Community Highlights: Meet Tracy Schottenstein of Linden Grove Occasions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracy Schottenstein.

Hi Tracy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
After 12 years in medical administration, I left on a new adventure. I went to graduate school and earned a master’s degree in Biblical studies. I was ordained in 2010. After serving in Christian ministry for 14 years, I left the church to celebrate life with others. Over my years in ministry, I focused my work addressing food and housing insecurity. I have served as a board member for various organizations addressing mental health, poverty, education, anti-racism and LGBTQIA+ inclusion. The church where I was the senior pastor faced difficult decisions so I needed to shift my plans. Finding another pastor job meant I’d have to uproot my life here, sell our home, move to another state, away from family and start over. I decided to leave ministry and focus on building a life and business with Sam.

My Story of starting Linden Grove: Linden Grove began at home—literally.

In February 2022, my now husband Sam and I purchased what we believed would be our forever home. Renovations started the very next day, beginning with removing a tree in the backyard and quickly expanding into a full-scale project. As anyone who’s renovated a home knows, costs add up fast—especially once the walls come down.

To help offset those expenses, we started performing weddings. What began as a practical way to fund hardware store runs, U-Haul rentals, storage units, and contractor bills quickly became something much bigger.

Linden Grove Occasions was born—and it took off.

What started as an alternative to gig work grew into a thriving small business rooted in human connection. We discovered that officiating wasn’t just a service; it was meaningful, joyful work. By showing up with compassion, presence, and care, we built something special.

Today, Linden Grove Occasions is Cincinnati’s premier wedding officiant team, known for professionalism, inclusivity, kindness, and laughter.

What we learned through Linden Grove Occasions was simple but powerful—when people trust you with meaningful moments, they’re trusting you with what matters most. Linden Grove Agency was created as a natural extension of that trust, carrying our commitment beyond the wedding day and into every season of life. Different services, same heart.

Behind every part of Linden Grove is the partnership that made it possible.

Our Partnership
Sam and I both had grand plans for our lives before meeting each other. Over time, we’ve come to deeply understand what it means for a married couple to be true partners—a team in every sense of the word.

Together, we are realizing lifelong dreams through the support we offer one another. We co-own our businesses and contribute in different ways, honoring both our individual strengths and the strengths of our partner.

In all that we do, we are guided by shared principles that first connected us: serving our community, recognizing the inherent dignity in every person, and showing up with kindness in ways that strengthen the world around us.
Those same principles shape how we approach our work.

Our New Endeavor
After several years working as captive insurance agents, we began to feel constrained by systems that didn’t reflect how we believe people and communities should be served. We were limited to a narrow set of policies from a single company and guided by sales goals rather than the real needs of the people sitting across from us. While those organizations spoke about shared values, we wanted the freedom to live them out more fully.

Linden Grove Agency was created to do just that.

As an independent agency, we are not tied to one insurance company or a one-size-fits-all approach. This allows us to compare options across multiple carriers and create thoughtful, hand-crafted coverage based on each client’s unique circumstances—without pressure, quotas, or assumptions.

At our core, we believe strong communities are built when people feel supported, informed, and protected. Helping our neighbors manage risk and protect what matters most isn’t just our profession—it’s how we show up for our community, every day.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road is never smooth for long and never rough for long. Being a woman in ministry was hard. Being a minister during COVID was hard. Being a minister is a struggling church following COVID was hard. I just could not put myself or my partner through the continued strife of being a church leader. I wasn’t able to do what I really wanted to do because I was constantly pulled away to care for the building or employee problems or other stuff that didn’t seem to really matter. I decided to leave ministry and the church to pursue shared goals with my husband.

There were people who thought I was leaving ministry and changing my life plans because of my partner. I would say that I could finally do it because of the support of my partner. The church work was fulfilling at times and sometimes not. Partnering with my husband in Linden Grove Occasions and Linden Grove Agency has allowed both of us to fulfill life long dreams. We’ve lost friends along the way who didn’t understand or didn’t support us. But we are now surrounded by people who do.

When Sam and I are making decisions, I remind him that when we bet on ourselves or take the risk for what we believe is right we always win. I believe some of the struggles we face are failing to close a door or end a relationship or say no because it blocks us from receiving the gifts of new doors, new people and new opportunities.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Linden Grove Occasions?
With 16 years of experience officiating weddings, I design and deliver bespoke wedding ceremonies that are entirely your own—crafted with intention, depth, and care.. Formerly an ordained Christian minister, I now focuses on spiritual but not religious, non-denominational, interfaith and intercultural celebrations that honor all backgrounds and beliefs. The mission of Linden Grove Occasions is to help couples celebrate their commitment in a way that feels authentic—without the pressure to fit into any specific religious tradition.

At Linden Grove Occasions, we reserve only one wedding per weekend, ensuring our full presence from rehearsal through ceremony. No rushing. No distractions. No competing priorities.

Your story is thoughtfully gathered, carefully written, and beautifully told—so that when you stand together, the moment feels effortless, meaningful, and completely true to you.

We offer a single, thoughtfully designed experience with a level of care and dedication that reflects the importance of your ceremony.

You’ll never speak to an assistant. You will only speak to Tracy and Sam.

A fully bespoke officiant experience designed around your wedding weekend. Includes:
In-depth story gathering and guided conversations
Custom-written ceremony, crafted entirely from your story
Collaborative refinement of tone, structure, and flow
Unlimited communication and meetings throughout the process
Full rehearsal leadership (scheduled at your convenience)
Wedding day ceremony delivery with complete presence
Weekend exclusivity—no other weddings booked

What Sets This Experience Apart:
Weekend Reservation
Your date isn’t one of many—we reserve the entire weekend so our attention is never divided.
Narrative-Driven Ceremony Design
This is not a template with your names inserted. Your ceremony is written from the ground up to reflect your relationship authentically.
Guided, Thoughtful Process
You’re never left wondering what comes next. Every step is intentional, clear, and supported.

What started as a side hustle service hired on Thumbtack 4 years ago has grown into a luxury service listed as a referred or preferred vendor with 10 premium wedding venues. We know we deliver what we promise because our couples name in their reviews exactly what we do and what sets us apart. We still do last minute courthouse alternative ceremonies for the thrill of a surprise celebration midweek.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I am always open to talking to anyone who wants to think about collaborating. With our wedding business and insurance brokerage, we have lots of options for collaborating with just about anyone. We love to show up at community events to shake some hands, sponsor local teams and events, donate to a raffle or fundraiser, work with young people who want to get started in either industry, or just have a cup of coffee and hear one’s story.

Pricing:

• Wedding Weekend Experience $800
• Courthouse Alternative Ceremony $200
• First Responder discounts available

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lindengroveoccasions.com
• Instagram: @lindengroveoccasions
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563502235532#