Liesa, pronounced Lee-sah like Lisa, is animated, witty, and deliberate. Her husband describes thinking on her feet as her superpower: she can move the pieces where they need to go, get things done, and usually has a Plan B tucked into her pocket.

She is especially at home with couples who know what feels right for them and are not overly attached to formality. Liesa believes marriage is profoundly important, but also genuinely exciting. You found the person you never get tired of, you get to marry them, and then everyone you love gathers to celebrate. Wedding rings are essentially couture friendship bracelets. That is pretty rad.

Her own wedding was a surprise. Liesa and her husband invited everyone to a backyard party celebrating her college graduation and their engagement. When their family and friends arrived, they discovered they were actually attending the wedding: low-pressure, personal, and tremendous fun.

Liesa describes an officiant as the closed captioning for a ceremony: there to give language to what the couple wants to say without competing for the spotlight. She hopes they remember that the ceremony felt entirely about them and that, as they exchanged vows, they felt like the only two people in the room.

Couples including a dog in the ceremony will earn immediate bonus points.