MICROSOFT, NIKE & OTHERS ENDORSE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BECAUSE IT’S GOOD FOR BUSINESS!

For many people same-sex marriage is a highly charged, emotional issue that has polarized the United States and other countries. However, Microsoft, Vulcan, Nike, RealNetworks, Group Health Cooperative, and Concur are pushing for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Washington State because they believe that discrimination of any kind lowers the quality of employees that the company is able to hire. As long as same-sex marriage is illegal in Washington State, these venerable corporations don’t think that they can compete for talent with states that have already legalized same-sex marriage.

In order to further their cause, collectively Microsoft, Vulcan, Nike, RealNetworks, Group Health Cooperative, and Concur have sent a joint letter to Washington Governor Chris Gregoire endorsing two bills that if passed would allow civil marriages between same-sex couples in Washington State.

This is no surprise where Microsoft is concerned. They have always taken a leadership role in the area of equality for same-sex couples. In addition to supporting gay rights and same-sex marriage, Microsoft was one of the first with a non-discrimination policy in place protecting against discrimination due to sexual orientation and one of the first to provide benefits for the same-sex partners of its employees.

It amazes me that in 2012 people in the United States are still fighting for basic human rights and that same-sex marriage is legal in only six states - Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.

Where human rights are concerned, Canada has taken a leadership role, granting all of its citizens equality regardless of their sexual orientation. Same-sex marriage is legal in Canada. Many couples from around the world come to Canada to get married; however your marriage won’t be recognized as legal in any jurisdiction that doesn’t recognize same-sex marriage.

Contact I Do InStyle for any information on same-sex marriage. 613-440-4446

www.idoinottawa.com

Congratulations to Shawn & Andrew!

Saying "I Do InStyle"

Married InStyle!

Congratulations! 

You've said "I will!" Now how do you go about saying "I do"?

How does one begin to select a wedding officiant anyway? It's so confusing!!! There are ministers, pastors, clerks, rabbis, justices of the peace; officiants who do you choose? Remember your wedding ceremony is much more than  "just" a ceremony and whom you choose to perform it will set the tone.

If you have decided to have a wedding ceremony that’s not traditional, you may feel overwhelmed by all the choices that exist; not only what vows to include in the ceremony but who will be performing it.

We are here to simplify things for you.

The first question to ask yourself is what type of ceremony do you want to have? This is an important factor when choosing the officiant to perform your ceremony.  The next thing to keep in mind is finding an officiant who who will be open to your ideas. Choosing wisely will make it much more likely that your collaboration will create a meaningful expression of your personality and love.

There are several different types of wedding ceremonies you can choose from:

SPIRITUAL CEREMONY - a spiritual ceremony is an inspirational ceremony that is beautiful and sacred. It is a Divine ceremony, which is universal in content and is not based on any particular religion.

INTERFAITH CEREMONY - an interfaith ceremony or interdenominational is a combination or blend of religions ranging from only some religion to being entirely religious. Interfaith is in essence a respect for and an acknowledgement of all of the many different religious beliefs and spiritual understandings. It is an embracing of the values and traditions of all religious and spiritual paths.

CIVIL CEREMONY - a civil ceremony is a non-religious ceremony. It does not contain religion in the ceremony or prayers. Although it is not religious, it is not lacking of meaning or love. A couple can choose to include an invocation or poem that can be just as meaningful to them as a prayer is to a religious person. This ceremony is also known as a city hall, notary, JP or Justice of the Peace ceremony.

NON-DENOMINATIONAL CEREMONY - a non-denominational ceremony is a ceremony that is not of a particular denomination. In today’s evolving society, interfaith marriages have become very common. Non-denominational ceremonies are also quite popular because they too serve the purpose for the bride and groom who are of different religious backgrounds. In these types of weddings, the wedding officiant can creatively bring in prayers and/or customs that are not offensive to either side.

Your wedding day and ceremony is a magical time so choose an officiant that will focus their energy and efforts to create the perfect ceremony that is a reflection of you as a couple. If this is achieved, then your ceremony will be one that will be remembered and treasured forever!

We are all licensed wedding officiants here at I do InStyle do InStyle and our services are included in all our packages, which simplifies the process for you. If you are looking to hire a wedding officiant for an offsite wedding and we are not available, not to worry - we have SEVERAL wonderful officiants that we highly recommend.

We look forward to meeting you and perhaps one day marrying you InStyle!

Who are we??

Well... for starters .. We want to say Congratulations! You have found the person you wish to spend the rest of your life with!  

Now a little bit about us ... we don’t just “do” weddings. We LIVE weddings. We are EXPERTS in small intimate weddings! Sure, we do the 250 people ones too, but we LOVE the smaller more intimate ones as we find that they tend to be a better reflection of the couples tastes and personality. 

I do in Ottawa is proudly serving the gay & lesbian community of Ottawa. We are nestled in the historic Byward Market in downtown Ottawa. Old-world charm meets modern amenities. Your guests will be surrounded with natural sunlight, exposed brick, hardwood floors, and a very New York Loft feel. Here, you are free to relax and enjoy the festivities while our professional kitchen and state-of-the-art A/V system run smoothly.

Our Amazing Venue in the Heart of the Byward Market

Ottawa is quickly becoming a popular destination for same-sex marriages. Since 2003 Ontario has embraced those same sex couples throughout the world seeking to join together in marriage. Canada’s marriage laws are genderless. There are no citizenship or residency restrictions, nor are blood tests or medical certificates required.  

Come to Ottawa to get married and stay for your honeymoon. We can help you plan a special getaway, which could include but are not limited to private dining, romantic couple spa treatments, theatre tickets, scenic tours of the national capital to name but a few.There really so shortage of things to do in our fair city.

I do in Ottawa is a chic, hip one-stop wedding destination, conveniently located at 107 Murray Street in the heart of the Byward Market. Our 2000 sq. ft. intimate, well-appointed, modern space is the most unique wedding venue in Ottawa – a great alternative to the typical, non-descript, already-been-there-for-your-friend’s-wedding feeling most of the Ottawa banquet rooms, hotels and catering venues and City Hall offer. Best part about our venue is it can be an intimate ceremony for two ( we can even provide witnesses) all the way up to a full blown formal dinner or cocktail party. 

We believe that EVERYONE deserves to have the day of their dreams - Their way, and always InStyle!

Ceremony Basics: How Should We Seat Guests At the Ceremony?

So the tradition is the bride's family sits on the left and the groom's on the right, but how to proceed with a same sex wedding?

Aside from the traditional seating arrangement, many gay couples share the same close friends, there's really no reason to adhere to the tradition of separating guests into two groups. If you do have a middle aisle, there's no reason you can't have the ushers address the couple by name, asking guests, "Are you with address the couple by name" (instead of, "Are you with the bride or groom?").

Also, consider the people you're going to enlist as ushers. A good rule of thumb is to have one usher per every 50 guests. Ask your attendants or a few close family members or friends who don't already have a role to act as ushers. Once you've chosen your ushers, provide them with guidelines or even printouts of where you would like guests to be seated, including a VIP list of family and friends who should sit near the front.

A couple of ceremony seating tips:

Reserve the first few rows for immediate and extended family (like aunts, uncles, cousins, and godparents) and other special guests (like the parents of a child attendant). Make it known that they're reserved by tying ribbons across those rows, or by using another special marker, such as flowers or name cards, to mark the seats.

Elderly guests should always be seated near the front.

Guests in wheelchairs or on crutches should sit at the end of a pew.

Have a plan for the kids. Ushers should seat families with small children near the ends of the aisles so parents have an easy escape route in case of a fussing little one.


Happy Wedding Planning!