Lynbrook, New York – January 25, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce that Clergy On Call ministries (Pastor William Britton) has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Officiants!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Clergy On Call ministries stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Clergy On Call ministries for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Pastor Bill Britton is among the very best Wedding Officiant within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at

                  http://www.weddingwire.com/vendor/VendorViewStoreFront?mode=edit&tab=profile.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

A few years ago my wife and I and some friends went to see the “new” West Side Story (with some songs in Spanish). Believe it or not, it was my first time for this story - although as it turned out, I knew most of the music. When Tony and Maria did “One Hand, One Heart”, I said to myself, “That would work in a real life ceremony. I knew that if I added it to my recommended options, a couple would eventually take me up on it. Well, WWS is Sayaka’s favorite broadway play, and for this couple, it was a natural choice. They tenderly sang these words to each other at the Ladies’ Pavilion in Central Park, and it was very moving, and very beautiful. I only wish I had it on video. They and their guests were fantastic, and we had a relatively warm, nicely sunny day. They had a small gift for me from Japan, and shared some Japanese secrets for keeping warm in the cold! A great day! Here’s what Richard wrote online later in a review: “My fiancee and I live in Japan and were married there with her family. We also wanted to get married in NYC with my own family too. I found Pastor Bill on the internet. We exchanged many e-mails and meticulously sculpted the wedding ceremony. We had our wedding in Central Park on the morning of December 24, 2010 with my family. We also exchanged vows "Westside Story" style and sang "One Hand, One heart". It all went smoothly. We all thank you for making our wedding such a special and sacred event. Pastor Bill Britton is MARVELOUS. He is a professional, "down to Earth" man of god. We couldn't have asked for a better If you are looking for a religious, non-religious or a custom mix wedding, he is the right person for you. I highly recommend him to everyone.”   Sayaka & Richard

Battery Gardens Restaurant, in the Southern tip of Manhattan Island provides some of the most spectacular views in the area. It’s an intimate, dramatic place for a wedding that lends itself to a good party. It worked out that way for Lisa and Lou on their special day, and it was a pleasure to be a part of it. Here’s what they had to say:  “Hey Pastor Bill, Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you.  But we wanted to thank you for doing such a great job.  You were dynamite.  You made our wedding so smooth.  Everything we expected of you, you delivered!  Thank you!!!  You did not disappoint. Let me know how else we can help with a testimonial.” All the best, Lou and Lisa ... at Battery Gardens in Manhattan

Good financial advice is hard to come by, since advisors often have their own vested interests. Additionally, even good financial advice can be daunting because it's so overwhelming. Where to begin? What (specificially) to do?

When you're just starting your life together, finances play a big part. Sometimes my couples pay me with two checks - each paying half of the deposit and half of the balance. That's an approach that will be hard to maintain. One has savings and the other doesn't. One owns a home, and the other doesn't - and so on.

This article doesn't try to address all such problems, but it does address the most basic problem very nicely - the lack of money that most people put aside for emergencies and retirement. (Young couples may not want to think about the latter, but as the article shows, starting early and automating the process will lead to great results. You won't have to think about it, but when the day comes, you'll be set - unlike the vast majority of couples who come to retirement age with almost nothing.)

Anyway, I thought this article was full of very practical wisdom, so I wanted to make it availabe to all my couples - and to anyone who stumbles across this entry. I hope you like it as much as I did.

Here's the link.

Pastor Bill

The Queens Botanical Garden is always a good choice for an outdoor wedding. The location has plenty of parking and is centrally located, and the wedding garden itself is quiet, secluded, peaceful and “outdoorsy.” A tornado had moved through the area days before, but on this beautiful, unseasonably warm day, the only evidence of that was the absence of what had been the garden’s biggest tree. The couple’s  Latin and Brazilian backgrounds informed the mood of their guests, who were very friendly and festive. The limo never came for the bride - to bring her to the garden - but besides that (!), everything went smoothly. The day was warm and pleasant, and we all enjoyed ourselves - including the bride and groom. She wrote, “Thanks so much on making our ceremony extremely personable, unforgettable, and wonderful.” - and mentioned that she had already left several rave reviews online. Not everyone has a job that gives as much pleasure as this one, and I’m always grateful. Caroline and Al, thanks for making me a part of your most special day.

When you want to get married in a church on Long Island, it can sometimes be difficult. It used to be that you could stop in at a church near where you live, meet the pastor, and arrange to be married (and probably counseled) there. Usually these days, the pastors are just too busy to do that - and if you are Roman Catholic, there are often impediments if you go to your local parish. I have a friend who makes his church available to me near where I live, but sometimes the couple is looking for something else. Last weekend I finally found a really nice place! In Sayville, there is a scale model of the Dutch Reformed Church of 1867. It holds about 50 people, and there is plenty of parking. The grounds are nice, the church is set off by itself and is very well maintained. It’s a warm, peaceful and pretty place, and much nicer than most, if not all, of the other options I’ve seen. So, if this is the direction you’re going, be sure to check it out - and give me a call. I’d be happy to help you plan your personalized ceremony and then see that it happens just as we planned.



