|
 |
|
|
Couples
whose weddings I have performed regularly tell me, both at the Event and
long afterward, that they never knew a ceremony could be so perfectly
about them. They tell me the ceremony captured precisely how their love
is different from every other love that has ever existed. I run into
folks at the supermarket who rush over because they just have to tell me
how the ceremony they witnessed was the most memorable, moving and
unique wedding that had ever attended. A significant number of my
weddings are referrals from couples or family members and wedding
guests--and that brings a big smile to my face!
In fact, I stay in touch with the majority of "my couples" and am often
asked back to perform Baby Naming Ceremonies, House Blessings Ceremonies
& other great events in their lives – we truly establish a lifelong
bond. |
|
|
Dear Rev. Susan,
 I
can't thank you enough for your special words you wrote for our wedding
ceremony on May 2nd. Because of you, our special day was so much more
meaningful. We will always remember sharing it with our 5 children. It
was so much more than I ever dreamed of, and I appreciate everything you
did to make that happen.
McCrae and I are so enjoying our new
life together as husband and wife. I feel like I have never been in love
before. I need to pinch myself every so often to know this is not a
dream.
I am enclosing a picture from the
ceremony that I thought was rather nice of you, McCrae and I. I have
more if you would like me to send some more along.
Thank you, Caroline (the one with
the continuous smile on her face!) |
|
|
Dear Rev. Dr. Susan Kennedy,
I am writing you because i visited your website and
was astonished. I want to thank you for what you do, you are an
inspiration for an aspiring newly ordained reverend like myself.
Sincerely,
Rev. Daniel Feier |
|
Dear
Reverend Susan Kennedy,
Thank you so much for the beautiful wedding ceremony. We knew when we
chose you to marry us, it would be something different and special, and
it really was. Nothing could have been more perfect than a beautiful
ceremony that really reflected on our relationship and the true meaning
of marriage.
One of the reasons we chose you as our officiant was because of the
positive comments on your website. I received the same response to our
ceremony!! One friend said that it was the best ceremony that she and
her husband have ever attended.
Thank you again. I’m sure we will check in with you as our marriage and
family grows! Good luck to you in all you do.
Sincerely,
Diana Keyes Johnson & Andrew Johnson |
|
 When
Jeb and I started to plan our wedding one the most valuable aspects was
who would perform the ceremony. Being an open-minded couple, we did not
want a typical service, but wanted something that expressed who we were
as individuals, uniting together as one. Rev. Susan Kennedy proved to be
the perfect person in helping us create a very unique ceremony.
Rev. Kennedy personalized our wedding in ways that we couldn’t imagine!
She remembered small details through previous conversations and wove
them beautifully into our service. She recapped the exciting details of
how our romance began, up to the point of marriage. Susan’s extensive
knowledge of cultures and ceremonies allowed Jeb and me to have a
ceremony that included an African tradition, a Celtic tradition, and a
Victorian tradition. The audience was intrigued as Susan explained how
these traditions came about amongst certain cultures. As unbelievable as
this sounds, after all these months I’m still hearing from people what
an exceptional service we had at our wedding and I’m always quick to
tell them that if it weren’t for Susan Kennedy, none of it would have
been possible! She made the ceremony entertaining, humorous, and
spiritual. We couldn’t have asked for a better wedding or person to
perform it!
Thanks so much!
Angie Freeman & Jeb Conner
|
|
|
Susan,
 Derrick
and I wanted to express our heartfelt gratitude for an amazing ceremony.
When we met you for the first time at a Bridal show we knew immediately
that our ceremony wouldn't be complete without you. Our meetings with
you leading up to the big day were full of inspiration and excitement.
The ceremony that you prepared was beautiful and still gives me
chills and tears just as it did the first time. The way you wove
together poems and thoughts and stories of our life and love together
was like a fairytale. People still comment to us about how refreshing it
was to go to a wedding and it be like you have never been to one
before because of the different traditions that you included. We cant
say thank you enough for presiding over our ceremony with such grace,
nobleness, and kindness. It truly was an amazing job by an even more
amazing lady.
With love,
Chris McCune and Derrick Nelson |
|
|
Dr. Kennedy, Shelly and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our
hearts for the incredible ceremony you put together for our wedding. Our
families said that it was the most beautiful wedding they have attended and
really enjoyed sharing a few minutes with you before and after our ceremony in
the library at the Graylyn. They also really liked the hand binding and
Victorian Rose ceremonies you performed.
Bradley J. Fallon
|
|
|
Hi Susan!!!
I've wanted to contact you before now, but I've been ridin' on a cloud since
Saturday!!! We won't leave for our honeymoon until next weekend and I wanted to
let you know before we leave how pleased and happy we were with the ceremony!!!
It just couldn't have been ANY better, Susan! In fact, our friend, Janet, said
it was the best wedding she'd ever been to and that's exactly what I was hoping
for!!! Chip and I were wondering if you could email the copy of the ceremony
with our personal comments in it (of what we said about each other in private).
You did such a beautiful job with elaborating on our comments about one
another. I'm planning to put together a scrapbook and I definitely want to
include the ceremony (with our private comments) in it.
