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Photo by Emily Wehner
Willows on Westfield |
Formal Wedding Ceremony Officiating Services in Indianapolis
Congratulations on your engagement and upcoming wedding! What are you planning? Where are you getting married? These are all questions you can probably answer. When I ask... what type of wedding ceremony are you planning? It might be a little harder to answer. No worries! I'm a professional wedding officiant with years of experience and I walk couples through the process of planning and performing a wedding ceremony all the time. It's what I do!
Photo by 3C Visual Studios
So many wedding ceremony options!
First of all, The answers to the questions you already know... What are you planning? Where are you getting married? There are so many different types of weddings, I want to make sure you have the right wedding officiant service that I offer. There are so many buzz words when it comes to a wedding. "Traditional" is a very popular word. What exactly does that mean? A tradition in your family may be different from a tradition in any other family.
This page of my website is about my formal wedding ceremony services. That means you are getting married in a formal venue (or big tent someplace pretty.) It means you have things like caterers and DJ's and professional photographers. You might have a wedding planner or Day of Event Coordinator. ALL THE THINGS! You are planning a spectacular day to celebrate your love with family and friends and you are looking for the perfect person to officiate your wedding!!! The person who performs your ceremony and makes it legal!
If you are planning a small ceremony or elopement - click here
If you just want a simple civil ceremony - click here
This page of my website is about my formal wedding ceremony services. That means you are getting married in a formal venue (or big tent someplace pretty.) It means you have things like caterers and DJ's and professional photographers. You might have a wedding planner or Day of Event Coordinator. ALL THE THINGS! You are planning a spectacular day to celebrate your love with family and friends and you are looking for the perfect person to officiate your wedding!!! The person who performs your ceremony and makes it legal!
If you are planning a small ceremony or elopement - click here
If you just want a simple civil ceremony - click here
Next question... Don't worry, I have the answers!
Have you dreamed of your wedding ceremony your whole life and know exactly what you want?
Have you already written your ceremony and want someone to perform it?
Did your entire family get married in a church, your parents want you to get married in a church but there is NO WAY you are getting married in a church? Are your parents a little freaked out by it?
Did you go to a wedding last week where a friend of the couple performed the ceremony and it made you decide it's definitely not what you want and you need a professional?
Do you maybe not care so much about your ceremony as you do about spending the rest of your life with your love, you just want a nice "light-hearted" ceremony to kick-off the celebration?
I can TOTALLY help you with all of these things! And more!
Have you already written your ceremony and want someone to perform it?
Did your entire family get married in a church, your parents want you to get married in a church but there is NO WAY you are getting married in a church? Are your parents a little freaked out by it?
Did you go to a wedding last week where a friend of the couple performed the ceremony and it made you decide it's definitely not what you want and you need a professional?
Do you maybe not care so much about your ceremony as you do about spending the rest of your life with your love, you just want a nice "light-hearted" ceremony to kick-off the celebration?
I can TOTALLY help you with all of these things! And more!
Where does that wedding ceremony script come from?
That's another great question. They make it look so easy in the movies or on TV but how does it all work?
Do you want a short and sweet ceremony that reflects who you are as a couple?
Do you want a very simple, non-religious "I do" with an exchange or rings? Just the facts?
Do you want (or need) a semi-religious ceremony that encompasses what all your family members expect to hear at a wedding?
Are you bringing two different religious backgrounds together and want both of them reflected in your wedding ceremony?
Do you want a ceremony that is completely personalized for you, incorporating your love story into an incredibly memorable ceremony?
Do you just want to hire a professional with a proven track record to take care of the ceremony for you trusting it will be perfect?
I can help you with all of the above! I'm a wedding officiant. It's ALL About the Ceremony!
Do you want a short and sweet ceremony that reflects who you are as a couple?
Do you want a very simple, non-religious "I do" with an exchange or rings? Just the facts?
Do you want (or need) a semi-religious ceremony that encompasses what all your family members expect to hear at a wedding?
Are you bringing two different religious backgrounds together and want both of them reflected in your wedding ceremony?
