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Colorado Springs Officiants + Premarital Counseling
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Woods + the Wild

5.0
(21)
best-of-weddings

Colorado Springs + all over Colorado!

Instagram

About This Vendor

Affirming and Customized Weddings

Based in Colorado Springs, CO, Woods + the Wild is a wedding officiant service. Led by celebrant Candace Woods, she specializes in helping couples to design deeply personal and affirming ceremonies. Candace’s passion is rooted in community and equity, and she hopes to craft services that are authentic to couples from all walks of life. Candace comes from a progressive Christian tradition and is a longtime ally of the LGBTQ+ community. She believes in expressing faith through service and care toward others, which led her to embark on a career in officiating. Candace is also an experienced and engaging public speaker which only adds to the inclusivity of her services. While Candace’s background is rooted in progressive Christianity, her work with Woods + the Wild is open to couples of all faiths, sexualities, and backgrounds. She is happy to help you craft a secular, interfaith, or religious ceremony with equal vigor. Candace can even lend a hand with writing your own vows. She is also available for vow renewals. Additional services include relationship growth facilitation through the PREPARE/ENRICH program, for those getting engaged, partners getting married, parents looking for new skills in parenting, and those wanting a relationship check-in! She is also an herbalist who loves the outdoors, so book her today for your hike-in elopement!

Details

Business Attributes
LGBTQ+-owned Business, Woman-owned Business
Ceremony Types
Civil Union, Commitment Ceremony, Elopement, Interfaith Ceremony, Non-Religious Ceremony, Religious Ceremony, Second Wedding , Vow Renewal Ceremony
Religious Affiliations
Christian, Protestant, Quaker, Interfaith, Pagan, Secular, Spiritual, Unitarian
Wedding Activities
After The Wedding, Newlywed Life, Getting Engaged, Premarital Counseling, Wedding, Ceremony
Awards and Affiliations
2022 Best of Weddings Winner

