Happy anniversary, to us! That’s right, y’all, Central Ceremonies is twenty years old. It’s hard to believe, but wow – do we have so many things to celebrate! But, as anybody knows, before the celebrating begins, we must reflect on these past twenty years and all our experiences encompassed in that time. Why, this almost sounds like marriage anniversaries, right?
Over these past twenty years we have learned so much from the people we’ve met along our journey. Let’s start with our own little business. When we started, Veronica Anderson owned the business, and she trained Sarah. When Veronica moved out of state, Sarah became a “lonely- only.” Sarah quickly learned what Veronica already knew: we are better together. So Sam Riccobene joined Sarah, followed by Carolina Treviño and Cam Burton
And just as marriages grow and change in surprising ways, twenty years later, guess what? Veronica is back! and rejoining Sam and Cam, while Carolina embarks on new adventures in a church setting. So, while time has seen us grow as both individuals and as a team, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to excellence and top-notch service, as well as to each other. Central Ceremonies is no hobby or side-hustle for us. Central Ceremonies is our job, our vocation, and our priority!
We’ve also learned so much from our colleagues as we’ve grown up alongside Austin. Why gosh, we all remember when you could get to Dripping Springs in 25 minutes (yes, really!), and when Bastrop was not the surrounding area! These memories make us laugh, and also bind us to each other. If there is one thing we can say about the Austin Wedding Industry, it is this: we are a collegial group. Even now, as we’ve grown, there is a general attitude of looking out for each other, and helping each other. The commonwealth mentality that makes a marriage thrive also makes our wedding industry thrive. Lucky us!
And finally, we’ve learned so much from you! When we started, Gen X was marrying, and ceremonies were pretty straight-forward and simple. Now? We marry millennials and even the first members of iGen/Gen Z.
To meet the changing needs of our clients, we, too, changed how ceremonies are designed and customized. We hand-write elements of every ceremony now. We adore this process as our clients teach us about intimate relationship just as much as we teach them. More and more we stay in touch with our clients, sharing not just their weddings, but also participating in other life events. We’ve blessed babies as they joined families. We’ve buried loved ones and grieved with our clients. We’ve ushered in resurrection – of marriages, of friendships, and the earth. We’ve even created new rituals for particular needs and desires of our clients. And in participating in each of these rituals, there is a mutual blessing and a mutual binding that continues to astound and amaze us. Indeed, we are far greater than the sum of our parts.
We never imagined how rich and rewarding these past twenty years would and could be for us. We never could have dreamed how such an interesting little wedding service could have and would have and did change us all for the better. So, here we are at this threshold moment with so much to celebrate. We are grateful and thankful for all of you. We are better for you, and even now, as we turn towards the next twenty years, we know we can only do it alongside you.
After all, it’s not just about weddings around here . . .
Sarah has been crafting custom weddings for couples of all kinds since 1999. Sarah is a Ravenclaw, and loves mythology, historical fiction, hot tea, and cycling of all sorts. She is an ordained minister who believes in coloring outside the lines. Sarah has been married to her best friend, Joe, since 1994. Together, their greatest treasures are their two children and the marriage they’ve worked hard to cultivate.