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About Us
Meet The Officiant
Hello! Thank you for stopping by to learn more about myself and why we do what we do! My name is Mike Anderson, a legally Ordained Officiant based in Michigan and involved in the wedding industry for close to twenty years! I have been married for seventeen years to my dearly beloved, Bre and together we have three beautiful children ranging from 15 to almost 2.
I have been blessed to be a part of hundreds of weddings. From performing as an Officiant, an award winning florist, lead designer for several floral establishments, vow author, setup and tear downs, & I have even stepped in when the DJ didn't show. So you can say I have had many my fair share of experiences working along side the Bride & Groom and no matter what I will always go above and beyond to ensure your big day stays on track! I absolutely love officiating weddings and other ceremonies! There is nothing that can compare to the joy on the faces of a couple as they are joined together in front of friends and family, and I feel honored when asked to be part of a couple’s special day. I enjoy helping couples make their ceremonies special by assisting with writing vows, custom readings, and adding elements such as a Unity Candle, Sand, or Rose Ceremony to the main Ceremony. I love helping to personalize the entire process so that it reflects the couples’ love and commitment to each other. Your wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration that deserves every bit of perfection!
We take pride in offering a personal, thoughtful, and cost-effective approach to officiating your special day. We believe in building strong relationships with our clients and working together to create a truly unique and personalized experience that reflects your love story.
What makes a Great Officiant?
Mirror of the couples desires and expectations.
The officiant is a mirror of the couple's desires and expectations for their ceremony, their "special day." Sometimes couples need a little help fleshing this out, but in the process the officiant assures them that they are heard, supported, and all other worries they might have - from the cake to traveling family members to the weather - not not be worried about.
A friendly reminder that the wedding is all about the couple.
The officiant is a friendly reminder that the wedding is all about the couple. I try to get as many details from my prospective couples about their big day as possible. The number of guests and participants in the wedding party, apparel colors, what guest is coming from the greatest distance, and of course, their story . Aside from being an information goldmine in putting together their ceremony, it reconnects them to the joy that has brought them to their wedding day!
The "anti-stress pill"
The officiant is the on-site "anti-stress pill" at the rehearsal and the wedding. I'm often in a position to watch the culmination of all the work going into a wedding get a little wonky sometimes. You see agitation and worry up close. Coordinators are great in their organization skills and those of their staff, but sometimes the swirl of activity is nearly overwhelming. This is a great place for the officiant to unobtrusively say something reassuring, pat a back, give someone a bottled water, and other gestures that say, "All will be well."
The ceremony flow master.
One of the most important tasks of the officiant is to explain and define the flow of the ceremony, the rituals, the ebbs and flows, vows and rings, etc. - adding requests if necessary, and giving the couple a sense of time and space for that event. While this is also done at the rehearsal, most facets of the ceremony are already in place, and so the couple can go "into the moment" with confidence.
The Public Service Announcer.
Last of course is the moment of truth. This is when the officiant becomes the spotlight, the "public service announcement", the moment of truth where the "dearly beloved" guests - involved witnesses - are gathered, asked to become part of, and focused on the ratification of this wonderful and joyful moment. This is a call to involvement of both the bride and groom AND the attendees. This is the point where all see, feel, and ratify the couple, the wedding.....the day (and I have the best seat in the house).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
Dearly Beloved is proud to support all couples in marriage, and we perform commitment and marriage ceremonies for LGBTQ+ couples every year. We have always been LGBTQ+ friendly and is a condition for being a part of our team, and we pride ourselves on being inclusive, flexible, and creative when creating a customized ceremony for each couple.
We have been working with LGBTQ+ couples in the wedding/floral industry for almost 20 years, and are proud to have been early and vocal supporters of marriage equality in our area. We specialize in non-denominational and non-religious ceremonies. Also, we can do handfastings, vow renewals, gay weddings, traditional ceremonies, simple ceremonies, elopements, and unique ceremonies. We customize your ceremony to represent your love story and make it more personal and heartfelt.We’ve earned a fantastic reputation among the gay community for our care and experience and would love to be a part of your wedding.