Do you want a ceremony that is completely personalized for you, incorporating your love story into an incredibly memorable ceremony?
Do you just want to hire a professional with a proven track record to take care of the ceremony for you trusting it will be perfect?
I can help you with all of the above! I'm a wedding officiant. It's ALL About the Ceremony!
Click here for All About The Ceremony!
Read through my selections Formal Wedding Ceremony Scripts, A guide to writing your own vows, A complete explanation of all the parts of a formal wedding ceremony with options for each!
Photographer Allison May captured this moment at The Lindley Farmstead at Chatham Hills.
Let me tell you about me, and how it relates to all these questions and any other questions you might have...
I have been marrying couples for 13 years. I've literally married THOUSANDS of couples in all types of ceremonies. I've changed my business and how I do things often over the years. I update this website once or twice a year based on those changes. What works? What doesn't work? How can I make it better? I don't even ask the same questions I did 10 years ago because some of them are no longer relevant. Things are always changing.
I've learned that there really is no right or wrong when it comes to a wedding ceremony. It's all about what works for you. I want to be able to help you to figure out what it is you want and make it happen for you in the very best way possible.
I've learned the most important part of every wedding is how everyone feels. I want you to feel good. I want to make sure the two of you are present - I know that's hard because of all the overwhelming nervous excitement! - but I want to make sure you are in the moment during your ceremony. You may be in YOUR own little moment - not even paying attention to me, but experiencing the moment together. Holding hands and mouthing words at each other or at least smiling! I want you to feel your feelings. If you want to laugh through your entire ceremony, I will find a very tasteful way to make that happen!
I want your guests to be engaged in your wedding. There actually is a point where everyone gets bored and loses interest. I want to avoid that!! When we are done, I want everyone to walk away thinking...that was great! Let's party!
I really want you to know that I know there is a time and a place for everything. Every ceremony is different. For all the light-hearted and fun ceremonies I perform, there are other couples that want a more serious ceremony. The family dynamic is completely different and there are much different expectations.
I love my job and all the different opportunities it brings me. The honor it is to recite the 7 Blessings for a Jewish Wedding among your family and friends always takes my breath away. Walking you through a ceremony you never dreamed of having without your father, or mother, or best friend there. Helping you quell your anxiety as you stand in front of 150 people is really, really important to me. Ignoring the stimm you are trying desperately to hide in your excitement!
While I'm being honest... There are some couples who hire me and could care less who I am! They just need a person to marry them and I come highly recommend. I do what I say I'm going to do. I show up on time, sign the marriage license, perform a ceremony and leave. They really just needed a professional to get the job done. That is perfectly OK with me! It's what I do!
I've learned that there really is no right or wrong when it comes to a wedding ceremony. It's all about what works for you. I want to be able to help you to figure out what it is you want and make it happen for you in the very best way possible.
I've learned the most important part of every wedding is how everyone feels. I want you to feel good. I want to make sure the two of you are present - I know that's hard because of all the overwhelming nervous excitement! - but I want to make sure you are in the moment during your ceremony. You may be in YOUR own little moment - not even paying attention to me, but experiencing the moment together. Holding hands and mouthing words at each other or at least smiling! I want you to feel your feelings. If you want to laugh through your entire ceremony, I will find a very tasteful way to make that happen!
I want your guests to be engaged in your wedding. There actually is a point where everyone gets bored and loses interest. I want to avoid that!! When we are done, I want everyone to walk away thinking...that was great! Let's party!
I really want you to know that I know there is a time and a place for everything. Every ceremony is different. For all the light-hearted and fun ceremonies I perform, there are other couples that want a more serious ceremony. The family dynamic is completely different and there are much different expectations.
I love my job and all the different opportunities it brings me. The honor it is to recite the 7 Blessings for a Jewish Wedding among your family and friends always takes my breath away. Walking you through a ceremony you never dreamed of having without your father, or mother, or best friend there. Helping you quell your anxiety as you stand in front of 150 people is really, really important to me. Ignoring the stimm you are trying desperately to hide in your excitement!
