Come on, get happy!
While I have a number of goals when performing a wedding ceremony for couples, my main goal is to provide a service that will be remembered fondly for all the right reasons. That’s one of the reasons I like to meet and chat with a couple sometime before the actual wedding day.
When a ceremony makes a couple happy, I’m happy
KATY AND AARON
"Thank you so, so much Derek! You did a wonderful job with the ceremony and your great organization and communication made everything much smoother for Aaron and me. We really appreciated you helping us on our special day!" – Katy and Aaron (August 2023)
Photo Credit: Photography by Tanya Plonka - tanyaplonka.com, facebook.com/photography.tanya.plonka/, Instagram - @tanyaplonka
SAMANTHA AND AARON
"We were so thrilled to have you officiate our wedding and thank you so much for everything you did. I could not recommend you more!" – Samantha and Aaron Ferri - with the furry ring bearer (September 2022)
VALERIE AND GERRY
"We are happy and thankful that you were the one who helped us become husband and wife! The ceremony you prepared was fantastic and everyone enjoyed it as well." – Gerry and Valerie Prefontaine (August 2022)
ALYSSA AND JAMES
"It was amazing to have you stand with us and be such a vital part of our special day. It was an absolutely perfect day even with Liam stealing the show. A day to never forget. Thank you again for all your help, so very much appreciated." – Alyssa and James Hyde (June 2022)
CHANTEL AND COLTON
“Thanks so much, Derek. You were awesome. I loved how personal and fun it was. Thank you for the wedding card and the little ceremony book. What a sweet surprise; seriously we were both so shocked about how personal you take each wedding! Everything turned out so well. Thanks again for helping us on our big day.” – Chantel and Colin Shattler (January 2022)
NATALIE AND RYAN
"We can’t thank you enough for how smooth you made the ceremony and for helping us along the way via Skype and coffee chats. Everyone who attended had nothing but great things to say about you and how great you were. They loved your thoughtful words, humour, and genuine attitude." – Ryan and Natalie Loman (November 2021)
SANDI AND COLIN
"We cherished having your professionalism and sense of humour and received a lot of positive feedback from our friends and family for how well you kept it laid back and fun." – Sandi and Colin Davy (August 2021)
DANIELLE AND TYLER
"Thank you so much for being a part of our special day! We loved every moment of it! You made our day." – Danielle and Tyler Anderson (July 2021)
JULEE AND SHAUN
“Thank you so much for officiating our wedding. It was easy working with you and we are more than grateful for you agreeing to be part of our ceremony in these hard COVID times.” – Julee and Shaun (April 2021)
VANESSA AND SCOTT
“We are very grateful to Derek for guiding us through the process of our wedding every step of the way - from getting all the documents required of us to get married until our Big Day - during this COVID time no less!
Derek was very thorough and detailed. He also made sure that he was always available to discuss matters with us over the phone, via email or in person. When we met with him, he proved to be a man with a gentle spirit, always caring about our wishes and gave us a few laughs through his sense of humor.
We will not forget how well Derek officiated our wedding ceremony … despite the wild Lethbridge wind on that day. He even volunteered to talk to our neighbours and encouraged them to take a little break from their construction work so we could proceed with our wedding a little bit more solemnly. As a result, we gained a few more claps by the time we were pronounced husband and wife!
