About Rev Wanda K

I am Rev. Wanda Kinnunen a non-denominational ordained minister, ordained by Universal Ministries in 2012. I became ordained when my friend needed help.  I was her virtual assistant for her wedding business for a little bit, I was helping her out and I noticed she was giving a lot of business away. As an individual running a business you can only book yourself for one event at a time so when those calls would come in and she had to turn them away I felt bad. I came up with the idea, what if I also became ordained and you didnt have to 'give away' business. 

She trained me and showed me how to 'write' a ceremony and even had me write trial ceremonies for practice. It was the start of a wonderful business. I got my certification and I was ready to marry people!  Many people did want to work only with my friend so when she was not available they just went elsewhere. But that was OK I did get a few weddings under my belt, please see the reviews on my website.  I reached out to these clients and helped write their ceremonies myself. My passion is in providing couples with a moment in their lives that they will remember, always. 

Due to the spouse getting a job transfer I had to stop performing weddings in New York and start over in California. I am a registered business in Solano county and I am available to perform weddings in the Vacaville area which includes Napa, Sacramento and The San Francisco areas.

The process is simple, we meet up, confirm the date and get started. Within a month of your wedding you would get a questionnaire that will help me in writing your ceremony.   Every ceremony is unique, there are no cookie cutter ceremonies here. 

I cant wait to help you write your ceremony and perform your wedding.

www.revwanda.com

Themed Weddings

I had the pleasure if witnessing a themed wedding. The Emerald City was the theme from The Wizard of Oz of course.

The bride had a dress that was white, but there was a criss cross pattern in the dress similar to that of the plaid found in Dorothy's dress.  She had a bouquet highlighted with green and ruby red shoes that sparkled.  She married in a place that was similar to a palace, it wasn't green but it was large.  I was hoping for the yellow brick road but no luck lol.

At the reception the hall was highlighted with green, there were signs indicating the direction to 'The Emerald City' and drinks were themed from characters from the movie.  The programs appeared to be 'Playbills', an interesting choice. This also gives you the idea to use it for any type of wedding. They tell the couples 'story' and who everyone is with little images of them next to the paragraphs and more.  A lot of fun.


I officiated a wedding that was a steam punk theme. Now this was fun as the bride tells me the colors are blue, white and like an orange along with octopus and submarines! Can you imagine a phone call like that!

Well the groomsmen were all dressed like something that reminded me of Doctor Who, with the pin stripe vests, pants, bulky ties with top hats and that pocket watch with the chain in their pockets.  The bridesmaids all had the same skirts but various tops, some had goggles on their heads, high boots along with stripped stockings!  The brides dress 'transformed' after the ceremony! The front part of the dress was removable and it appeared as she was wearing a mini dress with a super long tail.  The octopus was in her hair bow as well as in all their necklaces, the submarine were in stitched into the dress.

I loved it!  It was the perfect themed wedding I've ever attended and a lot of fun.

Adding your 'colors' to your wedding

When someone announces they are getting married the first question usually is what are your colors.  Everyone one wants to use their favorite colors! I certainly did for my wedding.

We used lavender.  We had it mixed in my bouquet, it was the color of the maid of honors dress, the napkins at the reception were lavender and the table flowers were also mixed with lavender.  Just enough, not over kill.

I recently witnessed a wedding were the colors were pink. To me its a dreaded color, especially in the wrong shade.  For this wedding it was just enough. The places you found pink were just the right amount. The bride had a small pink 'belt' that was long enough to hang down the back on top of her white dress.  Everyone had pink in their flowers of course. All the groomsmen had pink shirts with black ties and pants, they pulled if off very well. The bridesmaids were in black dresses with a thick pink belt similar to the bride. It was a perfect pink, it wasnt that pepto-bismol color.  The bride also had pink shoes but you couldnt see it until she walked and the peaked out of the dress.  At the reception there were pink banners around the backs of the chairs.

I felt it was just the perfect amount of pink for this wedding.  Not to much to over kill the color.  Now I also witnessed a wedding were we felt it was like the color just everywhere and it just overkill, you know the weddings Im talking about.  Where everyone wore that color and it was on everything!  It was 'green' and it wasnt bad at the ceremony, green was found with the grooms shirts, but the brides flowers were carnations dipped in green, it was kind of tacky.  At the reception green was everywhere! It in the lighting, on the decorations of the table, the tableware, the tablecloth, the chairs, it was just way too much green for me.

When planning your wedding there is no need to make everything that color.  Make it elegant and highlight important items with that color.

Worldess Wedding Wednesday

Wedding ideas from the movie - The Princess Bride

We all love weddings, but its even more fun when we add something different into it. Take for example the movie The Princess Bride.   A classic fairy tale of Buttercup and her beloved Wesley. You know the story.  

Sometimes we have to act silly in a time of seriousness, to break the silence, to keep everyone laughing and to be different.  Here is an example of a couple using the scent were Buttercup was to marry and the wonderful clergy man with the wonderful way of speaking.  

Many people have used this to start off their weddings and I dunno if I could personally pull it off but one day Ill have to try.

 Mawage. 

Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. 

Mawage, 

that bwessed awangment, 

that dweam wifin a dweam...

 And wuv, 

tru wuv, 

will fowow you foweva

...So tweasure your wuv.

Candy Table - Sweets Table. Buffet

This has been a new trend thats lots of fun and has endless options.

One wedding I went to had a candy table, their colors were just black and white so the candies at the table were black and white/silver.  The candy was in huge vases on various heights on the table.  I found Hershey kisses, Oreo cookies, Non-Perils, black and white M&M's and more.

Since the possibilities are endless there is no wrong way to do this.  You can have all kinds of chocolate, or candies.  I know Jelly Belly has 'jewel' coated jelly beans and look fabulous on display for a wedding. You can use M&Ms which you can buy a specific color in bulk in specific to match your wedding.  They can even be printed up with your choice of saying, dates and even images.

Having a fall wedding? Candy corn works great. Winter? Silver wrapped candies work well.  Summer? Bright and festive colors like Star bust is an idea. Candy is great for weddings involving a lot of kids, non-formal weddings, and could be less expensive then traditional wedding favors.

Be sure to have baggies with your wedding details near by, large scoops to pick up the candies if unwrapped, and twist ties.

What fun would a guest have to create their own favor and not have another 'dust collector' to sit on their table.

Wedding Unity ideas

Ive been to many weddings were I have witnessed a part of the ceremony where there is a 'unity' - where two become one - the most popular ones are Unity Candles and Unity Sand.

At a certain point during the ceremony the couple take their two pillar candles and merge  them together to burn one larger main candle. Or in the sand ceremony the couple each take a small vase with colored sand and combine them into a larger vase.  Symbolizing two separate people becoming one thru marriage.  Both very beautiful and meaningful.

I recently became aware of a couple using a Unity drink cocktail!  The couple took two separate drinks and combined them to make one drink. Which they both then drank out of.  It was very interesting as the bride had a red drink, the groom a blue drink, and combined together it made, you guessed it, made a purple drink. Im not familiar with what type of 'drink' they used to make it but they also served this drink to their guests.  Im sure it can be done with non alcoholic beverages as well as alcoholic.

A very different idea for a timeless tradition. Now that Im living near Napa Valley, CA Im hope to see more of this type of idea!

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