10/06/2026
One of my brides called this morning to ask if I could recommend an officiant for their wedding. I told her I absolutely can—I am an officiant myself. 😅
I realize I don't post about officiating very often because DJing represents the majority of my work and, naturally, most of what I share revolves around the receptions I perform. But yes, I can legally marry you, too.
Apparently, I don't talk about this part of my business nearly enough.
I am a legally licensed wedding officiant in the State of Ohio, which allows me to legally solemnize marriages anywhere in the state provided all of the legal requirements surrounding the marriage license itself have been properly completed beforehand. And yes, technically, I am also an ordained minister, although as a Jewish guy, I admit that still sounds incredibly strange every time I say it. 😂 I am actually a Dudeist priest, ordained through the Church of the Latter-Day Dude. As someone who is a HUGE fan of The Big Lebowski, when I discovered Dudeism existed and I needed to choose an organization through which to become ordained, that decision pretty much made itself. The Dude abides.
Despite the admittedly ridiculous story behind my ordination, the weddings themselves are something I take very seriously. I exclusively perform secular, non-religious ceremonies. I do not perform religious weddings or incorporate prayer, scripture, or religious ritual into the ceremonies I write and officiate. My focus is entirely on the couple—their relationship, their story, their personalities, the promises they are making to one another, and the life they are choosing to build together.
Most couples who choose me to officiate also hire me to DJ their reception afterward, and there are some pretty obvious advantages to doing both. It simplifies communication and coordination because instead of working with two separate vendors, you are working with someone who is already deeply involved in the planning process, knows the timeline, understands what is supposed to happen throughout the day, and has gotten to know you well enough to understand what you actually want. Bundling the two services can also save you quite a bit of money. But while the convenience is certainly nice, that really isn't the reason I enjoy officiating.
I have always believed that a wedding ceremony should actually sound like the people getting married. No two couples are the same, and I don't think their ceremonies should be, either. Some couples are deeply sentimental and emotional. Others are sarcastic, playful, awkward, introverted, loud, unconventional, nerdy, romantic, dryly funny, or beautifully strange in the best possible ways. Some want something elegant and traditional, while others want something relaxed, lighthearted, and conversational. My job isn't to force couples into a template or decide what a wedding ceremony is supposed to sound like. My job is to learn who they are and help shape a ceremony that feels recognizable to the two people standing in front of their family and friends.
That means I spend quite a bit of time during the planning process learning about my couples. I want to know how they met, how their relationship developed, what they love about one another, how they communicate, what matters to them, what they want included, what they absolutely do not want included, and what kind of emotional atmosphere they hope to create for themselves and their guests. Some couples want a ceremony that leans heavily into storytelling and humor. Others want something shorter, simpler, quieter, and more intimate. Most probably fall somewhere in between, and finding exactly where they fall is part of the job.
At the same time, I think there is an important balance that sometimes gets lost when people talk about making ceremonies "personal." Personal doesn't have to mean a thirty-minute autobiography filled with inside jokes nobody understands or stories that unintentionally embarrass the couple. A ceremony can be funny without becoming a comedy routine, and it can be emotional without becoming overly sentimental or manufactured. The strongest ceremonies, at least to me, are emotionally specific without becoming self-indulgent. When the ceremony ends, the guests should feel as though they understand the couple a little better than they did when it began.
Ultimately, that's what I want for every couple I marry. When the ceremony is over, I want them to feel as though the words that were spoken actually sounded like them—not something copied from the internet, pulled from a template, or recycled from a hundred other weddings. There are traditions and familiar elements that belong in wedding ceremonies for good reason, but those traditions should provide the framework for the ceremony rather than erase the personalities of the two people at the center of it.
For many couples, the ceremony ultimately becomes the most emotionally significant part of the entire wedding day. Long after the centerpieces have been packed away and the dance floor has emptied, they remember the quiet anticipation before the processional, the emotion in their vows, the sound of the people they love laughing during the ceremony, the nervousness in their voices, and the feeling of standing together in front of everyone who matters to them and making promises to one another. The reception is a celebration of the marriage, but the ceremony is where that marriage actually begins, and I believe it deserves the same level of preparation, intentionality, professionalism, and care that we put into everything that comes afterward.
So, apparently I need to do a better job of reminding people that I offer this service. 😅 If you're looking for an officiant for a secular, non-religious wedding and want a ceremony that feels personal, emotionally honest, and genuinely reflective of your relationship, please get in touch. I'd love to marry you—and, if you'd like, stick around to DJ the party afterward. ❤️
