MARIA RODRIGUEZ ~ Serving Niagara, Norfolk, Hamilton, Burlington & Oakville
By specializing in honouring the uniqueness of love stories, I will work with you to create a ceremony that is reflective of your authenticity, and your ceremony will be as personal and intimate as you wish. Whether it is spiritual, non-denominational or multicultural, and takes place at a winery, farm, cottage, backyard, or other non-traditional setting, it is my honour to be present with you as your officiant.
My professional background includes a Masters of Education researching mindfulness, Bachelor of Education, and Bachelor of Arts in Child Psychology. Aligning with my genuine love of connecting with people, my career has included time working in post-secondary institutions, the public library, and teaching in the public school board. I am grateful to have volunteered at an animal sanctuary, botanical gardens, and am the Executive Director of a non-profit adult learning organization.
In addition to cherishing moments with people and animals, I love hiking, fitness, road-tripping, meditation, travelling, basking in candlelight, and cooking. I find peace and enjoyment in simple pleasures, acknowledging feelings and moments as cozy, charming, and special. I grew up between Canada and Poland, and am bilingual in English/Polish. Living within the vibrancy of the Niagara Region is a dream.
My love story began when I met my husband on the school bus in high school, initially connecting as percussionists and becoming best friends. We spent four years living between Sydney, Australia and Canada. We live in a 100 year old home with our three rescue dogs and our daughter, Aurora. We are mindful of supporting Aurora in exploring her mixed-race identity and cultural roots, and are encouraging of her innate humourous free-spirit, wonder, kind heart, and grateful demeanour.
Alongside a Buddhist monk, Cathy officiated our wedding in 2018, and it is an absolute privilege to be on the CD & Co. team, collaborating with the brilliant community of wedding vendors. I look forward to connecting with you, celebrating the power of love, and helping you experience the bliss of your unique ceremony.
Testimonials
“Where do we begin….. every moment from our initial meeting to our meet at the aisle Maria was absolutely wonderful!! The entire process was so easy and being first time newly weds Maria made everything so effortless and motivating for us both. Her one of a kind personality completely embodied us both and she guided us through every step of the way. She is extremely patient, kind, free-spirited and SO genuine!! We could relate to Maria in so many ways and she just has this way of submersing you into the real reason your here. To love and to LOVE love and eachother. She is so supportive through and through. When she says ‘melt’ into eachother and forget about all the rest we lived it in its purest form. We didn’t know coming into this what we were looking for in our officiant but we connected and we were swooped into this desire to want to be so present. If you are hesitant or aren’t sure what exactly you’re looking for Maria is your girl! She is everything we could’ve imagined and then some. We are beyond grateful for this entire experience and whole heartedly loved every moment of building our ceremony and vows to say ‘I do’. In fact she just might be one of the nicest humans we’ve ever met and we take away memories to cherish for a lifetime. C+S, Vieni Estates/Lincoln”
“We had no idea where to start when it came to choosing an officiant... but we read through the bios of each person at Cathy Davis and Company and felt that Maria Rodriguez was most similar to us. Once we had our first zoom meeting... we knew we made the right choice. Maria exudes warmth and kindness. She is lively, bubbly, and upbeat, while still somehow remaining soft spoken and calm. She was communicative throughout the entire process and sent us reminders and small prompts about when to get our marriage licence, what to bring to the ceremony, and when to submit our ceremony choices. She gave input about which order tends to work best for the ceremony but left decisions up to us. I cannot express enough how much we enjoyed this process because of Maria and we would recommend her to any of our friends and family (and to strangers!) The company itself is a wonderful option for those who want input in their ceremony. For us, we did not want anything religious or overly "poetic" or overdone. We simply wanted it to reflect two best friends who fell in love - plain and simple. We were able to select readings and use specific word choices that felt like "us". We really had a great experience overall! Much love to Maria and Cathy Davis and Company. S+D, Two Sisters Vineyards/Niagara-on-the-Lake”
“We had Maria officiate our wedding and to say we were happy is an understatement! Maria radiates such positive energy, and puts her infectious enthusiasm into her work! We are truly thrilled with the outcome of our personalized ceremony, and could not give Maria higher praises. She is 100/5 stars! If we ever renew our vows we know who to call. We recommend Maria if you’re looking for someone to fill your ceremony with joy and love, and lots of smiles! We are so so happy and honoured to have worked with her. A+M, Vineland Estates/Vineland”
“I absolutely cannot recommend Maria enough as a wedding officiant!!! She went above and beyond to make our day incredibly special with a perfect ceremony thanks to her thoughtful planning, organization, passion and contagious vibrant energy. Maria truly took the time to get to know us as a couple and craft a ceremony that was so perfectly fitting for us to start our marriage. Maria even came to our rehearsal to make sure we were all on the same page and gave us the confidence that all would run smoothly. We had tears and laughs and everything in between and Maria made us feel so comfortable, aligned and present throughout the whole thing. I honestly can’t imagine our wedding day without Maria’s involvement so we are immensely grateful to have had her be a part of it! M+D, Dundas Valley Golf and Country Club/Dundas”
“I cannot say enough about Maria!! when my husband and I met her we instantly felt calm! she made us feel so relaxed during the whole process! She is a beautiful, kind person inside and out, we cannot thank Maria enough for helping us make our day perfect! G+G, Pillar and Post Gardens/Niagara-on-the-Lake”