Thank you very much Derek! We are indebted to you for giving us the wedding of our dreams!” – Vanessa and Scott Clarke (October 2020)
STACEY AND RICK
“Derek, we thank you for being our marriage commissioner. Every step of the way we felt informed, calmed, comforted, and even loved. We felt that you made our wedding ceremony a huge success. We felt that you were part of the family. You were very polite, empathetic, humorous, and you made our wedding information a part of the program that really tied everything together. We are so happy that we chose you. Thank you so much for all your help and for being such a warm, wonderful part of our wedding.” – Rick and Stacey Williams (July 2020)
CENTAINE AND JAYME
“We can't believe it's almost been a month since we got married! In this festive season, we find ourselves feeling especially grateful to Lethbridge Wedding for officiating our wedding. It was the perfect mix of classic and nerdy, and we are so glad to have you be such an important part of our day! Thank you for helping make our wedding day the best day of our lives. We could not believe how perfect it was! – Centaine and Jayme Hlushak (November 2019)”
Photo courtesy of Idol Eyes Photography
SANDY AND CORNY
“We just wanted to say thank you so much for making our wedding ceremony exactly what we hoped it would be! We really appreciated your quick responses and sincere thoughtfulness that you put into making our wedding ceremony special. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful thanks to your touching words and we can’t thank you enough for making the most important part of our big day perfect.” – Sandy and Corny Fehr (July 2019)
RACHEL AND BRETT
“Thank you for officiating Rachel and Brett’s wedding on June 8th. We received so many compliments on the ceremony. Your sense of humour at the beginning helped ease everyone’s nerves and set the tone for a wonderful celebration to follow. Rachel and Brett wanted a ceremony that kept everyone’s attention, and you fulfilled their wish. We will definitely recommend you to family and friends who are looking for a marriage commissioner.” – Julie and Dave Boras, parents of the bride (June 2019)
MICHELLE AND CONOR SNOEK
"We truly appreciated Derek conducting our Wedding Ceremony. He was very patient and flexible in the (very) short run up to our wedding day! His passion for his role was evident in the beautiful words he chose and the warmth and dignity with which he performed the ceremony. We heartily recommend him!" – Michelle, Conor and Marlow (May 2019)
SHAYLA AND CHARLIE ROBSON
“Derek was an absolutely wonderful officiant for our wedding. From the moment I first emailed him, he was so responsive, informative and professional that I knew right away he was the perfect person to marry us. He provided everything we needed to get the legal documents in order, as well as providing reminders for what to bring (since we live in Calgary but were getting married in Lethbridge). He also was so accommodating and met us at our rehearsal so we could give him our paperwork. We didn't want to do our own vows, so we basically let Derek choose what to say, and it was just perfect. Everyone said it was a beautiful wedding, and we are so grateful to Derek for helping us make our special day just perfect.” – Shaylah and Charlie Robson (September 2018)
ROBIN AND JOSEPH
“Thank you so much for being such an important part of our wedding! It was an incredibly special day for us and we were so touched by your words. Our sincere thanks!” – Joseph and Robin (September 2018)
LANSING AND IAN
“I just wanted to say a huge thank you for making our wedding so wonderful. You were so well prepared, so well-spoken and a great fit for us. I will be sure to recommend you to anyone looking.” – Lansing Jacobson, bride (August 2018)
JASMINE AND CHRIS
“Thanks, Derek we really appreciated your professionalism and reassurance of everything going as planned. You did a great job and glad to have you as part of our day.” – Chris Jangula, groom (July 2018)
KAITLYN AND ERIC
“I just wanted to thank you again for the wonderful words that you delivered to my daughter’s wedding. You did an outstanding job. I know that is what you "do" but you managed to make it very personal and that makes all the difference. So, thank you again!!!!” – Karen Van Herk, mother of the bride (September 2017)
"I wanted to thank you so much for how wonderful of a ceremony our wedding was. You really made the day very special and it ended up so sweet and intimate. I’m so very glad we chose you to be our commissioner. Your kindness and enthusiasm really added a special spark to the day and I can’t thank you enough for everything you did." – Carollynn and Mckenna (November 2023)
"We wanted to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything you did and how easy you made this whole process. Thank you for all of the information you've given us and thank you for making the day extra special, it was perfect for us." – Brock and Nicole Campbell (October 2023)
"Derek, thank you so much for being a part of our day! You were phenomenal and we can’t recommend you enough!" – Kyle and Cheyenne Brown (September 2023)
"Thank you, again, for everything. We appreciate it. We were so grateful to have you here. You really formulated an incredible ceremony! It flowed beautifully. " – Diandra and Ryan (September 2023)
"Thank you so much for being a part of our day. You were so helpful from the very beginning and you made everything run smoothly for us. Our families were all telling us how wonderful you were and we couldn’t agree more. We were so lucky to have you there! " – Jay and Christina Merkley (July 2023)
