Name my wedding officiating service

September 14, 2018 10:48 AM

I'm a Humanist Minister creating and performing weddings, funerals, baby namings, and other rite-of-passage ceremonies in New England (U.S.). My current identity/name covers all of the above. After hearing from a number of wedding vendors that the name is a buzz-kill for engaged couples, I've decided to separate out the wedding identity from the rest.

So now I need another business name. Ideally one that alludes to what I do and conveys that I'm easy going, professional, inclusive, friendly, creative, secular, and New England-based (though not mandatory because I'll travel). Must nots: nothing directed only at brides, and nothing religious. If you want more to work with, you can find the link to my current site in my profile.

Currently under consideration are:
- Modern Ceremonies: Boston
- XOXO Boston
- Well Wed Boston (A slight pun on 'well read' that might work in this academic town.)
- Modern Love Ceremonies
- Uncommon Ceeremonies
- Indie Wedding Officiant

Opinions about those, or other ideas?

posted by cocoagirl to Writing & Language (27 answers total)

Best answer: I like Well Wed, for its alliteration, and for the pun not being overpowering. Plus the word "Well" has depth (heh-heh), and has echoes of the idea of wellness. Does "Boston" need to be in there, if you're aiming for a market beyond the boundaries of the city?

What about Well Wed Officiating? (Should that have a hyphen? Someone smarter help me out.)
posted by themanwho at 11:00 AM on September 14, 2018 [10 favorites]

Readers, I'll Marry Them
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 11:02 AM on September 14, 2018 [15 favorites]

"Boston Marriage” was a term used in the 19th century and early 20th century to refer to two single women living together, independent of men. The term was originally coined in Henry James' novel The Bostonians, which told the tale of an intimate companionship between two wealthy, Boston women."

Is "Boston Marriages" too on-the-nose?
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 11:04 AM on September 14, 2018 [3 favorites]

I like Well Wed the best, by far.
posted by cakelite at 11:06 AM on September 14, 2018 [4 favorites]

And from your list- Well Wed is my preference also.

I apologize for jumping in with other names, I realize you were not asking for that.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 11:10 AM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

I would use "New England" rather than "Boston" if you feel like specifying a region. I live in Portland ME and wouldn't call a Boston-named service ever.

Of your options, I like Well Wed the best and Indie the least.
posted by donnagirl at 11:20 AM on September 14, 2018 [5 favorites]

I really like Well Wed. It stood out to me on that list.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:23 AM on September 14, 2018

Agreed, straight up Well Wed (sans Boston) is the best one.
posted by HotToddy at 11:38 AM on September 14, 2018

I think Well Wed is great, but I'm throwing in another suggestion: Boston Wed Lox. (Might need a Red Sox-inspired logo.)
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:47 AM on September 14, 2018

I like Modern Ceremonies because it doesn’t cut you out of the SEO for the non-wedding part of your offerings. However from your question I’m not sure if that’s what you want to do or don’t want to do.
posted by bleep at 12:55 PM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

However from your question I’m not sure if that’s what you want to do or don’t want to do.
Can you say why your present website is a buzzkill for engaged persons? Without that info, it's not clear how the new names will avoid that issue, whatever it is.
posted by JimN2TAW at 1:02 PM on September 14, 2018

How about Secular Ceremonies of New England?
I hate to make your name seem like you only do weddings.
posted by beccaj at 1:16 PM on September 14, 2018

Response by poster: My current name/website URL has the word 'death' in it.
posted by cocoagirl at 1:59 PM on September 14, 2018

Why not Rites of Passage?
posted by sciencegeek at 2:02 PM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

Can you say why your present website is a buzzkill for engaged persons?

I checked the link in her profile and her service is currently named Ceremonies for Life and Death. I can see the "Death" part being fine to someone looking for a memorial service officiant but a little bit of a downer to a couple in wedding-planning mode.

If you're going to separate out the wedding identity from the rest, then I really like Well Wed! It makes me think of "we'll wed" as well as "well read." But are you going to keep your current service name as well, and maintain two websites, put both names on your business cards, etc.?

(My snarky brain keeps reminding me that "wed" and "dead" rhyme and maybe there's an opportunity for a fun name there but I doubt this line of thinking will lead anywhere tasteful...)
posted by beandip at 2:02 PM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

I think "Well Wed" is super cute. As someone who was looking for (and eventually hired) a wedding officiant with a similar bent, that's the name that would have drawn my attention -- the others sound stuffy/expensive ("Modern _____" in the context of weddings makes me see $$$) or too precious.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 2:08 PM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

Could you abbreviate your current business name to "Ceremonies for Life" for this specific wedding/commitment sector?
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:13 PM on September 14, 2018 [4 favorites]

New England Hatches, Matches and Dispatches.

I liked Well Wed the best too.
posted by intergalacticvelvet at 2:37 PM on September 14, 2018 [12 favorites]

I also think shortening the current name to Ceremonies for Life is something worth considering. Death is part of life, and most of the funerals I attend are presented as "celebration of [deceased's] life."
posted by The Underpants Monster at 3:24 PM on September 14, 2018 [12 favorites]

Yes, Minister

Prime Minister

Officiant Select

Lovers Rock
posted by parmanparman at 3:26 PM on September 14, 2018

But Well Wed is also great, and would suffice.

(P.S. Autocorrect tried to change "Well Wed" to "We'll We'd.")
posted by The Underpants Monster at 3:27 PM on September 14, 2018

Bwessed Dweam Events
posted by Thistledown at 4:03 PM on September 14, 2018 [2 favorites]

You don't really need to add "Boston," I don't think. Most people who are web-searching for an officiant add the zip code to the search. Just put your geographical info in descriptive text.
posted by Miko at 5:54 PM on September 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

Another vote for Well Wed.
posted by jeather at 7:59 PM on September 14, 2018

Well Wed for the win
posted by canine epigram at 8:07 PM on September 14, 2018

Dearly Beloved Wedding Officiating
posted by Nerd of the North at 11:51 PM on September 14, 2018

Recently hired a wedding officiant. Well Wed is a great name. Adding Boston to the end to me makes it sound like you are part of a national chain or something, which is the opposite of what you are (and more importantly the opposite of what couples are looking for).

The slight pun is great - we almost hired someone who had a pun in the name of her service (until she turned out to be too woo for us personally).

Obviously your website needs to mention where you are because these searches are done locally, but it doesn't need to be in the name of the company.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 8:30 AM on September 15, 2018