Name: Carly Miller
Business Name: Magical Weddings
Wedding Specialty: Officiant
What are some common mistakes you see couples make while preparing for their wedding?
Often couples come to me without having given any thought to what they want their ceremony to be like.
If you could give couples one piece of advice, what would it be?
Following the answer above, while I am absolutely willing to work with couples in any stage of planning, the best way I can assist you is if you have given some reflection about what’s important to you. Some good starting points for figuring out what’s important to you are if you want a shorter or longer ceremony; religious, spiritual, or secular; if you want to involve kids or family members; or want to include elements of your love story or favorite book, poem, song, movie, tv show, etc! Once I know the answers to at least a couple of these, it’s much easier to start outlining your ceremony!
What don't couples know about your business category that they need to know?
Most officiants are very willing to work with anything you might want in your ceremony including dog ring bearers or letting a family member read a prayer. Anything that’s important to you, just ask, because it’s important to us to make sure the things that are important to you get included, even if you might think they’re odd or silly, the right officiant will be happy to help you!
What is one question a couple should be asking that they don't know to ask (specific to you or in the general planning sense)?
Any questions they might have about the marriage license, which is the couple’s responsibility to obtain and the officiant usually files, and it’s also good to confirm if the officiant you’re talking to only does religious weddings or only does secular weddings (many, like myself, offer both!).
What sets you apart from other vendors in your field?
I’ve lived in North Carolina my whole life, and have been in the triangle for ten years now and I love being here! I’m an alumnus of both UNC Chapel Hill and Duke, so I can be sure most people either love or hate at least one of my alma maters! I studied Biology, Native American Studies, and Jewish Studies in undergrad at UNC and have a Masters of Theological Studies from Duke where I focused on Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, so I have a wide variety of nerdy interests that I’m willing to incorporate into any wedding, and I’m always willing to learn more! I have practice reading and interpreting Jewish and Christian scripture with a feminist/LGBTQ+ positive lens and am happy to help you incorporate an inclusive reading in your ceremony if you desire. I am passionate about not adhering to gender roles and serving LGBTQ+ couples and geek/nerd couples who want a hint of their geeky passion or a whole themed wedding. I will happily officiate any wedding with a reverent official tone, or a playful laughing tone with a yodel at the end, according to what the couple desires.
Tell us about your favorite wedding that you've been part of.
All weddings I’ve officiated have truly been a joy to participate in. The love of every couple has been magical and inspiring! A fun wedding I did recently was a small wedding in Duke Forest with the couple, their two dogs, and just a few witnesses. Take a look!