“ ‘It was the nicest wedding I’ve been to’ was the recurrent comment from guests at our wedding. Derek made everyone feel relaxed during the ceremony and his words were well spoken and beautiful which made the day even more special. Thanks Derek for being part of our special day. You listened to our story and incorporated all the elements into our wedding. You made the ceremony personal, fun and romantic which was perfect. We couldn’t have been happier with you as our officiant. We highly recommend Derek to anyone looking for a wedding officiant for their ceremony.” – Alex and Kasey Oblas (May 2023)
"We greatly appreciate all of the helpful information you have provided, consistently answering our questions before we think to ask them. Thank you also for doing a tremendous job for us. You gave us exactly the ceremony we wanted, and we could not be happier. We feel very fortunate to have found you as our officiant." – Jason and Christine Ellis (April 2023)
“Derek was absolutely fantastic. Not only did he take the time to meet with us, and prepare us for our special day, he was lighthearted, professional, and funny. Derek was incredibly organized and was a fantastic lead to our wedding ceremony. I would strongly recommend Derek to support you through your special day. He is reliable, knowledgeable, and was wonderful to work with.” – Doug and Melissa Horsburgh, (October 2022)
"Derek, it was so perfect! I was so nervous but you made me feel at ease and comfortable! We can't thank you enough!" – Kash and Brae Shade (October 2022)
"Derek thank you so much for being such a great officiant. You truly made our ceremony! From all the little touches about the venue itself and everything else, it was magical! Thank you for helping us as we had no idea what we were doing! I got a ton of compliments about you from the guests!" – Danny and Riley Stauffer (September 2022)
"Derek explained the process very well, had a lot of great pre-wedding information and ensured we were happy with everything. Derek, we couldn't be happier with how everything went at our wedding ceremony. We received a lot of comments that the ceremony was perfect! Thank you again for marrying us!" – Ashley and Stefan Lenz (August 2022)
“Thank you so much for performing our wedding ceremony. From the planning through to the big day, you took the time to get to know us, to understand what we wanted, and to incorporate it into a memorable ceremony. You answered all our questions, even those last-minute ones. You were professional, sincere, thorough, and humorous. So many commented on how great the ceremony was, and what a superb job you did as commissioner. Thank you for a ceremony we will always cherish.” – Pat and Dave Martin (August 2022)
"We were both so happy with the wedding. Our guests enjoyed the ceremony so much and had lots of compliments about you! You made our day so special and we can't thank you enough!" - Tracy and James Hrenyk (August 2022)
"Thank you so much for officiating our wedding! It was a beautiful ceremony, a perfect venue, and everyone (dogs included!) had a wonderful time celebrating with us! Thank you for all your help and the information you’ve provided, Shaun and I both are so appreciative." – Shaun and Megan Hart (July 2022)
“Thank you so much for officiating our wedding. We can’t thank you enough for taking the time beforehand to sit down with us and get to know us to personalize our ceremony. We really appreciated your quick responses and willingness to answer any questions before the wedding. You made the ceremony run very smoothly and took the time to check in with us before the ceremony started. Thank you for being a part of our special day.” – Amanda and Lane Reurink (June 2022)
"Thank you so much for performing our ceremony for us, you did an amazing job, we couldn’t have been more pleased.” – John and Marcia Baugh (April 2022)
"Thank you so much for marrying us. It was the perfect ceremony and we couldn’t have asked for a better wedding!!” – Tara Daley and Josh Montgomery (March 2022)
“Thank you so much for making our day painless and fun it really was a wonderful ceremony.” – Danielle and Albany (September 2021)
"Thank you so much – you did an absolutely perfect job! We had so many compliments about you from our family and friends – as we knew we would! You are such a calming presence which was very important to me because that helped my nerves immensely. And everyone loved the wine box ceremony. Just can’t thank you enough! The day was everything we could have dreamed and more.” – Emma Petty and George de Graaf (August 2021)
"Thank you so much for marrying us! We had so many comments on how well done it was and how beautiful the words were. They were clear and easy to understand. It was very special for us, so thank you again." – Sherry and Ralph Zentner (July 2021)
"Thank you so much, Derek. It was an honour to have you as our officiant and we were thrilled and satisfied with the ceremony. You did an excellent job." – Tracy and Dan Arthurs (July 2021)
"Thank you for performing our ceremony. You gave it the dedication and dignity it needed. If someone is ever looking for a wedding officiant, your name will be the first I call upon." – Ryan and Kendra Radley (July 2021)
“Thank you so much for the great job you did! We felt so comfortable, and I’ve had a lot of people tell me they really enjoyed what you had to say.” – Brianna and Cohen Hickerty (July 2021)
“Both Jordan and I, want to say a huge thank you to you. You did an amazing job!! And thank you so much for the card as well. You helped make our day special. Thank you very much.” – Caley and Jordan Reid (July 2021)
“Derek, thank you so much! We had such an amazing day and you did such a wonderful job. My mom was beyond impressed and loved every second of the ceremony! I really appreciate everything you did to make the day go so well. Thank you for everything.” – Taylor and Michael Hoetmer (October 2020)
