Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sabra Dettore. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sabra, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?

YES, I absolutely vacation. In the last two years alone, I’ve flown to New York, Orlando, Kauai, Vegas, Scotland, multiple Michigan weekend getaways…and I have some future travel plans as well.
I try to find someplace with water because it’s soothing to me. But really, I love adventuring, and being immersed in other cultures and learning about the world. Discovering history and hearing the stories. Seeing the sun rise and set over a different landscape…I’m sure that this is a direct result of growing up with a parent in the Air Force. We moved every three years, and every weekend we would road trip thru the state (or country) discovering what was out there to be seen.
So, just in case you are wondering, yes, my passport is current! If you need a destination officiant, I’m your girl!
For those of you who feel like you can’t step away, you need to figure out a way to make it happen.
I don’t care how much you love what you do, when you go all in, and it consumes darn near every part of your day, you have to figure out how to create a work and life boundary.
Since that is hard for me to do at home, I schedule myself off on important days and make sure that I have at least two vacations a year in my books.
By going on a vacation,  I’m briefly disassociating from my business and focusing on recharging my happiness meter to be a better and happier celebrant.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I just turned 50 years old, and I’m having the best time of my life. I am doing something that I’m passionate about, my kids are grown, and we have amazing relationships, my husband and I have rediscovered our own relationship as a couple and not parents.
I’m volunteering, working on being healthy, and traveling across the world.
My entire life, I job hopped, there is no other way to say it. I would start a new job, excited, thinking this was the one that was going to bring me joy and make me happy. It probably did for a little while, and then it didn’t. So, I’d pick up a second or third job, doing things that would benefit myself or family with the perks, thinking one of them would be the one I’d fall in love with.
My favorite job was working for Dr. Marr as a chiropractic assistant, he was the BEST boss, more family to be honest. But once I officiated my first wedding, then really decided to put my heart into officiating more weddings, it was evident that THIS was what I was meant to be doing with my life, not verifying insurance benefits.
I talked to my husband about doing ceremonies full time, not just part time, but really focusing on being a professional officiant, and of course, he said “whatever you think will make you happy.” And so, I put in my notice and that was the beginning of my journey!
It was like the light lit up the path I hadn’t been following, and the Universe nudged me so many times to take the one I was fighting against, that when I committed fully, weddings just fell into my lap. Joy became more prominent, and I became happier. Which of course made my family happier too.
I never in a million years would have thought that I was meant to be a wedding and funeral celebrant, but here I am. Nearly 7 years in, and 520 weddings and 22 funeral services.
I love meeting clients, and then creating beautiful couple centered weddings, telling the story of my nearlyweds, making their ceremony engaging for them as well as their guests. I spend a lot of time with my clients. We do a lot of back and forth. They get a lot of homework, and it’s a lot to keep up with sometimes, for both of us, I’m sure. But what we create together is engaging, and fun, and romantic, and gives everyone, including the guests, all the feels.
I find a feeling of peace, and joy too I guess, when doing an end-of-life service. By telling the story of who someone’s loved one was, so that whoever didn’t know them well, will feel as if they were that person’s closest friend when I’m done. To give the family and mourners a place to grieve, laugh, and remember.
I am so proud of the work I’ve put into becoming Ceremonies by Sabra. The classes, Facebook lives with Elevate by Bethel, US and UK webinars, all the books, the podcasts, networking events, multiple Wedding MBA’s, joining Mark Allan Groleau’s UnBoring Academy, then completing the six-month Masters Celebrant Certificate program thru the Celebrant Academy – adding on End of Life and Life Transitions courses. Taking the InSight Celebrant Training with Glenda Stansbury.
I am an absolute sponge for learning about what fires up my soul. If what I’m learning can make me a better Celebrant, or help my couples and families, I’m on it. Thank goodness for that American Express card!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Hustle. There is no sitting still waiting for work to fall into your lap.
I started out by looking up wedding pros in my area, following them on social media, and commenting on their posts. I pass business cards out to EVERYONE. I wear t-shirts that I made up that say Wedding Officiant. I tell everyone what I do.
I send flyers in the mail, thank you cards after events, and make cue sheets for my dj’s. I get to the events early and offer to help. I listen to the other vendors and do things their way (to a point) and let them know I have their backs.
I offer an ear and a voice. If someone has a question, I want to answer it for them. I truly want everyone to succeed and feel confident.
When I first started, Mary, from the Victoria Wedding Chapel and Garden mentored me, gifted me with her knowledge, and I want to pay that forward.
Is Uncle Bob doing your wedding ceremony? Great! That’s awesome. Is he nervous? Worried about what to say and where to stand? I would love to spend a few minutes making him feel better and giving him a few tips. He’ll feel confident, the couple will be impressed, and the other vendors won’t have to worry about doing the officiants job as well as their own, and if he loves it, he can join my group!
I created a FB group for officiants in Michigan, called Michigan’s Professional Officiants. We refer to each other, ask questions, offer advice, talk about how to handle difficult situations. We’ve met for lunch a few times, had a few zoom meets. It’s just nice to know that there is a community that’s been built for fellow officiants to be themselves in and for all of us to be able to help engaged couples find the right fit.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ceremoniesbysabra.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceremoniesbysabra/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CeremoniesbySabra
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabra-dettore-660848162/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ceremonies-by-sabra-ortonville?osq=officiant
• Other: https://www.crazywisdomjournal.com/biweekly-93https://www.weddingrule.com/wedding-officiants/michigan/detroit/ https://iapwo.org/membership/united-states/michigan/brandon-township/sabra-dettore/ https://mms.lgbtweddings.com/LGBTWeddings/mem_SabraD https://www.insightbooks.com/pages/find-a-celebrant https://vibegetaways.com/sabra/

Image Credits
Mojo Photo – Melissa Arondoski Mojo Photo – Melissa Arondoski C. Trudo Photography – Courtney Trudo Ashley D’Orazio Photography – Ashley D’Orazio George Street Photography Emily Moelker Photography – Emily Moelker Robert Breish Photography – Robert Breish Eleven Photography – Brittany Stricker