight and pain in life, that word is Love.
~ Socrates
True poets don't write their
thoughts with a pen... They release the
ink that flows from within their heart. ~ Anonymous
The greatest happiness of life is
the conviction that we are loved for ourselves, or rather loved in spite of
ourselves. ~Victor Hugo
To love and be loved is to feel
the sun from both sides. ~David Viscott
Marriage is not a ritual or
an end. It is a long, intricate,
intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance
and your choice of partner. ~Amy Bloom
Love is like pi -- natural,
irrational, and very important. ~ Lisa Hoffman
Love doesn't make the world
go round, love is what makes the ride
worthwhile.
~Elizabeth Browning
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone
deeply gives you courage. ~Lao Tzu
Love is a flower which turns into fruit at marriage. ~Finnish Proverb
What a happy and holy fashion it is that those who love one another should rest on the same pillow. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne
A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. ~Mignon McLaughlin
Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts. ~ William Shakespeare
Words are the voices of the heart. ~ Confucius
To get the full value of
joy you must have someone to divide it with. ~Mark Twain
PHILOSOPHY & APPROACH
I am honored to unite those who want to commit their lives to one another. I believe that it is not necessary for couples to apologize for where they are in their life or for what they believe or don't believe.
I want couples to have a ceremony that reflects who they are, their view of the world and their relationship. To achieve this, I must respect the beliefs and traditions of those I work with. I do not use a ceremony as a platform to promote my personal beliefs but rather to assist couples in celebrating their traditions, hopes and dreams. I understand that a wedding ceremony is about the couple being married, not the person performing the ceremony.
I work with the Bride and Groom from start to
finish, to create a personalized ceremony. I am mindful of the tremendous
organization and coordination involved in planning a wedding. It is
my hope that couples do not feel that personalizing their ceremony is an
additional burden. I provide my clients with simple ceremony ideas, outlines and
options, all in the hopes of creating a personalized ceremony. I am also willing to do research,
writing and brainstorming with my clients- to reach our common goal: a meaningful and personalized ceremony!
I believe that I am open minded and flexible. I hope that this is conveyed to the couples I work with. I come to this work with a warm heart, a sense of humor, a happy marriage, great friends, a love of learning and a desire to support others. I find much joy and satisfaction in assisting couples with their wedding ceremonies.
-Stephanie
STEPHANIE, IN MY OWN WORDS:
I am an ordained United Church of Christ minister living and working in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. I perform wedding ceremonies in Bucks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe Montgomery, and Northampton Counties on Pennsylvania, as well as Hunterdon and Warren Counties in New Jersey.
I grew up in Massachusetts but have lived in Pennsylvania for eighteen years. I came to Pennsylvania for graduate school, fell in love with a Pennsylvania native, settled into our life together and now, Pennsylvania is home.
My husband, Jeff and I were introduced by friends. And despite our initial protests, we now admit- our friends were great matchmakers! We had our first date in June and were married in November of the same year! I never believed in love at first sight, until it happened to me! Jeff and I have renewed our wedding vows three times, once with an 'Elvis Impersonator" in Las Vegas. That was great fun! We celebrated our 12th Wedding Anniversary in November of 2009, a month after the birth of our first child.
Becoming a mother later in life was quite a journey. Despite a high risk pregnancy, my son’s birth has expanded my life, our life in so many ways. I have always believed in celebrating and honoring all that makes life good. I understand now, more than ever before, that love should be the center of our lives!
My husband and I, now with our son, enjoy spending time with our loved ones, traveling and hanging out with our two dogs. I love to garden and I am always searching for a good book to read. -Stephanie
PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS:
I received my graduate degree, a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary, in Lancaster, PA. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stonehill College, North Easton, MA. I was ordained by the United Church of Christ in 1997. I maintain professional certification as a Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains. I have worked in healthcare as a Chaplain since 1997. I am also active in a variety of community and professional organization.
I was not ordained online. I was not ordained just to perform weddings. I am ordained by the United Church of Christ; this Protestant denomination is recognized legally within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a 'regularly established church.' Within Pennsylvania, I am authorized to "solemnize marriages between persons that produce a marriage license issued under this part: a minister, priest or rabbi of any regularly established church or congregation." (Paraphrase of PA Marriage Law 1503 (A) (6). I am able to perform weddings in New Jersey. I have also performed weddings in Maryland, Massachusetts and Connecticut. -Stephanie
PROFESSIONAL BIO:
Rev.
Stephanie performs personalized wedding ceremonies that celebrate YOU!
She understands that a wedding ceremony is about the couple being married and
not the person performing the ceremony. She welcomes all faiths,
cultures, and lifestyles. She officiates at religious, spiritual and
civil ceremonies, both traditional and non-traditional. She provides
guidance for all aspects of the ceremony, and detailed resources.
Rev. Stephanie works with couples to ‘co-create’ their ceremony. Her warm
and professional manner helps you relax and enjoy your planning, rehearsal
(optional) and ceremony. She is seminary educated with a Masters of
Divinity degree and is ordained minister who has been officiating weddings and
other services for fourteen years. She doesn’t require premarital
counseling to officiate at your wedding, but offers it if you want it.
She also welcomes Renewal of Vows, Civil Unions, Same Sex Weddings, Baby
Blessings, Baptisms and Memorial/ Funeral Services.
Waiting& Watching For The Bride
Photo Courtesy of The Pros