Rev Chris Mohr Foothills Chapel organizes Fact Caravan for bridal consultants

Rev Chris Mohr of Foothills Chapel just organized an incredibly beautiful "Fact Caravan" for members of the Association of Bridal Consultants. 13 of us went to 8 great wedding venues. My friend Hardy Klahold took some amazing photos... unbelievable, really check these out athttp://hardyklaholdphotography.com/blog/2011/01/factcaravan/

Rev Chris Mohr: Belated Holiday Card

Here's a belated holiday card for y'all from Rev Chris Mohr at Foothills Chapel:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/18057681/xmas2010.pdf

Happy New Year!

New Year's Resolutions for Brides

Brides often make New Year's resolutions (any time of the year!) because they envision a new "me" to go along with their new life. Here are some tips to make those resolutions stick:

Tips for Effective Resolutions

We sometimes make resolutions and then fail to keep them. Sometimes this repeated experience can make us feel a sense of futility. And yet we also long to change, and we continue to sense a more magnificent life we could be living- if only we could shift but a few habits. Here are a few tips that can help you shape resolutions that can succeed. #1 Make it directional The key is to understand that all our progress is directional. If we want to make real changes we need to mentally map the terrritory between where we are now and where we want to be- in order to discern a next step that will stick. Couch Potatos would do well with resolving to exercise for even just 5 minutes a day. What seems ridiculously do-able is what provides the traction for actual change. If we can make 5 minutes happen, consistently, it can easily and naturally grow into more. And despite what we think, that 5 minutes will initially take an heroic effort. #2 Make it specific and tie it to something specific A vague resolution will be an even thinner cloud of nothing in a few weeks. We have to make a real gameplan. Make the action specific and tie it into an already specific routine. "Right after I brush my teeth I will do 5 yoga stretches" has a far greater chance of success than "everyday I will exercise for 5 minutes". #3 Plan support A well chosen buddy is one of the best ways to support a new habit. Don't pick your fiance if their well intentioned help will feel like nagging. Ask a reliable friend if you can report your progress for 30 days- the time it takes to form a new habit. (Maybe they have a new '5 minute habit' you can support for them too). Call or email your friend after you've done the 5 yoga sun salutions. In other words, find a way that you can be held lovingly accountable for your follow through. #4 Change your mind Ultimately, our identity is our identification. The more we can shift our self perception the faster and deeper the change can take root. Begin to think of yourself as one who loves to exercise. Loosen your identification with the slug who loves the couch. #5 Affirm the new reality Add affirmations to your new habit. Just before or after your 5 minutes of exercise repeat an affirmation such as "I am healthy and strong. I am filled with vitality". Affirmations are most effective when they are repeated first loudly- to get the mind's attention, then more softly, to sink in deeper. Finally, say the affirmation just mentally, but hold your attention at the point of concentration between the eyebrows. #6 Be kind with yourself No one can stick with a program if its run by a tyrant. Every time you fail refuse to berate yourself AND refuse to give up. Give yourself loving encouragement. Be patient and persistent and you will win over your inner slugs and saboteurs. If you can follow these simple suggestions you will be on your way to a new way of being with yourself. When we cultivate will power and persistence in even one tiny area of our lives, we gain a power that can be applied to ever larger domains. Remember that our real accomplishment in life is the mastery of ourselves.

Transitions like weddings

Take time to adjust to transitions! Marriage is a huge transition. Whatever big changes are happening in your life, take it is easy, go slow, and give yourself and people around you time to adjust. It's not a time for impatience!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's to a blessed Thanksgiving for all... a favorite holiday of mine, just to pause and be grateful! A great saint once said gratitude alone is enough to take you all the way to God. I'm so grateful for my incredible wife, my sweet cat, my family and friends, great music, inspiring mountains, my wedding chapel and all the wonderful couples who come here to have their wedding, my freedoms... I could go on and on. The Thanksgiving feast ain't half bad either... Rev Chris Mohr

How Much Time Do You Need for a Wedding?

Brides often have no idea how long a wedding takes at Foothills Chapel. A lot depends on how many people are coming. If you have between 30 and 120 people, you can get by with 2 hours at a wedding chapel. Come with your hair and makeup already done and delegate everything to friends and family so you can get into your dress and do final touches in 30 minutes. Leave 35 minutes for the minister wedding ceremony (starting 5 minutes late, 5 minutes to process in, 15-20 minutes for a simple ceremony, five minutes to march out) and 15 minutes for the guests to leave. That leaves about 40 minutes for pictures and your two hours is up.

That's a little tight but it can be done. With a time block of two and a half hours you can have more prep time and a little time for pictures with you and the bridesmaids as well as the groom and his buddies beforehand. Three hours is really comfortable. More than that and your photographer will just waste time and your guests will get antsy waiting for you!

With 10-30 people and a very short wedding ceremony, maybe you can get by with only 90 minutes. The one-hour wedding time frame is for brides who come dressed and ready to go (no dressing room), with 10 guests or less. It's hard to pull off and be at all relaxed!

We normally rent the wedding chapel for six hours if there is also a reception happening in our wedding banquet room. That's just one hour to get ready, 75 minutes for the ceremony and pictures, 90 minutes for dinner and cake, 30 minutes for toasts and the first dances, 90 minutes or so to mingle, and 30 minutes to knock down and go home.

Visit http://www.foothillschapel.com for more information.

Couple visits Foothills Chapel after five years

Congrats Dottie and Jean on your fifth anniversary! They'll be visiting the chapel where they got married as part their anniversary celebration. They have a kid and a second one on the way. Can't wait to see you all!