Radar

FROM EXCHANGING VOWS on a Ferris wheel to a bride flying in on a helicopter, Cathy Davis has seen every kind of wedding ceremony in the Niagara Region since she started working as a wedding planner and then became an officiant 12 years ago.

Social media, she says, has intensified her industry. “Pinterest and Instagram have blown up weddings! It’s always evolving. [It’s] very hard to keep up with all that, but it’s part of the job.” People from all over the world travel to Niagara to get married, drawn to its Instagram-calibre wineries and inns and to the huge network of vendors that have set up in the region. But prior to launching her business venture, Davis noticed that many officiants were not evolving with the wedding industry. “I was seeing the same officiants coming in every time…opening their book and going…‘John and Mary, we’re here today, blah, blah, blah.’ Same exact ceremony. I wasn’t seeing a lot of meaningful, personalized ceremonies.” On offer on the Cathy Davis & Company website are resources to help couples customize a wedding ceremony to their specifications and preferences. Davis’s business has grown to include nearly 30 officiants who speak various languages and perform a wide range of ceremonies, including funerals. For weddings, it’s not about just the vows. A good officiant ensures that the ceremony runs smoothly, from start to finish, and always has a tissue at hand for a teary bride or groom. And given her extensive network, Davis knows all the best vendors in the sector, so couples can put their trust in her team, relax and enjoy their wedding day to the fullest. It doesn’t matter if the wedding is big or small, elaborate or not. Davis views the officiant’s job as an honour. “It’s like [having] a superpower, right? By the authority given to me by this province, I declare them [married]! It’s a privilege.”