While I'm being honest... There are some couples who hire me and could care less who I am! They just need a person to marry them and I come highly recommend. I do what I say I'm going to do. I show up on time, sign the marriage license, perform a ceremony and leave. They really just needed a professional to get the job done. That is perfectly OK with me! It's what I do!
Christian Wedding Ceremonies
I did not attend seminary. Although, my mother always thought I would! I'm an online ordained minister so that I can legally perform weddings. Almost all of the wedding ceremonies I perform are non-religious. My thought used to be, if you want a Christian wedding ceremony, you probably already attend a church and will have your own pastor marry you. If you don't go to church, why do you want Christian ceremony? Well, it turns out, not all pastors perform weddings and not all those with Christian beliefs attend a church! I am happy to perform a Christian ceremony, my only request is that we choose a time and a place to truly center ourselves and give the ceremony the respect it deserves.
I have a collection of Christian Wedding Ceremony Scripts that are written for couples who BOTH want a Christian wedding ceremony and to include God in their vows to each other.
I have Christian-lite ceremonies that are usually very well suited to large formal weddings for couples who don't go to church, but may have been raised by families that do go to church. Out of respect, we find a happy medium - a very nice wedding ceremony with some Christian elements.
Click on the link below for my Christian Wedding Ceremony Scripts. This group of ceremonies are separate from my collection of my 10 most popular wedding ceremony scripts.
I tend to get requests from couples who are looking for a man to perform a Christian wedding ceremony for them. I (Victoria) am happy to perform a Christian ceremony. Peter does not perform any Christian ceremonies at all.
I have a collection of Christian Wedding Ceremony Scripts that are written for couples who BOTH want a Christian wedding ceremony and to include God in their vows to each other.
I have Christian-lite ceremonies that are usually very well suited to large formal weddings for couples who don't go to church, but may have been raised by families that do go to church. Out of respect, we find a happy medium - a very nice wedding ceremony with some Christian elements.
Click on the link below for my Christian Wedding Ceremony Scripts. This group of ceremonies are separate from my collection of my 10 most popular wedding ceremony scripts.
I tend to get requests from couples who are looking for a man to perform a Christian wedding ceremony for them. I (Victoria) am happy to perform a Christian ceremony. Peter does not perform any Christian ceremonies at all.
Photo by Jasmine Norris Photography. Taken at Blanton House in Danville.
What's next? How do I sign up??
I hope you like what you've read so far and want to know what's next! Would you like to schedule a time to talk? We can schedule a call, a Zoom, or an in-person meeting. I have online scheduling and some couples just book online and all we ever do is email until your wedding day. It all works. There are a lot of wedding officiant options. It's important that you find the right officiant for you.
What do you require of us as a couple?
Great question! I really want to be whatever you need me to be within reason. I generally leave the ball in your court until you are ready to talk about your wedding ceremony. Some couples want meetings - let's meet! Some couples pay me and we email a week before their wedding to confirm the details and that's it. Many couples want to get all their vendors hired and then deal with the details later.
I've come to understand that your wedding ceremony might not be as big of a priority as other parts of your wedding. I don't want to bother you or take up time you'd rather spend on something else. Some couples have a wedding email they check once a week. Some couples have a huge to do list and want to keep on top of every single detail. Some couples want me to go through their wedding planner. Let me know what works for you.
I outline EVERYTHING from the beginning when you book a wedding with me. I give you information about obtaining a marriage license and give you ceremony information. I have several pre-written wedding ceremony scripts and most couples choose one they like. It's that easy. I have many ceremonies to choose from!
Other couples want a completely personalized ceremony. That takes more time and effort. I can't personalize your ceremony if I don't know anything about you. I provide you with a list of questions for you to answer so I can incorporate personal elements into your ceremony. You may write down all the answers to the questions and email them to me or we may sit down and just talk about it. Once I know a little more about you, I create a first draft of your ceremony and present it to you and then we edit until you are happy.
