Let’s Get This Blog Started: The SPARK that started it all

A story about why I became an officiant in the first place

Oh, hey there!! You found my blog!!

The SPARK Blog is like a spark plug for your wedding ceremony—igniting fresh ideas, creativity, and a little bit of fun to power your celebration. Just like a spark plug kicks off the engine, I'm here to fuel your wedding with personalized, unforgettable moments that make it truly yours.

I’m Kiki, a Vancouver, WA-based Wedding Celebrant Extraordinaire! If you’ve perused my website, you’ll know a fair bit about me by now. But let’s slow down for a second—grab a cup of tea, and let me tell you how I became a wedding officiant.

The Spark That Started It All.

Once upon a time, a couple decided to get married on a Saturday at the venue where I worked as an onsite coordinator. For the sake of privacy, let’s call them Romeo and Juliet, shall we?

Now, quick primer: as an onsite coordinator, my job was to make sure everything went smoothly and according to the venue’s standards. I wasn’t getting too involved with the couple's personal plans—just gathering the barest of essentials. 

When I asked who their officiant was, I was told it was Brian. That’s it. Just Brian. Simple enough. But what I didn’t know was that Brian was a close friend of the groom. No biggie, right? As I gathered the necessary details, I trusted that everything was in place—until it became clear that wasn’t the case.

Countdown to Chaos

I asked if Brian would be attending the rehearsal. He would not. I asked what time he was arriving on the big day. 4:00pm for a 5:00pm ceremony. Easy-peasy.

As the big day unfolded, everything seemed to be going according to plan—at least, as much as weddings ever do. Romeo and Juliet arrived at 2:00. Vendors started arriving at 3:00, and I ticked off each one on my checklist. Photographer arrives at 3:00, starts getting some lovely photos. 

4:00… no Brian.

DJ arrives at 4:15, begins setting up. Still no Brian.

I go to check in with Juliet. She was clearly irked by my interruption but assured me everything was fine. 

At 4:30, I checked in with Romeo. He was having a blast with his groomsmen, no concerns from him.

By 4:45, I had serious concerns. The couple and the entire party of attendants should be lining up by now. This is Go Time. All the guests had arrived. The DJ was playing pre-ceremony music. I went to Juliet once more. She was not happy about being asked again, but this time I insisted. So she reluctantly called Brian. She put the call on speaker.

The heart-stopping moment

“Hey, Brian, where are you?”

“I’m at work, why?”

“What do you mean you’re at work? Brian, I’m getting married today!!”

I will never ever ever forget his reaction: “Wait…what??! That was today??”

Cue Juliet’s jaw hitting the floor. I will never forget the look on her face, the panic in her eyes, as they filled with tears. At this point, Brian was still at work, which was 30 minutes from the venue.

He finally arrived 45 minutes late in rumpled work clothes—no time to change, of course. Juliet was in tears, the situation was a disaster, and it all could’ve been avoided. But at least they were married.

lesson learned

As a planner, I remember thinking: If only I was ordained, I could’ve done their ceremony for them. Now, there’s no guarantee they would have let me, but that day, a spark was lit. I realized that if I was ordained, I could be the one to step in and save the day. So, I got ordained the very next Monday.

And just like that, I’ve now been ordained for 14 years! Yay me!

a little insight for you

If you take anything away from this story, let it be this: Don’t leave your wedding in the hands of someone who isn’t prepared or equipped for the job. Stay tuned for another post where I’ll dive deeper into the perils of being married by friends and family—if this hasn’t scared you off already! 

Let’s Spark Something Special

Are you planning a wedding that’s just as unique as you are? Let’s chat! I’d love to help create a ceremony that tells your love story, with no “oops” moments involved. Reach out today, and let’s make your ceremony unforgettable!