vendor reviews: ministers & officiants

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BRIDAL NEWS MAGAZINE
JAN - JUL | 2009

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After thousands of weddings, Don Perron's love for ceremonies never fails to inspire

Reviewing Don Perron, Pastoral Services of Guelph/Waterloo/Kitchener/Cambridge

It must take an extraordinary person to perform thousands weddings without losing emotional involvement or intensity over time. But Don Perron of Pastoral Services of Guelph/Waterloo/ Kitchener/Cambridge, has never lost his love for weddings, nor his power to perform them. Don has performed ceremonies all over Southwestern Ontario, from The Medieval Times Dinner & Theatre and reality weddings on Life Network to just about every local ceremony/reception site.

While he is native to Guelph, we met with Don at the Waterloo City Hall, where he works by day. We guessed, from speaking to him on the phone, that Don smiled a lot. We were right. Don greeted us with a big smile, handshake, and took us around the corner to a nearby café. As we walked, he seemed to know everyone that we passed, by name. We sat down over coffee to talk, Don never losing a drop of energy throughout our nearly two hour interview. With his enthusiasm for wedding ceremonies and great ideas on how to incorporate children and personality into his ceremonies, we walked away with feeling like we'd made a new friend and been inspired.

Choosing an officiant is personal

When you are designing the day that marks a rite of passage in your life, you want to make sure that the most important part - the ceremony - is just right for you. You want to choose a wedding officiant who can respect your wishes, beliefs, and spirituality (or lack thereof) in the ceremony that will bind you to another human being 'for as long as you both shall live'.

Don Perron is an Ordained Minister, licensed by All Seasons Church of Canada and the Government of Ontario to officiate weddings. He is also a major part of a widely-known group of ministers who perform thousands of local wedding ceremonies over the years. He is open, friendly, easy-going, and willing to do just about whatever it takes to make your wedding day as personal, meaningful and fun as you want it to be. "It is important to me that the bride and groom feel comfortable with me and with the ceremony we create together... Planning a wedding is a very special time in one's life, and I want to help you create a service that is you, with the dignity, warmth, celebration and solemnity it deserves. My interest and desire is to make your wedding day as perfect as possible."

Ryann and Mat Blenkiron had Don perform their May 10, 2008, wedding. "We called Don right after we booked our hall to make sure he was available. Don comes highly recommended, not only in The Ring, but by the thousands of couples he's married! From our first meeting with Don, he had an endearing quality, and his focus on our promise to each other transcended any paperwork that needed filling out - leading Mat and I to trust he would take good care of us."

It's your ceremony

Don Perron has spent a lot of personal time developing different ways to incorporate children and mixed families into the ceremony, methods of drawing the guests into the ceremony, and ways of just knowing what the couple really wants to get out of their ceremony - apart from the piece of paper. Don says that he has found success through the years because each ceremony is designed just for the bride and groom. There is no generic step-by-step wedding offered, unless the couple specifically asks for it. Don is open to anything just so long as the dignity of the ceremony is kept.

Don has several ways to incorporate children into ceremonies for couples who are blending a family. An example of this would be the way he alters the end of your ceremony, by saying, "I now pronounce you husband... and wife... and family," and adds a special token as per family wishes.

Don places a lot of focus on the vows. This is where couples really can make the ceremony their own. "If you want to say 'I take you, Honeypoo, to be my husband...' then that's okay with me. As long as it means something to you," says Don. It seems wrong to class a minister in the category of someone who is working for you, but Don pointed out that, "Ultimately, the bride and groom are my clients, and I am providing a service for them. It's my job to give them the ceremony they really want."

Experience and attitude

Your officiant should have experience. Don Perron has performed thousands of weddings. That said, he keeps himself involved in more than just the officiating end of things. Don has made just about every aspect of his life, in some way, about weddings and about taking care of people. This told us that he is not just 'doing a job'. This is his path in life...

• One of a widely known circle of officiants that have performed thousands of weddings over the years, including his partner, one of K-W's highly respected ministers the Rev. Paul Ellingham.

