I know that there are officiants who offer couples a choice of maybe three script templates for their ceremony. It’s certainly efficient, probably a little less expensive, and in most areas of wedding planning, templates are the norm. Timelines, vows, seating charts, playlists — all useful, all expected.

But when it comes to ceremonies, the idea of a fill‑in‑the‑blanks script is a detail I struggle with. When the other details of your day reflect you so personally – including the music, the flowers, the table settings, and the menu. It seems to me that the moment you are actually getting married should be the most personal of all.

Almost every couple I work with says some version of the same thing:

“We just want it to feel like us.”

It’s one of those phrases that sounds crystal clear but isn’t always easy to articulate.

Most people don’t spend their lives putting words to emotional tone. We know when something feels right… and when it doesn’t. But translating that instinct into a ceremony brief? That’s a not always easy.

Add in the pressure of weddings — expectations, traditions, other people’s opinions — and suddenly couples are trying to describe something deeply personal, sometimes using borrowed language that doesn’t quite fit.

So when couples say “like us,” they’re often pointing toward something they can sense, but haven’t named yet.

I hear this a lot:

“We just want something short”

“We don’t like a lot of attention”

“We don’t want it to feel awkward”

“We’re excited about the party”

Totally fair. I get it. I love a good party.

Here’s the thing, no one wants a bad ceremony. They just don’t want one that feels stiff, cliché, or old fashioned.

What most couples really mean is: “We want this to feel like us”

A wedding ceremony may only last about twenty minutes – but there is so much more that goes into it, beyond what you see on the day. For that reason, I’ve decided to launch this blog to share what happens behind the ceremonies at True North Ceremonies. The conversations. The questions. The roadside sandwiches (so many sandwiches!), and the moments of reflection that happen long before anyone walks down the aisle.