“We appreciate all of the clarity you provided to the whole process and making it stress-free! We wouldn’t have had it any other way." – Logan and Marie Oxley (September 2020)
“This was truly a perfect day. Everyone enjoyed your warm service, from beginning to end. We will always hold this day close to our hearts. Everything went as planned and much more. It was a pleasure to have shared this celebration with you. Caroline and I wish you all the best as well." – Istvan and Caroline Benyi (August 2020)
“We just wanted to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the beautiful ceremony and helping make our dream and vision come together. Your words were perfect and truly captured our feelings.” – Liam and Mina Leinweber (August 2020)
“Tex and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts! You made our day special! Our day was perfect!” – Tex and Julie Brotherwood (June 2020)
“We didn’t get a chance to thank you yesterday before you left. But we wanted to say thank you. We received so many compliments about How great the ceremony was and how great you were as the marriage commissioner. It was exactly what we wanted and we are extremely grateful.” – Michele and Tyler Wright (February 2020)
“Thank you so much for your role in our special day. Without you, it would be all for not! We appreciate how easy you were to work with and we knew you were ‘it’ the first time we met you.” – Taunya and Gord Pickles (December 2019)
“We just wanted to thank you for a beautiful ceremony. It was exactly what we wanted with a perfect blend of humour and sentiment. You knocked it out of the park! Everyone commented on how nice it was. Thank you again for making it so personal and special for us. Also, your tie was great!” – Terri Davis and Daryl Dick (December 2019)
“When we first met with Derek to discuss our upcoming wedding, we were so impressed with how organized and professional he was. There was far more to this whole getting married thing than we expected! He was personal, professional and such a pleasure to work with! We couldn't recommend him enough! Derek, thank you for helping make our day one of the most special in our lives!” – Jenna and Hugo Schenkel (October 2019)
“We just wanted to thank you again for the truly beautiful ceremony, we loved every second of it. You did such a wonderful job and really made it memorable for us.” – Sarah and Jesse Smith (September 2019)
“We didn’t get a chance to thank you for the beautiful ceremony you put on. It was by far the best ceremony we have ever been to (and that’s not even a biased opinion). You were so great! We loved how you included our baseball theme. Thanks again!” – Jessi and Duran Matson (August 2019)
“We just wanted to thank you for making our ceremony so perfect! Jeff and I loved everything about it. And the card was lovely. You are really great at what you do!” – Nicole and Jeff Lastuka (July 2019)
“Thank you for being our marriage officiant and for your help with the rehearsal. We were very happy with how smoothly our ceremony went, and we are thankful for everything you did to make our day memorable.” – Michelle and Dustin Smith (July 2019)
“We cannot express how thankful we are to have had you as our officiant today. You made today that much more special with your kind words, guidance and support. The advice and help leading up to today was truly above and beyond and we thank you again for everything you have done!” – Michelle and Tona Pitt (June 2019)
“Just wanted to say a big thank you for Saturday. Our day was super special and couldn’t have been special without you!” – Brianna and Cori Evenson (April 2019)
“I don’t think I had a chance to say goodbye after the ceremony, that was a total blur, so I don’t think I was able to tell you how insanely appreciative we are of you, and how you made our very special day so EASY and so beautiful. Thank goodness you left us a copy of the ceremony otherwise I don’t think I would have remembered anything you/we said! But reading it again a few days later once the excitement had settled in a little, made my heart swell with happiness. Everything you wrote was perfect! Thank you for making the whole process easy and stress-free and being so lovely and kind – your warmth and words were the perfect reflection of what we wanted to convey and share with everyone on that day.” – Catherine Roth, bride (August 2018)
“Now that life has returned to normal, just wanted to take a moment to thank you again so much for everything! Your light-heartedness and easy-going personality helped make our day truly special! It was a perfect day and you played a huge role in making that happen. Thank you again for all you did for us!!” – Melanie Gregson, bride (July 2018)
“Thank you for an amazing ceremony. It was everything I was hoping for.” – Lacey Gustafson, bride (July 2018)
“Derek Bly was our officiant for our small intimate ceremony on June 10, 2018, on the top of a coulee in the wind. We couldn’t have asked for a better person to speak for us, He spoke with warmth, sincerity and made our daughter a part of the vows which really meant a lot to us and her! It was truly a wonderful and memorable experience. Derek also added some laughter in between that was great. I would recommend Derek whether your wedding is small or big he definitely has a gift for it!!” – Samantha and Will Trafton (June 2018)
“We just wanted to say thank you again for everything. And for stepping in on such short notice! The ceremony was beautiful and you did such an excellent job. It was light and joyous and it went so smoothly!” – Erin and Taylor (May 2018)