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Cortney Pasternak
Cortney Pasternak is licensed by the Registrar General of Ontario and the Ontario Humanist Society to provide Humanist (similar to civil or legal) marriage ceremonies in Ontario (though she is happy to officiate at many other life cycle events as well). She has been screened and trained by the Ontario Humanist Society, which is a vibrant, dynamic and growing organization. More about Cortney →
Author Archives: admin
More Couples Signing Prenuptial Agreements
According to this article, more millennials are signing prenups before getting married pre-nuptial agreements. While I have heard couples avoid the topic of pre-nups due to the fact that they feel unromantic — particularly if you are planning a wedding … Continue reading
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Mindfulness for your Wedding Day
There is increasing research around the use and benefits of Mindfulness in couples therapy and in marriage more broadly. Consider this article by Gottman trained therapist Tori Parker. While Mindfulness is not just about meditation, meditation can help couples connect … Continue reading
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Tagged humanist officiant, mindful marriage, mindfulness
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Talking Before Walking Down the Aisle: The Benefits of Pre-Marital Counselling
While it has rarely happened in my work as a Humanist Officiant, according to US research, approximately 15 percent of couples do break off their engagements, even if they are close to their wedding dates. One couple I knew who … Continue reading
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Tagged counseling, counselling, divorce, engagement, humanist officiant, pre-marital counselling, premarriage counseling, weddings
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Humanist Weddings: No Negotiating Gender Equality
A fellow Marriage Officiant recently shared a story with me about a couple who called off the wedding with just over a month to the big day. In this case, the bride had confessed that she had become unhappy because, … Continue reading
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Tagged gender equality, humanist officiant, humanist wedding, jewish weddings, marriage ceremony, rituals, vows, wedding
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The “Perfect” Marriage Proposal: Spectacle versus Meaning?
I have written a fair bit in past blogs about the pressure couples (and brides in particular) face, from media and Hollywood to have the so-called perfect wedding (which doesn’t exist by the way). The stress of it all can … Continue reading
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Tagged engagement, humanist officiant, marriage proposal, promposal, proposal
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Bridezilla? Not me!
An acquaintance recently shared what she characterized as a nightmarish experience as a bridesmaid for one of her best friends. In her words, the bride’s expectations, which included five shopping and fitting expeditions, were unreasonable — both on her time, … Continue reading
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Tagged bride, bridesmaid, bridezilla, wedding, wedding ceremony
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What do people really want at the end of their lives?
The quieter season for weddings in Canada is upon us. I find it is a good time to reflect on the many beautiful Humanist weddings I officiated this past summer. I’m always comforted by the couples, who, in the collaborative … Continue reading
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Tagged death, humanist officiant, Humanist weddings, life passages, marriage
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Wedding Day Music – Choose What Moves You!
The last time I heard the song “Here Comes the Bride” played at a Toronto Area Wedding or West GTA wedding I officiated, it was several years ago and the bride had a 5 year old relative play it on … Continue reading
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Tagged CBC, humanist officiant, humanist wedding, wedding music, wedding songs
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“Performing” the Perfect Newlywed – Divisive Directives
With the wedding season in full swing I thought I’d return to a topic I began to address some months ago. As a Humanist Officiant who officiates weddings in the beautiful and multicultural cities of Toronto and Hamilton I was … Continue reading
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Tagged humanist officiant, marriage fraud, wedding
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