Interview with West Valley Wedding Association

Jody Serey of Spirit and Light is one of the founding members of the West Valley Wedding Association. Located in Glendale, Arizona, Jody is available for non-religious and religious weddings, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, memorial services and funerals, and other observances and celebrations.
Jody founded Spirit and Light in 2001. She has won the Brides’ Choice Award for several years running, including 2011. Her complete services typically run from $150 to $200. She particularly enjoys officiating smaller events because “they tend to be more focused, intimate, and rooted in priorities that I can support with both written text and emotional conviction. Therefore, I try to keep my fees affordable so that almost anybody can secure the services of an officiant who is trained, literate, and really does give a rip about what is going on.”

In addition, Jody says her wedding officiant services set her apart in the Valley because “I do not use templates, and each ceremony is created for a particular couple or occasion. The service I provide is uniformly high quality, personal, and professional, regardless of the size of the gathering or the circumstances that have brought us all together.”

For Phoenix area brides who are looking to incorporate some sort of unity ceremony in their wedding, Jody has experience performing sand ceremonies, unity candle ceremonies, hand bindings, rose ceremonies (to honor or thank guests or family members), wine ceremonies, and a variety of other observances and rituals. She can also assist in creating an original commemoration for a particular occasion.

When asked about what trends she sees for fall 2011 and spring 2012, Jody stated, “I see a trend away from over the top displays of ‘edginess’ and a return to more meaningful, memorable observances.”

When asked what she advice she would offer to a couple making a life commitment, Jody recommends, “Keep your ceremony simple, tender, and worth remembering. It is so much more than just a momentary delay until you can get to the party and the reception.”

Jody’s passion for creating personalized wedding ceremonies shows in her work. She also believes it is important that both the wedding officiant and the couple believe they are a good fit for each other. She added, “Every wedding day is remembered. I want my couples to remember theirs for the right reasons.”

Contact information:
Email: jody@spiritandlight.net
Address: 7413 West Oraibi Drive, Glendale, AZ 85308
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/spiritandlight?ref=sgm
Blog: http://spiritandlight.blogspot.com/
Phone: Office, 623-561-0240; Cell, 623-451-0834

The Selection Process -- It's a Two-Way Street

When I first became a wedding officiant, I accepted almost every invitation to officiate that was extended to me. It never occurred to me to decline a request, and I almost never did, unless there was a scheduling conflict involved. However, over the years I have learned that if the little voice in my head says "run like the wind," I politely decline a wedding and go on with my life.

The times that I fought my own instincts were memorable. In most instances, I had hoped that my misgivings would be proven wrong, but they never were.

I am much more careful these days. I have found that my own perference is for smaller, lower profile weddings. I still do many large, fancy weddings -- but I often feel like a prop in somebody's Broadway production. If I catch a whiff ahead of time of anything resembling an upcoming episode for reality television, I try to suggest another officiant with more love of show business than I possess.