Well, I just can't thank you enough for such a wonderful ceremony!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Much love,
Sue
|
|
 Rev.
Dr. Susan Kennedy.
I would like to offer this testimonial for you to place on your web site
for all who read about what a beautiful ceremony you perform, not to
mention what a wonderful person you are.
I called you with a unique situation and you stepped up to the plate. As
a pediatric nurse specializing in medically fragile babies, I needed to
find a very 'special' person to come to my home and perform a special
ceremony for my client's parents--the mother and father of this baby
born with two holes in her heart and additional health problems.
The ceremony you provided was not performed, it was orchestrated--from
the heart, with such love and compassion.
It was not delivered by a person who had performed so many that it was
mundane and dry of feeling. You touched all our hearts. You made us all
cry--in the best possible way.
You entered into the dynamics of the family and drew the couple close,
including those who attended. The 'rose ceremony' was awesome and
unforgettable.
For anyone who wants the best, personalized, gut wrenching, from the
heart wedding ceremony. Dr. Kennedy will make it happen.
Thank you again Susan, for allowing me to now call you my friend.
Cheri Turner
Winston-Salem, NC |
|
Reverend Susan,
For us, having a meaningful ceremony was the most important part of our wedding day. When I read the first draft of the ceremony, tears kept filling my eyes. It was hard to get through it all because it struck such depth in me. It was magically so "us"!
When we first met with you we found the compatibility survey we took was integral in provoking discussion in areas that we had not yet discussed at great length (if that is possible knowing how much we talk!)
After the ceremony, some of the most repeated comments to us were: "what a wonderful ceremony", "this was the best wedding that I have ever attended," the ceremony was so personal," "it really reflected you and Michael's personalities," "I laughed and cried...," and so on. One of the ladies from my church told my mother that she wished you were not in North Carolina so that you could preside over the current congregation (in Cleveland, Ohio).
We received thank you emails and notes afterwards from family members and friends for INVITING them to our wedding! We could not believe that they were thanking US!
We owe most of these accolades to you and your fantastic abilities to capture people's personalities, to meld an eclectic grouping of poems, spiritual readings, and personal story telling, and to have them flow so seamlessly together.
Reverend Susan, you truly are a blessing! Thank you so much!
xx,
Ava & Michael Longfield |
Outside the First Hungarian Reformed Church
Cleveland, OH |
|
 Dear
Rev. Kennedy:
Kevin and I want to thank you so
very much for the absolutely beautiful ceremony you conducted for us.
Your kindness and obvious happiness made Kevin and I feel so comfortable
and made the ceremony a truly joyful occasion for our guests.
So many of our guests commented on how lovely the ceremony was and asked
many questions about you (they were very impressed!)
The unique ceremony you wrote and your wonderful delivery of it made our
wedding day the happiest day of our lives!
We thank you again, and wish you much luck and happiness in the future!
Love,
Amanda and Kevin Malone
|
|
 Performing
wedding photography for more than 18 years, I have seen hundreds of
officiating ministers at weddings going through the motions of
performing wedding ceremonies.
There are only a few which have left a lasting impression on me while I
am there "on business". Making me actually listen while I am working to
capture the moment.
You touch everyone's heart, making all of us understand the great
importance of the event taking place right in front of us.
It is you making a wedding ceremony so much more special than others,
captivating the Bride and Groom, their families and the guests. You
connect with everyone present, you warm their hearts and make everyone
thankful for having you there, that special day, that special moment.
Bernhard Goetsch
BG Photography Inc. |
|
 Having
a father who was a minister, my biggest dream growing up was to have my
father walk me down the aisle and then preside over my wedding
ceremony.....just like he did my oldest sister. However, the Lord had
different plans for my father and took him home before I graduated from
college. Heartbroken and disappointed that I would not have a special
wedding because of that......Tony and I had considered just eloping. But
in the back of both of our minds.....we wanted a way to blend our two
families and have a "meaningful" wedding ceremony.
My sister helped me located Susan Kennedy and from the moment I first
met her, I felt she was a very genuine and caring person. I had no idea
the great sense of humor she had and just how much I'd grow to like her.
I'm proud to say that even though I've moved three states away after my
wedding, I feel as if I have a very dear friend back in NC.
Tony and I want to thank you so much for the beautiful
ceremony........it was stress-free, fun, and absolutely perfect! I
couldn't have imagined having a ceremony quite like that. It was totally
different from the ceremony I would have had with my father
(a
traditional one). So the Lord works in mysterious ways......because the
ceremony touched our hearts and the hearts of everyone there. Thank you
for encouraging the participation of my children.....my daughter has
worn the little gift (silver anklet) we presented her with during the
ceremony every day since.
God Bless you and your family Susan. We love you.
Tony and Nancy Lanier |
|
 Dear
Susan,
Thank you so much for performing the ceremony at our wedding! Not only
was it a great ceremony, but EVERYONE just loved YOU - said you were the
coolest Rev they've ever met.
Hope you and your family are well!
