‘The ideal wedding ceremony is the one with atmosphere.’
With my years of experience, I create a collection of moments and memories that make an unforgettable wedding day!
Special! Unique!
Hi!
My name is Maya Petkova and I am a ceremony host and special-events planner.
I have been a wedding celebrant since 2014, working mainly in Bulgaria and Canada. This is the reason why most of my weddings are bilingual.
I hold a degree in Journalism and mass communications, and also in Bulgarian folk dance choreography.
When I decided to devote all my time to the wedding industry, I was working for three large international companies at the same time. After 17 years, I told myself that corporate world could go on without me and left it. I have been living in wedding world since then.
I am often asked what exactly happens during the ceremony. Long, but favourite topic!
For all of you who are currently here in my space, I will say that each of the ceremonies I host is personal and unique. First, because this is your Love Story, and, last but not least, I am the author of the scripts of my ceremonies - from the first letter to the last. This brings that natural and solemn atmosphere that everyone tries to achieve.
Step into the magic of love, beautifully captured – from the dreamy shores of Lake Como to the very heart of Bulgaria.
A Few Things About Me
Over 800 ceremonies since 2014
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of standing beside more than 800 couples on one of the most important days of their lives. That journey has taught me to read between the lines—to truly understand not just what couples want, but what they feel. That’s how I create ceremonies that are not only beautiful to witness, but deeply personal and full of soul.
I see ceremony as a form of art
For me, a wedding ceremony isn’t a checklist—it’s a canvas. And the script? That’s the brushstroke. Every word, gesture, and pause is chosen with intention, drawn from your story and what makes you you. The result is a one-of-a-kind experience that looks, feels, and sounds like no one else’s.
Three languages, one shared moment
I lead ceremonies in Bulgarian, English, and German—not just for the sake of fluency, but to make everyone feel included and at home. Language is a bridge, and on a day all about connection, I make sure no one is left on the other side.
No folder, no clipboard—just presence
I don’t read. I connect. Everything I say is prepared, memorized, and spoken with presence—so I can be fully there, in the moment, with you and your guests. It’s a small thing that makes a world of difference.
I don’t recite—I create atmosphere
This isn’t about telling a story. It’s about inviting people into it. I don’t stand up and read a love letter—I build a space where emotion breathes, where the air shifts, and where even the quiet moments speak volumes.
Custom unity heirloom
The heirlooms I create aren’t props. They’re poetry in object form—crafted to symbolize a couple’s bond and carry it forward through time. Each one is a blend of tradition and personal meaning, designed to become part of your family’s story. To date, I’ve created over 15 unique unity heirlooms, each with its own soul.
Music as an emotional thread
Every ceremony I lead is scored like a film—because music shapes feeling. I personally curate and direct the music for each ritual, making sure every note aligns with the emotion of the moment. It’s not just background—it’s the pulse of the ceremony.
The Ideal Ceremony
It’s not about the backdrop.
Not about the grand entrance.
Even if everything looks straight out of a movie—that’s not the heart of it.
The ideal ceremony has feeling.
A spark in the voice.
Laughter that catches you off guard.
Eyes that hold a little too much tenderness.
A ceremony won’t build your relationship.
It won’t fix it either.
And that’s the beauty of it.
Ceremony in Bulgarian
There is poetry in some of my scripts. In others – more prose or humour... Third - even if they seem to us with a pinch or two of cliché, they are actually deep, meaningful and lasting.
However, it does not really matter whether my script is lyrical, prosaic, funny or even crazy.
What sets it apart is that it always tells your true story. This brings that natural and solemn atmosphere that everyone tries to achieve.
Ceremony in two languages
Bilingual scripts are generally a challenge for any host, and wordplay in bilingual ceremonies is always a challenge for the host's experience and capabilities.
I think a successful performance would include:
- Not only good knowledge, but also mastery of the morphological characteristics of the language.
- Artistic script and meaningful direction.
- Artistic voice and correct pronunciation.
Your ceremony in 3 steps
Conversation and a meeting
The first conversation is usually over the phone. During this conversation, I do not conduct consultations, but I am very happy to answer any questions about the planning of an event or a wedding. Most of the work is done face-to-face when we meet and discuss the details at length.
If you don’t live in Bulgaria, all the necessary information is based on the principle of exchanging briefs, which you fill in at your convenience.
It is important for me to understand what kind of ceremony you envisage. What and how much you would like us to share. What the style of the ceremony will be.
For you - to feel that I am your host.
The next step is to prepare a contract in which we specify all the details of your big event.
I work with individual briefs, through which I prepare your individual ceremony.
Complete scenography
What should you expect from your script?
Funny moments, touching story, light humour.
- All this, but in elegant frames.
The truth is between you and your charisma.
The decision about the scenography - that is, the overall direction - depends on the organisation of the event. From there, a challenge called a script begins - one of the necessary steps, along with the personal talk and the questionnaire.
The musical direction. It is prepared by me and is a continuation of the structural composition of the script and its parts. We choose favourite music to use at certain times, most often when you first appear at the ceremony.
The music is tailored and selected taking into account the psychology of the script and the style of the wedding.
The ceremony
I have met many couples with completely different cultures, stories, feelings and ideas. Hundreds of wedding ceremonies and thousands of people laughing and crying. It is my calling to fill the time I speak with their true and authentic story.
The story is the what actually intrigues.
Such, Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, is the future of the wedding ceremony.
Pompous words, signatures and social pathos shall be left behind. The emotions from a skilfully-revealed direction of feelings, music and a competent script, creating suitable atmosphere shall set in.
The wedding evening
You are often faced with the dilemma of whether to invite a host to lead the wedding dinner. It is understandable to be hesitant, as there are conflicting opinions about the presence of a second host of the evening besides the DJ.
In Bulgaria, wedding DJs are both a DJ and a host of the evening. Not only from a financial point of view, but also because the DJ covers the musical atmosphere together with all the rituals and the other components of the program of the evening.
Things are done in a very different way outside Bulgaria.
It is almost certain that if you attend a wedding abroad, you will not see a DJ who is also a sound engineer, takes care of the musical arrangement and the entertainment of the guests, controls the lighting and is also a host. Events, including weddings, are led by a person who has the capacity and experience to be the link between all these units during the course of the evening.
I made this comparison intentionally, to guide you to the most appropriate choice for your event.
And also, I think you need me during the wedding dinner, when your wedding is bilingual, the organisation is more specific, the number of guests is larger, and the expectation is that your host has good diction, enunciation, and looks presentable. Only then, I assure you, you have a prerequisite for a stylish and smooth event.
Tried and tested!
Contact
+359 877 36 00 22
Adress
Sofia, Bulgaria
weddingofficiantbulgaria@gmail.com