Weddings
Personalized Wedding Ceremonies that are Spiritual, not Religious
I will work with you to create a spiritual, not religious wedding ceremony that reflects who you are, what marriage means to you, and what you hope to create together in your marriage.
Northeast Ohio Locations
I serve Olmsted Unitarian Universalist Congregation and Oberlin Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Consider holding your ceremony with us. (And I’m available to officiate at a different location of your choice.)
Olmsted offers a beautiful, historic, clapboard chapel with Tiffany windows and a reception hall for a small wedding and reception. (5050 Porter Road, North Olmsted, OH 44070. Visit their website.)
Oberlin offers s non-religious sanctuary and social hall for a small wedding and reception. (355 E. Lorain Street, Oberlin, OH 44074; Visit their website.)
Interfaith Wedding Ceremonies
We work together to create an interfaith wedding ceremony that honors your traditions while expressing who you hope to become in your marriage.
My Process
If you live nearby, we meet together three times to plan your custom wedding ceremony. For couples at a distance, we do conference calls or Skype calls. In the first session, we get to know each other. You share hopes, needs, and questions. I give you a one-page questionnaire to take home for our next session. At the second session, you share your written responses to the questionnaire, we explore possibilities about your wedding ceremony, and I give you planning packets for next time. In our third session we plan your custom wedding ceremony. By the end, we know how the wedding ceremony will flow and we will identify questions to be answered. My fee varies, depending on location, rehearsal, and complexity.
My Views on Marriage Equality
Marriage equality is a civil right and a human right. The first wedding I officiated was for a lesbian couple in California in 1988. I’ve married many same-gender couples – in churches, parks, party centers and homes. In 2003, I helped create the North Carolina Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality.
What Clients have Said
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…your guidance and assurance was simply a blessing… throughout this amazing and unforgettable time.
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Few people can embrace the unknowns and differences of another culture with such grace and warmth! Hindu ceremonies are notoriously chaotic, and the wonderful flow (unexpectedly) experienced by our guests can only be attributed to your unflappable calmness.
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Your part in the ceremony was exquisite. Thank you so much for your generosity of spirit, your flexibility, and your sincerity. Jordan and Matt were in the moment for the entire ceremony.
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I can’t tell you enough how phenomenal your service was for Christie & Ron. Everything you said was so meaningful. So many people have said that this was the most meaningful ceremony they’d ever been present at.
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Thank you for all your extra time, thoughtfulness, care, and love. You truly created a special service that was just us and just wonderful!
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“…thank you for helping us create a beautiful, meaningful and memorable wedding ceremony. Your guidance, leadership and support were invaluable.
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Thank you for helping us make our wedding day everything we wanted it to be. We were fortunate to find such a knowledgeable and inspiring minister to perform our ceremony. Your calming presence helped us to relax and enjoy the day. We hope to keep in touch.
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We just wanted to give you a special thanks for making our wedding so fantastic. We received so many compliments on the ceremony. We both were ‘emotionally there’ and we believe it was because you took the time to get to know us! Thank you for a fantastic evening!
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Thank you so much for the beautiful ceremony. We have had many people tell us how wonderful they thought it was, and one of our relatives went so far as to say, this was “the best wedding EVER!”
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So many of our family and friends told us how they loved the meaningful things you said throughout the ceremony and how lovely it was. We certainly agreed with them! Thank you for making our special day such a beautiful, memorable one.
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Thank you for giving us such beautiful memories! Your ceremony – Our Ceremony – was PERFECT! You were Absolutely Wonderful! We have received many compliments on our wedding, but the thing we have heard the most is what a meaningful and moving ceremony it was. Thank you for listening so well and weaving it all together so beautifully!
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Thank you for helping to make our wedding so special. Your words during the ceremony were beautiful and meaningful. Your calming presence beforehand really helped us enjoy the ceremony. Also, the informational packet you gave us was a wonderful guideline and helped us keep the day’s emphasis on our joy in having found one another.
Interested in learning more? Contact me today to get started.
