Wedding Officiant

Hello, my name is Joel.

I believe who you choose as your partner in life is the most important decision you will ever make. This decision is no small thing; and neither is the ceremonial celebration of this decision – your wedding.

I spent ten years in Christian clerical ministry and one of my favorite things was working with couples. I eventually left organized religion in 2013 but my love of love has remained. In fact, it has only grown as I’ve come to see the story of the universe as one ultimately perpetuated by the fundamental forces of allurement and attraction. As Buckminster Fuller said, “Gravity is metaphysical love.” As a couple, your coming together is part of this grander cosmic narrative, a practice of participating in the becoming of reality.

Today my work with couples and organizations is rooted in a paradigm that transcends any singular domain – my personal journey as husband and father, western and eastern mysticism, gender studies, spiral dynamics, constructive development theory, depth psychology, the enneagram, healing circles, integral family systems, and creativity heuristics. I bring this paradigm to working with you and preparing your wedding ceremony.

Working With Me

As your wedding officiant I offer two preparation meetings, which can be either in person or virtual depending on your location. The first is 60 minutes long and is just about getting to know each other. I will ask you questions about your story and your relationship. The second is also 60 minutes long and is more tactical – we will discuss your ceremony and “run of show.” Before this second meeting I will ask that you provide the name and contact of your wedding coordinator. While it is cheaper to hire an officiant who just shows up on the day of your wedding, I find that this process ensures a personalized, considered, and meaningful ceremony for you and your family. My rate for this service is $1000.

If you are interested in working with me, I’d love to hear from you!

FAQs

Can we incorporate personal or religious elements into our ceremony? Yes. While I do not identify with a specific religion, I am very familiar with Christian traditions and wisdom literature (the Bible). My desire is to weave the traditions most meaningful to you into your ceremony and am always interested to learn new things – tea ceremonies, handfasting / knotting, etc.

Are you inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community? Absolutely. I am a proud ally and would be honored to officiate for LGBTQ+ couples.

Do you travel? Yes, I love to travel and am open to “adventure elopements.” I just ask that my travel and accommodations are covered.

Are you ordained? Yes, I am ordained by the Universal Life Church to officiate “religious” (as opposed to civil) ceremonies.

Resources for Couples