• Performing pastoral services with St. John's Ambulance services of Guelph.

• Affiliated with All Seasons Church of Canada, a network of wedding officiants.

• Works in the City of Waterloo City Clerk's office, so he is experienced in all aspects of the marriage act.

• Performs non-denominational, spiritual, religious, same partner ceremonies, among others.

• He also performs ceremonies for renewals of vows, christenings, and funerals.

Going to the chapel... (or beach... or gazebo...)

When you hire Don Perron as your wedding officiant, you will get what can sometimes be lost in the mix of wedding planning - to be inspired about your ceremony, to design that twenty to forty minutes in a way that really speaks to your heart. But, like with any wedding services, you need to meet Don first.

In a pre-wedding consultation, you will get a chance to sit down together with Don to discuss what you're looking for, what ideas you have, what ideas he has, and then ultimately decide if he if Don is the right officiant for you. If you choose to go ahead, you will lay out a brief idea of how the ceremony will be performed.

One week before your wedding, Don will contact you to make final arrangements and details. Following that, the next time you see him, will be about a half hour before your wedding ceremony. Unless you request it, Don doesn't usually require a rehearsal ceremony the day before the wedding.

Ryann told us, "What we loved best about our ceremony was that our guests had a great time - many of them commended Don on a job well done, and told us that the ceremony was a great reflection of our personalities. We could not have had such a warm, meaningful, light-hearted (yet classic) ceremony without Don's help! He orchestrated every detail. During the rehearsal and the ceremony, he was the guiding hand for not only Mat and I, but everyone involved - he pulled my parents aside and gave them tips for bringing me down the aisle and let Dad know the queues, he helped the girls with how to hold their bouquets, and ebbed everyone's nervousness by cracking a joke or two. I'll never forget Don coming into the room I was waiting in before taking that long walk down the aisle, putting my hands in his and saying, 'Your hands aren't even clammy, kiddo!'"

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• Performs non-denominational, spiritual, religious, same partner ceremonies, Muslim and many more customized ceremonies that you can have designed to your satisfaction. They can include your ideas and your chosen vows to fit your personal needs or customs.

• Has options for incorporating children, parents, grandparents or anyone else special to you into ceremonies.

• Has options for unity candle ceremonies as well as alternatives to the unity candle ceremony, and a beautiful parental service.

• Provides a variety of options and information when you meet him.

• Will travel anywhere within Southwestern Ontario, focusing mostly on the Guelph, K-W, Cambridge and surrounding areas.

• Don recommends booking as far in advance as possible.

• Honourariums are approximately $275 for your complete package (excluding rehearsals) with no hidden fees to worry about. For off-hour private legal ceremonies, honourariums are based on the services you may or may not require, the location and the day of the week. Rehearsals, if required are extra. "My interest and desire is to make your wedding day as perfect as possible and the only way I can do this is by meeting you first."

• Dresses in formal attire - without a collar.

• For peace of mind Don has back-up celebrants to fill in, in case of illness etc.

• New: Waterloo Grist Mill is a beautiful historic wood building situated on Silver Lake adjacent to picturesque Waterloo Park. It seats 75 people and can be obtained for an additional fee of $100. "It's a beautiful location for pictures," says Don who's happy to recommend this or other locations if you need ideas for your wedding ceremony.

To book Don Perron

Don would love to hear from you. He or his wife Sandy can answer any questions you may have, talk briefly about your ideas, set up an appointment to meet, or just offer a friendly voice on the other end of the phone that is as interested in your ceremony as you are. To contact Don, call 519-836-1143, or email him at weddingsbydon@gmail.com. You can also find more about Pastoral Services of Guelph/Waterloo/Kitchener/Cambridge online at weddingsbydon.awardspace.com.

- The Staff at TheWeddingRing.ca

* Prices are all approximate and are subject to change and verification by authorized staff of Don Perron, Pastoral Services of Guelph/Waterloo/Kitchener/Cambridge. * Photos appearing in this review were provided with expressed permission by Don Perron. *Top three photos of left-hand photostrip by JTK Photography.