 

When Manhattan is a destination for a couple getting married, I have a sense of pride when they find it welcoming and great. Andrew and Sarah came from “across the pond”, and that certainly was their experience. I met them for their ceremony in Central Park at the Ladies’ Pavilion - a beautiful day in a beautiful place - and then after that, well, I’ll let them tell you: “Now that we are back home in not so sunny England, we thought that we'd write to say a massive thank you for your time the other Friday, it was really appreciated.  The rest of the day went really well, although after photo sessions in Central Park, Times Square & then Grand Central Station, to say our feet were sore is an understatement. We were so glad that the weather was as good as it was, it made the day that extra special. On the Sunday we started our travels up to Niagara Falls in Canada, stopping over night in Ithaca en-route. We stayed in Niagara for 2 nights before heading back towards New York and stopping in the Catskills over night. The drive was really good and the views were amazing, both in Niagara and en-route, especially with the trees being in mid-change, it's something we've always wanted to see first hand! When we are fully back to normal and recovered, we will recommend you on wedding forums, providing you don't mind? Again, we thank you so much.”    Andrew & Sarah
It’s great to see these familiar sites through the eyes of appreciative visitors, and it reminds me to pay attention to the opportunities and beautiful sites in this place where I live. Thanks Andrew and Sarah, I’m glad our paths could cross in this special way.

Shermaine and Trevor married at Antun’s in Queens Village in October, on one of those really nice days. I do a lot of weddings at Antun's because I’m “house clergy” there, and I’m always pleased with the care and attention they give to my couples and specifically, to the ceremony. (Not every wedding venue treats the ceremony itself as something important.) Each of the guys that I work with there has been there for years, and they’re quite expert at what they do. Both the bride and groom looked great, and they were calm and ready to be married! The ceremony went off without a hitch, and the guests were appreciative and definitely involved. You could “feel the love.” I was happy to be part of all this, and the couple was happy too. This is what the bride wrote to me on their one month anniversary: "We loved the ceremony and our guests really enjoyed how it was conducted. ... My husband and I are both Catholic and we wanted a religious touch to our wedding and you provided that. Is was easy to work with you because you’re so professional and organized. You took the time to meet with us, so we did not feel like strangers on our wedding day. You made our day memorable and we’ll always remember that!!" Thanks guys, it was my pleasure. (P.S. This is one of the few pictures of me with my robe, so make note, those of you who are wondering what it looks like.)

Adolfo is the planning type (like me), and Kathleen, the free spirit. It was evident the day we met, and the day of the wedding. The universe never puts people together who are alike in this way - and for a reason. We not only can learn and grow from the influence of each other - but we’re also (only) somewhat less likely to kill each other. In the case of this happy couple, that was never a concern. The wedding planning brought everything together, and the outdoor setting on the Duchess Yacht was perfect for the day we were given. I appreciated the kind words I received from the couple afterwards, and decided to share them with you.

“We had the distinct pleasure of working with Rev. William Britton for our wedding in NYC the weekend of Oct 2nd.  Since our initial meeting with Rev. Britton (lunch in Midtown Manhattan), we felt especially at ease with his style and approach.  So much so, that we were very comfortable with following his lead on the structure and flow for the wedding itself. The day of the wedding, Rev Britton was there on time, and early,--just as he said he would be…We were especially fortunate to have beautiful weather on our wedding day, but Rev Britton’s calm demeanor only added to the peaceful feeling of the day. It’s worth noting, that we received many unsolicited compliments from individuals who attended our wedding regarding Rev Britton. Without reservation, we would gladly and with great pleasure offer our endorsement and recommendation for any couple who was currently considering enlisting Rev Britton for their wedding.  We believe that he helped make our special day S-P-E-C-I-A-L! “   Adolfo & Kathleen

 



 

Francis lived in Hong Kong for the year leading up to her wedding, so nothing was ever simple for this couple when it came to the planning. We met in a midtown restaurant once she was in town, and had a great time talking and planning together. Francis has a million dollar smile, and both of these guys are fun. I hadn’t been to Blue Hill Farm before, but I was really impressed with what’s going on there (working farm, museum and book store, big emphasis on healthy foods and cooking, etc.). When it came to the place as a wedding venue, it was amazing. We had a beautiful September day, gorgeous views, wonderful fresh air, and a place for the ceremony that was uniquely nice - as you can see in the photo. The attention to detail by the staff was impressive, and the guests were supportive of the couple and friendly to me. It was really all you could ask for. My only regret is that my blog only allows me to post one photo, since Francis sent me so many great ones. Mark and Francis, thank you for making me a part of your special day!

I love the Swan Club. It’s the perfect place for an outdoor wedding without any of the typical outdoor “issues” (heat, rain, wind, bugs, etc.). The landscaping there compares to a botanical garden. Everything complements what you’re doing there - getting married! I also love it when I bond with great couples. The people I meet are the best part of my job. Lys and Robert and I did connect in that way, and their wedding at the Swan Club was appreciated by all. Here’s what they had to say:
“Pastor Bill made our special day MAGICAL!  I found Pastor Bill on a whim by simply googling wedding officiants on the internet.  He is as charming in person as he looks in his photos.  Although my wife thought I was crazy for finding our wedding officiant in this way she agreed to meet him.  From that very first meeting with him, she felt very comfortable having him marry us.  He is warm, down to earth, supportive, knowledgeable, and professional with a wonderful sense of humor.  He is well-organized and meticulous with his paperwork and communication.  He made us feel like our wedding was custom-tailored to fit the emotions and love we have for one another.  He was a joy to have at our wedding and we could not have asked for a more genuine and sincere person to marry us!  Thanks again Pastor Bill.  We love you!” - Robert and Lys