Woods + the Wild Reviews

Share your thoughts with other couples
Reviewed On 8/13/2022 by Tess A
As an out-of-town couple looking for a Colorado officiant, we had no clue where to start. We started with a Google search and started going through reviews hoping to find someone that felt right for us. Finding an officiant - the person respons...
ible for the most important part of your wedding day (the actual marriage!) - based on reviews is daunting. But, we were optimistic about Candance from both reviews and her website, so we took a leap of faith and reached out. And we are eternally grateful that we did. Candance was the highlight of our ceremony and made our wedding feel personal and special to us as a couple! Ahead of the wedding, Candace was responsive and incredible to work with. She dedicated multiple Zoom sessions to getting to know us as a couple and listened to what we wanted for our wedding ceremony. She allowed us to collaborate with her in the writing process and ensured that our wedding ceremony felt personal to us. As I come from a UCC background and my husband comes from a Catholic background, we were in search of guidance on how best to honor both faith backgrounds, while staying true to ourselves. Candance listened to both of our desires with respect to incorporating faith and was able to thread the needle perfectly. Candace has a wealth of knowledge, but also enjoys and is eager to research new rituals/ceremonies to fit any couple. We had a few unique ceremony requests, including one which incorporated a special moment between us and our step-daughter/daughter, as well as a unity ceremony (which was an updated twist on the wine box). Candance not only welcomed our ideas, but she helped put them on paper and make them come to life beyond what we could've imagined on our own. Her creativity and ability to capture the couple in her writing makes her one of a kind. Candace prepared and delivered a ceremony that perfectly captured our love and relationship as if she had known us for years. She always writes a few special words for her couples that she leaves a surprise, and we were touched on our wedding day to hear those for the first time. She provided us with the ceremony script afterwards so we could keep it forever. Additionally, Candance remains calm under wedding day pressure. We not only had to switch ceremony locations last minute (due to rain in the forecast), but we also inadvertently left our wedding license in our hotel room. She handled the location change with aplomb, and met us at our resort to finish the wedding license without us even having to ask. And, Candace is just a super cool person! She's someone that puts others at ease and would be fun to grab a beer with. She is relatable, professional, and one of a kind. All in all, we couldn't imagine using anyone else other than Candace as our wedding officiant, and we are so glad we did. You should to! No matter your background, Candace puts her couples first and creates a ceremony that reflects their love. No cookie cutter "I do's" with Candace as your officiant. Thanks, Candace, for all you do! We are so lucky to have found you and hope this review connects other couples like us to you.
Response from the Vendor on 08/15/2022
Thank you so much for the kindness and generosity of words here, Tess! Sending such joy to you and Scott!
Reviewed On 7/25/2022 by Kevin S
Candice was extremely punctual, extremely friendly, very kind, very polite and very helpful! Everyone at my wedding eventually came up to me and complimented our choice of officiant. Her ceremony was spot on perfect for my day.
Response from the Vendor on 07/26/2022
It was such an honor to be with you and Gary on your day in your lovely backyard! Thank you for allowing me to be with you
Reviewed On 7/17/2022 by Jessica N
Candace was incredible! She is very professional and was so flexible with us! She was just amazing! She cared about us and our family. And we are so honored to have her as our officiant. Honestly I could not have wanted anybody else.
Response from the Vendor on 07/17/2022
Jessica! What a beautiful day we had at Maroon Bells, even despite the rain and hail!!! Thank you for allowing me to be with you and Frans on that day - it was such a joy!
Reviewed On 7/15/2022 by Morgan A
Candace’s Prepare/Enrich program was such a dream to be a part of! She made us feel at ease and comfortable throughout each of the meetings. Her ability to help couples dig deeper into their partnership and shed light on foundational values thr...
oughout the program is exactly what any couple needs before, during, or after marriage (or even if you choose to not go the marriage route!) is crucial. To sum it all up: Candace is a light to be around! And we couldn’t recommend her Prepare/Enrich Program enough!
Response from the Vendor on 07/17/2022
Thank you for letting me journey alongside you and Nick on your way to marriage!
Reviewed On 7/14/2022 by Lauren T
Candace was wonderful to work with, and she made our wedding ceremony great joy. She was incredibly thoughtful and considerate when creating our ceremony, listened to what we wanted and did extra research on the side. I really appreciate the st...
eps she took to prepare for the ceremony, and how flexible she was when the weather threatened to force a last-minute change in location. Thank you for a fantastic and emotional ceremony, Candace!!
Response from the Vendor on 07/15/2022
It was so delightful to work with you and Adam! What a gem of a couple! Thank you for trusting me to update and make right for you the stefana ceremony - I loved learning about that tradition! Lots of joy to you!
Reviewed On 6/08/2022 by Alejandro Y
Candace is truly the best officiant. She officiated our wedding in May of 2022. We appreciate you taking the time to make sure that Amanda and I were truly represented in the ceremony. We could not ask for a better ceremony. We also thank you f...
or creating a safe space for those of us in the LGBTQIA+ community and appreciate the love and support you gave us through this momentous event.
Response from the Vendor on 06/08/2022
YOU TWO! It was so great to be with you on that randomly snowy weekend - your ability to flex and shift with the weather shows your capacity to be dynamic in your relationship as well and move together with what life throws your way. Sending yo...
u so much joy and care!
Reviewed On 6/05/2022 by Mariah A
Candace was amazing and so helpful! She made sure the ceremony was perfect for us and was so kind and helpful!
Response from the Vendor on 06/05/2022
What a gorgeous day at Garden of the Gods we had together! So much joy and goodness to you and Trey!
Reviewed On 5/31/2022 by Natalie R
Candace did an amazing job officiating my parent's surprise vow renewal ceremony! She was extremely easy to work with, and went above and beyond to make our vision come together better than we could have imagined!! It was a very special day we ...
will remember forever. I highly recommend Candace to anyone looking for a wedding officiant!
Response from the Vendor on 05/31/2022
It was SO much fun helping y’all pull off such a great surprise! Thanks for allowing me to be a part of that special-ness!
Reviewed On 4/22/2022 by Aspen C
Candace was amazing! She was very patient with us and wanted to help make our day as special as it felt. We were so happy to have her there and thank her dearly.
Response from the Vendor on 05/10/2022
Thank you Aspen for this kindness! It was such a joy to be with you all!
Reviewed On 4/08/2022 by shelby m
My husband and I got married just outside of Woodland Park in March, and we are SO glad that we found Candace! We wanted a secular, intimate ceremony, and Candace was able to customize everything to make it special and unique to us. She put ca...
