AMM Officiant Feature: From La France to La Big Apple!

We hope you are all enjoying a nice lie-in this weekend, and have a moment to read this very special tale of an international AMM Minister who traveled across the Atlantic to perform marriage here in the United States. (Now would be an excellent time to sip on a cafe au lait, accompanied by a croissant!)
 
We don’t have many international ministers simply because our ordinations are recognized within the United States, and although anyone can become ordained with American Marriage Ministries no matter where they live, it’s just easier if you live here in the US. International officiants have to travel here in order to legally perform marriage – which is expensive, time consuming, and requires additional planning and legal formalities.
 
But that didn't stop Alexandra Habemont, an ambitious and bright destination wedding planner of Once Upon a Time in France, from realizing her dream of performing marriage in New York City.
 
We had some friendly, informative exchanges via email when she applied for ordination last year, and boy, were we tickled when she actually showed up at our booth at Wedding MBA in Las Vegas and introduced herself to us! We had a wonderful time talking to her and learning of her plans to perform a winter ceremony for a couple in Central Park, and well - we’ll let her tell the rest of her own story. Here’s what happened, in her words (because we can hear her saying this in her très adorable French accent and it's about the sweetest thing in the world), accompanied by several photos she provided:

"As a French destination wedding planner I plan wedding in Bordeaux (France), New York City, and now Las Vegas. My dream having always been New York, I decided to integrate American Marriages Ministries to be allowed to perform wedding in New York - as I did in December 29th, with a lovely couple from Corsica! Marie Josée and Alain, with Alain's two kids.
 
It was my first ceremony as a legal ordained minister.
 
The ceremony took place in Lady Pavilion in Central Park. I took care of each details - marriage license, etc. and came with them to the City Clerk the day after to validate the marriage in France.
 
It was an amazing experience; I wrote a personalize ceremony for them. I was afraid to cry because it was so emotional but no I stayed a professional minister. ;)"
 
 

a Central Park wedding, officiated by AMM minister Alexandra Habemont

a Central Park wedding, officiated by AMM minister Alexandra Habemont

Behind the scenes of a Central Park wedding, officiated by AMM minister Alexandra Habemont

Magnifique, Alexandra! Bravo! Not only is Alexandra charming, engaging, and enthusiastic, but we are incredibly impressed with her professionalism and going the extra mile (no, quite literally - make that 4,000 extra miles!) to register at the New York City clerk's office, perform the ceremony in Central Park, and even in taking all the steps to make sure the couple's marriage is legally recognized in their home country of France. 
 
Merci beaucoup, Alexandra, for taking the time to share your experience with us. It means so much to us, and we are genuinely thrilled that we made such a meaningful ceremony possible - all the way from France.

On that note - and if you’re still sipping on that coffee! - you might also find our article on destination weddings an interesting read, which touches on several of the issues Alexandra had to consider when planning this couple’s destination wedding.