Fort Oglethorpe resident Sally Collins, owner of A Beautiful Celebration in East Brainerd, officiates wedding ceremonies, both traditional and non, making what is usually a stressful day as worry-free as possible.
Sally Collins shows her customers past weddings she has overseen at her business, A Beautiful Celebration.“I basically set up everything for them,” said Collins, who can officiate and organize weddings of any denomination and size. “They just have to get a license and show up.”
Collins specializes in everything from traditional church-style weddings to elopements. She can meet couples anywhere in Chattanooga or the surrounding area for spur-of-the-moment ceremonies. Behind her office on Lee Highway, Collins has a gazebo that is a scenic spot for an elopement. She also has a wedding package called “Meet Me at the Courthouse” that is self-explanatory.
Collins said she once officiated a wedding at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for a young soldier who flew in from Iraq to marry his fiancée in the terminal. He then ate lunch with his new bride and flew back to Iraq a few hours later. She also arranged an elopement ceremony in Chattanooga for two Belgium residents who flew in to be married and then flew home again.
“I have noticed that in general the wedding industry is down and that people are wanting more intimate ceremonies,” Collins said. “That’s when they come to me. I’m here from the moment the contract is signed to when they leave. I know where every rose petal goes.”
Collins collaborates with local vendors and photographers to create a wedding package that fits the couple perfectly in price and feel. A current trend in weddings is for a small ceremony attended by only immediate family, followed by a large celebration for extended family members and friends.
“I have a package I have put together with everything except for the dress that is $6,000, including my services,” Collins said. “For a while weddings were glitzy and blingy, but now they seem to be more earthy. A lot of brides are ‘green’ conscious.”
For the first time, Collins said she has had brides approach her to collect the flowers used in the ceremony for their compost heap. Most brides also prefer to keep the disposable goods to a minimum, choosing reusable utensils and eco-friendly accessories like decomposable confetti.
“Because I offer so much, they can pick all my services or pick and choose those services that apply to them,” she said. “We sit down and construct from scratch a plan for their wedding. They are only paying for services they need.”