I work with Google shared-document so we can all literally be on the same page. One night I was sitting in my bed with no voice. A bride and I were on a google document at the same time going back and forth until we created a great ceremony! Some couples use the comment function to communicate and we all go back and forth. Many couples I marry aren't living in Indy right now. Sometimes the couples are still finishing up school or residencies or training in different locations in the year leading up to their wedding. The shared doc and zoom really comes in handy.
I've come to understand that your wedding ceremony might not be as big of a priority as other parts of your wedding. I don't want to bother you or take up time you'd rather spend on something else. Some couples have a wedding email they check once a week. Some couples have a huge to do list and want to keep on top of every single detail. Some couples want me to go through their wedding planner. Let me know what works for you.
I outline EVERYTHING from the beginning when you book a wedding with me. I give you information about obtaining a marriage license and give you ceremony information. I have several pre-written wedding ceremony scripts and most couples choose one they like. It's that easy. I have many ceremonies to choose from!
Other couples want a completely personalized ceremony. That takes more time and effort. I can't personalize your ceremony if I don't know anything about you. I provide you with a list of questions for you to answer so I can incorporate personal elements into your ceremony. You may write down all the answers to the questions and email them to me or we may sit down and just talk about it. Once I know a little more about you, I create a first draft of your ceremony and present it to you and then we edit until you are happy.
I work with Google shared-document so we can all literally be on the same page. One night I was sitting in my bed with no voice. A bride and I were on a google document at the same time going back and forth until we created a great ceremony! Some couples use the comment function to communicate and we all go back and forth. Many couples I marry aren't living in Indy right now. Sometimes the couples are still finishing up school or residencies or training in different locations in the year leading up to their wedding. The shared doc and zoom really comes in handy.
Prices
I'm a big believer that you get what you pay for. Every service I provide is professionally performed. A couple wanting a quick civil ceremony in my office is just as important as a couple wanting a personalized wedding ceremony for their HUGE wedding celebration at one of Indy's most expensive venue's. The difference, besides price, is what's actually necessary to perform the services. My knowledge and experience have value. My online resources and experience have value. I've done a lot of work ahead of time to make things easier not only for me but easy and fun for you! I could tell you I'm personalizing every ceremony. But that could also be as simple as changing the names on a script I use for everyone.
When I first started officiating weddings I thought it would be fun to allow couples to choose their own ceremonies. What do you want said at your ceremony? What don't you want said at your ceremony? Over time, I've collected some great ceremonies. I publish them online for anyone to read or use. I also have resources to help you customize your own ceremony. If you choose one of them, I charge less. If you'd like to work together to create a personalized ceremony, have me create your ceremony, or provide me with a ceremony you want me to perform the price is higher because it takes more time.
When I first started officiating weddings I thought it would be fun to allow couples to choose their own ceremonies. What do you want said at your ceremony? What don't you want said at your ceremony? Over time, I've collected some great ceremonies. I publish them online for anyone to read or use. I also have resources to help you customize your own ceremony. If you choose one of them, I charge less. If you'd like to work together to create a personalized ceremony, have me create your ceremony, or provide me with a ceremony you want me to perform the price is higher because it takes more time.
$250 Formal Wedding Ceremony
This is for a formal wedding ceremony performed in the greater Indianapolis area using one of our pre-written ceremony scripts.
Photo taken at Industry by Leah Rife Photography.
$350 Personalized Wedding Ceremony
This is for a formal wedding ceremony performed in the greater Indianapolis area with a ceremony script personalized just for you. I can personalize it, you can personalize it, or we can personalize it together.
Maddie and Logan went for a personalized wedding ceremony script!
It's featured in this video by Passenger Productions.
It's featured in this video by Passenger Productions.
$150 Wedding Ceremony Rehearsal
Rehearsals are not included in the price of a wedding ceremony. Not everyone has a rehearsal or needs me at the rehearsal. If you already know the confirmed start time of your rehearsal you can book now. If you do not know, contact me and we can set up a package.
If you have questions, want to check availability, or schedule a meeting, please use the link below to my contact form.
Or click the button to schedule a phone call.