re into understanding my and my husband's values, and our love for each other, and the final ceremony was truly beautiful. Not only was Candace skilled in crafting memorable ceremonies, but she has the logistics down, too. She was prompt in answering our questions, was flexible in her scheduling, and was proactive in her communication with us. If you want a hassle-free, memorable wedding ceremony, we can't recommend Candace enough. We are so appreciative of the role she played in making our wedding unforgettable.
Response from the Vendor on 04/08/2022
Thank you so much, Shelby, for these kind words! It was such an honor to be with you all!
Reviewed On 3/17/2022 by Elise R
Candace was great! She crafted a ceremony that truly reflected both of our values. It was great seeing her interact with our guests during the ceremony. We loved our ceremony, and our guests repeatedly mentioned how touching it was. We can't...
thank her enough for making that moment so special!
Response from the Vendor on 03/17/2022
Y’all! So grateful to have met you both and to be a little part of your very beautiful day! Thank you for the honor!
Reviewed On 3/09/2022 by Brooke L
Candace was so easy to work with and she is super nice! We loved the experience we got with her and she gave us a wonderful ceremony 🥰 highly recommend! She went above and beyond and traveled multiple hours to a place she’s never been up in th...
e mountains during a snow storm! Couldn’t have asked for a better day!
Response from the Vendor on 03/09/2022
Thank you so much, Brooke! It was such a joy to be with y'all, even on that wildly wintery day! Your love heated everything up! :)
Reviewed On 10/22/2021 by Caitlin B
Very friendly and professional. Wonderful officiant!
Reviewed On 10/04/2021 by Alisha C
Candace did an amazing job. I couldn't have asked for anything better. She listened to everything my now husband and I said we wanted and then went above and beyond. I highly recommend her. You won't be disappointed.
Reviewed On 9/14/2021 by Jack T
Candace officiated our wedding in June. She was, and is, incredible. We are a queer couple, and I am trans. She wove together a ceremony incorporating poetry, a short non-religious bible verse, and a reading from the Supreme Court decision lega...
lizing marriage equality. Everybody from our sweet queer community to our catholic aunts and uncles continues to reach out to say how outstanding the ceremony was. We felt super seen as queer people and are so grateful to Candace!
Reviewed On 7/16/2021 by Leslee S
When we first had planned on having an intimate wedding, my best friend was going to officiate. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to because of work, but we got so lucky when we found Candace! I seriously wouldn’t have had anyone else officiate. S...
he’s a huge part of what made our day so special. She has such a carefree sunny disposition, a real blessing to have for our wedding! I felt like she got a good sense of who me and my husband are, and created a ceremony that reflected that! She will always hold a special place in our hearts. She’s professional, kind, and just an all around amazing person! You cannot go wrong with having her officiate your wedding!
Reviewed On 7/11/2021 by Andrea K
Candace did a awesome job at our wedding. She was very professional, had great communication, and was fun to have at our wedding. Would definitely recommend her to anyone.
Reviewed On 6/24/2021 by Brooke G
I cannot recommend Candace enough. You will not regret using her. She MADE our wedding. Book her now. We got married 6/17 in Colorado and are from SD. I had originally hired another officiant who came recommended through Thumbtack. In early Ma...
y, the original officiant message me telling me she was moving to California and couldn't do my wedding. Naturally, I freaked out. I went on to all the wedding websites and found Candace. By some miracle, she was available. We set up a zoom and after we finished with her I started sobbing because I felt so much better about her than our original officiant and I knew it all happened for a reason. Throughout the whole process, Candace was so nice. I am super organized (neurotic :) ) and she made a schedule for me so I could make sure everyone was on the same page. She really got to know us as a couple, and her words at the wedding were SO sweet and directed towards us. I am Christian and my husband is agnostic, and she crafted a ceremony together that kept both of us/our beliefs in mind and felt good and right and meaningful. Everyone was crying. It was beautiful. I will cherish that ceremony forever in my heart. It made my wedding. It was 10x more special than the reception. If there is ANYTHING I can do for future Colorado brides, it is to recommend Candance. I seriously mean this when I say she was the best part of my wedding. I am so SO lucky our first officiant bailed on us :). Life works in mysterious ways!
Reviewed On 6/23/2021 by Jocelyn C
Candace was amazing at our ceremony! We planned everything within 2-3 weeks and she made the entire process smooth and easy for us. I felt comfortable from the initial interview to the blessing at our ceremony! I absolutely loved how she car...
ried herself and her personality fit ours so well! Definitely recommend!!!
Reviewed On 5/25/2021 by Leslie P
Candace is amazing! Not only is she a perfect officiant but a very sweet soul. We were planning our wedding from out if state during the pandemic and she made the whole process so smooth and comfortable from the initial interview to the blessin...
g at our reception. She completely tailored our ceremony to fit our personalities but even more importantly she got to know our story and incorporated that into our ceremony and vows. She was very respectful and accommodating to what we wanted and didn't want and made our special day absolutely perfect!!!!
Response from the Vendor on 05/25/2021
I'm so grateful Julie at the Carter Payne connected us, Leslie! Sending you and Scott deep joy!
Reviewed On 4/24/2021 by Allison L
Candace made our wedding so special. She gave us lots of choices in how we wanted the wedding to be set up, but she also kept the homily/message a surprise—and it was perfect. It fit us exactly, and it was beautiful and moving. Our wedding in...
cluded a straight-presenting couple, several queer and trans wedding party members, and wedding guests with a wide range of theological and political beliefs, including some very conservative family members. We had some traditional structures and some unusual requests. Candace navigated the ceremony beautifully. My favorite part of my wedding was the ceremony. It was perfect. I’m so glad we chose Candace to be a part of it.
Response from the Vendor on 05/25/2021
Your wedding was such a joy to officiate, Allison! Thank you for your kind words!

Contact Info for Woods + the Wild

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Colorado Springs + all over Colorado!
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Meet the Team

meet the owner
Candace Woods, M.Div. (she/her)
Owner
I've been working in ministry contexts my whole career and have a deep love for ritual + ceremony! I hold a Master in Divinity with a focus on Social Justice and Ethics and have been specifically trained in wedding officiating. I'm a comprehensive sexuality educator + believe in bodily wholeness. I'm ordained in the Universal Life Church, while my faith values are rooted in celebrating the wildness of the Divine and its aversion to being put in any particular box. I live in Colorado Springs with my partner, pup, chickens, + medicinal garden.

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