Leslie & Bob Case |
|
I'd like to tell you about our experience
with Reverend Susan Kennedy.
Phil and I were married on April 7. Reverend Kennedy spent several
hours getting to know us when we first met. Phil and I quickly learned
that Reverend Kennedy was a wonderful listener, creative, enthusiastic,
funny, genuine, and intuitive. She took many many notes as we talked
about ourselves. At the end of our meeting, we felt connected to
Reverend Kennedy in a special way. We felt very cared for and
understood. Phil and I wanted our ceremony to be unique and filled with
readings and prayers that reflected our inner thoughts, feelings,
beliefs and desires for the future. After just one meeting with
Reverend Kennedy, she was able to design a ceremony that we felt was
perfect for us.She had customized a ceremony that was beyond
our expectations! We believe her unique work with couples who are
getting married is one of her many incredible gifts, and we would
recommend her to everyone!
Thank you, Reverend Kennedy, for giving us memories we will cherish
forever.
Sincerely,
Martha and Phil Stilson |
Starmount Presbyterian Church, Greensboro,
NC |
|
Dear Susan,
The wedding was so beautiful. We can not thank you enough!!!! It was
like a fairy tale come true. I can not tell you how many compliments we
got about the ceremony, especially about the part when you told "our
story." People said that they felt like they got to know us all over
again. They said it was the most romantic and the best wedding that they
had ever been to. Van and I couldn't agree more. It was one thing
reading it over emails, a whole other thing listening to it unfold. I
was mesmerized the whole wedding. I don't think I took my eyes off of my
groom for one second.Thank you
again!!!! We look forward to keeping in touch with you!
God Bless
Molly and Van
P.S.: We have our "rose vase" on our mantel! |
Castle McCulloch, Jamestown, NC |
|
From Eleni, one of the guests who flew
in all the way from the bride's home country of Columbia, South America
for Adriana's and Rusty's wedding:
I read my Bible and, when I saw it was a woman priest, I was skeptical.
I know Adriana and Rusty come from different backgrounds and so the
service would not be of any one faith, so I was also skeptical. Then I
listened to how you intertwined Adriana's traditions and Rusty's
traditions, and how much love you put in everything, and you captured it
all.
I felt God in everything. I want you to know
that I started very skeptical, but I saw what you did and it was one of
the most perfect and beautiful weddings I've ever been to in my life.
|
Castle McCulloch, Jamestown, NC |
|
From Mrs. Tally, mother of bride Wynn:
I didn't know how in the world you were going to create a ceremony that
combined such completely different traditions. But this was absolutely
gorgeous, I loved every word, and so did all our guests. Thank you for
creating the impossible! |
Crystal Garden, Jamestown, NC |
|
Dear Dr. Kennedy:
Wow! What can we say?
You made our wedding day be the truly best, and most talked about, that
we could ever have expected.
You managed to make our ceremony tell the story of US!
Every word was about us and for us.
This was exactly the way we dreamed it could and should be: meaningful,
fun and touching.
Thanks a million!
Heather and Patrick Muscatello |
Magnolia Manor, Colfax, NC |
|
Dear Susan:
Thank you so much for remembering us on our special day, our first
anniversary! What a wonderful first year this has been. We patiently
await the arrival of our new baby--due in September! We'll be sure to
keep in touch with news of our new arrival. Our cup runneth over!
Thank you for being a part of our beautiful memories.
Love,
Kim and Doug Greenberg |
Home of groom's parents, Lake
Norman, NC |
|
Phillip and I were in search of someone to
perform our wedding ceremony. Neither of us had strong ties to any
specific church in our area, but we knew that we wanted a religious
service. A mutual acquaintance led us to Susan. The three of us met
for lunch to discuss our needs and wishes. Susan was immediately a
blessing to us. She listened to, and was open to all of our
suggestions, including having our Golden Retriever in the ceremony as
the flower girl. Susan suggested that we both (privately) write down
the things that had attracted us to each other, which was read during
the ceremony. We knew that having Susan perform our wedding would be
special, but also felt that we would truly be blessed as we began our
lives together. It has now been a year and a half since we were
married. I can say that Susan was a special person on our wedding day
and is still a part of our lives.
Cindy and Phillip Morris |
|
Dear Reverend Kennedy,
We wanted to thank you for making our wedding such a special and unique
night! Especially the way you involved our family and friends with the
unity candle and red string. The planting of the seeds was truly
special because we are two different individuals who are growing
beautifully together! Giving his mom the pink roses meant so much to us
and the exchanging of red roses will stay with us forever. You've made
our wedding a dream come true!
Love,
Chan & Mike |
 |
|
Dr. Kennedy,
Well, it's only taken me four months, but I'm finally getting around to
sending you a photo and saying thank you so very much for being such a
wonderful and important part of our wedding! Everything you said was so
perfect that it seemed like you had known us forever. We had so many
people come up to us afterward and say they had never been to a ceremony
that was so personal. You really managed to encompass our relationship
over the (many!) years. I can't even find the words to express how much
all you did meant to us! Thank you a million times!
Love,
Laureen & Stephen Richard |
 |
|
|
