If you’re going to go with a beehive I would suggest either rotate it to profile a bit or rotate the helm to afrontee; having one of each is confusing on the eye. And I agree with Mark on the beehive, but if the client likes it…so be it.
Also is there a significance to the mantling being Gules, lined Or? I ask as it seems if you were going with the colors of the achievement the mantling should be of the first (main) metal and first (main) color. Of course I use the Irish tradition of Gules doubled Argent when my arms are Azure and Argent 
Anyway good job it looks nice.
P.S. What church are you talking about? Does the architecture of the church really resemble a beehive?
How about for the crest (to reduce the Devo look) we put bees all about?
http://www.heraldrysociety.us/pictures/members_posts/bigbee5.png
T.R. Griffith wrote:
How about for the crest (to reduce the Devo look) we put bees all about?
I’m not a fan of the beehive crest at all, the rest looks great but I think the crest looks too much like the Utah National Guard Distinctive Unit Insignia:
Maybe the crest could be used to say something about his maternal family?
ESmith wrote:
I’m not a fan of the beehive crest at all, the rest looks great but I think the crest looks too much like the Utah National Guard Distinctive Unit Insignia:
[img]*image*
hmmm. your right. Ok, well I need to change it. Hes a presbyterian. originally, I was going to use the presby logo, but thought not of it because of the bee theme. Any suggestions?
Speaking only for myself, I would associate a beehive with the Mormon faith. But I’m certainly no expert.
Mark Olivo wrote:
Speaking only for myself, I would associate a beehive with the Mormon faith. But I’m certainly no expert.
Ditto, even though I don’t immediately associate it with any faith.
Good decision not to use the Presbyterian logo, because (a) it’s not very good heraldically, and (b) it belongs to the Presbyterian Church, not to any individual member. Using it as a crest would be like a Catholic deciding he should have a crest with a tiara and two crossed keys.
There’s no reason to stay with the bee theme, especially since it wasn’t selected because he was a beekeeper or anything like that—it’s just a pun on the name. If you are going to keep the bee theme, then the crest could perhaps be a rosebush with a bee on one of the blossoms. But I’d give the whole question of the crest more thought and see what other ideas pop up.
Joseph McMillan wrote:
But I’d give the whole question of the crest more thought and see what other ideas pop up.
seconded…
how about a dove displayed and inverted… like it is descending, good protestant symbol, perhaps a bit non-denominational but worth considering
The problem with the dove inverted is that you either have a "floating" crest—not visibly connected to or supported by the helm—or the dove’s beak (& most of its head) are "buried" in the wreath.
The most Presbyterian of crests would be a burning bush, but like Joe, I would question its appropriateness for a private person’s crest. Also, since IMO anyway the "best practice" is a crest that actually could have been construicted & worn atop an actual helmet, the notion of a warrior with a flaming crest seems a bit over the top (no pun intoended .. no, really ... 
As to the suggestion of looking for a maternal reference—has your friend considered how wide a "destination" he intends? i.e. his descendants? Descendants of his father? of his grandfather? etc. Unless the crest is intended to distinguish him from his cousins, any maternal reference should be to the earliest common maternal ancestor—i.e. to the spouse or mother of the common ancestor he identifies.
Joe’s suggestion of a bee on a rosebush or rosebranch IMO is a good one!
Hmmm How about 4 poppies and a cross standing in the midst. the poppies signify him, snd his siblings who were born in California, and the cross represents his faith.
Would the bee be better described as proper?? If you say or and sable, I would do the wings and legs or as well. Just a thought. As for the hive I like it, especially if you are from Utah (check out their seal). Other than that it looks fine.
Brian wrote:
Would the bee be better described as proper?? If you say or and sable, I would do the wings and legs or as well.
I agree. (That’s why my suggested blazon said proper.) In fact, I think calling it "Sable and Or" would be bad blazoning altogether, because there’s no indication of how the two tinctures are divided…per pale Sable and Or? per fess Sable and Or? bendy Sable and Or? An artist who did it with the abdomen striped and the rest black (or gold) would not be wrong, but he would also be uncertain whether he was right.
The poppys are a great idea…though make sure to specify California Poppys…so the DEA doesn’t come looking.
DRShorey wrote:
The poppys are a great idea…though make sure to specify California Poppys…so the DEA doesn’t come looking.:-D</a>
Better?
3 california poppies symbolizing him and his siblings.
