Wedding Officiating & Me

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About twelve years ago, I performed my first wedding in a Tango studio for a couple who wanted to blend Polish marriage customs with Argentine Tango; that's when I discovered the joy of Wedding Officiating! Now, I not only perform religious ceremonies but also ceremonies that are secular, inter-faith, and inter-cultural.  A professional writer, I use my creativity and flair for language to create outstandingly beautiful ceremonies that fit each couple's beliefs and life experiences. Whether you are looking for fun, light humor or solemnity, I will deliver a ceremony guaranteed to delight!

With a PhD in Theology, I have an extensive repertoire to draw on, having taught ritual at DePaul University, Columbia College, and other Chicago area colleges.  My approach as a Wedding Officiant is warm, personal and engaging because I use everyday language and concepts that touch the heart. As a Professional Life Coach (PCC), I have strong "people-skills" that make me easy to work with. My goal is to make you and your guests feel at ease, regardless of the ceremony you choose.

Wedding Officiating is a real privilege.  Not only do I get to meet couples at the most exciting moment in their lives,  but I get to hear their love story, witness their commitment to each other and share in their joy. In our meetings and phone conversations, we explore ways of crafting the Wedding Ceremony so that it truly reflects their beliefs values, and lifestyle.  Some couples want to incorporate cultural or religious traditions, while others want a more informal celebration; some want to play an active role in the ceremony, whereas others want to simply say, "I DO" and nothing more. Each ceremony ends up being absolutely unique because each couple is unique. I'm especially happy when the couple invests in pre-marriage coaching because this allows us to get to know each other at a deeper level and to develop a real friendship. Then, by the time the wedding comes around, I feel like "one of the family."

The first step is to check whether I am free  on the date of your wedding, and to let me know the time and location of the ceremony. After that, we need to schedule a meeting via Zoom or --pandemic permitting-- in the downtown area . If you decide to retain my services as Officiant, I will send you a contract and request a $200 down payment; the balance will be due exactly two months before your wedding. I will also send you a number of other documents: a ceremony planning worksheet; a questionnaire about the two of you as individuals and as a couple; a copy of my E booklet on ceremony planning; a list of suggested readings; and a fun compatibility quiz that I put together. After you complete and return the worksheet and questionnaire, we will meet for a planning session. The next step is for me to draft the ceremony and send you a copy for feedback. We then revise the ceremony until you are absolutely thrilled.

 London House,  Ovation, The Odyssey, the Mystic Blue, the Spirit of Chicago,  the Elite,  Rockefeller Chapel, The Art Institute of Chicago,  Armour House (Lake Forest, IL), Trump Tower, Northwestern University, The Morton Aboretum  (Lisle, IL), The Murphy, The Metropolitan Ballroom (Arlington Heights, IL), Avalon Banquets  (Elk Grove Village, IL). The Marriott O'Hare,  Maggiano's Banquets,  Chateau Ritz  (Niles, IL), The Public Hotel, The Palomar Hotel, Bridgeport Art Center, The Hyatt Regency, Four Seasons Hotel, The Bacardi,  Mama Luigi's, The Westin Hotel, The Allerton Hotel, The Carlton Inn  (Oak Park, IL), The Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, Uncommon Ground, Indiana Dunes State Park, Prairie Productions, The Enchanted Estate  (Lemont, IL), Hoosier's Barn (Streamwood, IL),  CD&ME  (Frankfort, IL), Lightology, Hotel Monaco, Salvatore's,  Room 1520, The Greenhouse Loft, Lincoln Park Conservatory, Brookfield Zoo,  Fountain Blue  (DesPlaines, IL), Venuti's  (Addison, IL), The Wishing Well  (Concordia, IL), Comfort Station (Logan Square, IL), The Point, The Madison Centre for Spirituality & the Arts, TangoChicago, private clubs and residences throughout Chicagoland, the Yale University Club, NY....