The Reverend D
People become wedding officiants for a lot of different reasons. Some do it to fulfill a spiritual calling. Some do it so they can perform their sister's wedding. And some just do it for the money. Me, I did it out of sheer frustration.
Back when I first got engaged, I literally spent hours and hours typing words like “offbeat, gothic, punk, metal, sci-fi, gay and lesbian, Halloween, funny” and “rock and roll” combined with “NYC wedding officiant” into search engines in a futile attempt to find someone I could actually relate to. What I ended up slogging through were dozens of websites of officiants who all made the same generic promise to give me a “personalized, caring and memorable experience.” Ugh. For the most part, they seemed a bit lacking in the offbeat category and a LOT lacking in the fun category. And for a DIY bride who was paying for her own wedding, it both offended and annoyed me that they all charged an awful lot of money for what would essentially boil down to 10-20 minutes of my life. It was maddening; I wanted to pull my hair out.
In defiance, I registered as a NYC Officiant, thinking I would just perform my own wedding. Sadly, I soon learned that there's only one state you can do that in (and it's not New York) so that idea got shot down. But I suddenly found myself sitting around with a perfectly legitimate Reverend status, a grudge against the wedding machine that had denied me the fun, offbeat, and affordable officiant that I had so desperately wanted, a sharp sense of humor and an idea: maybe, just maybe, if I was looking for all of those things, well then maybe someone else was too. And I thought: who better to fill that void than someone who's been through it herself?
And so I embarked upon my mission: to give all of you left-of-center brides exactly the wedding that you want. You want to get married by a chick in full gothic regalia? Done. Want to get married by Slave Leia? Done. Want an Officiant who tells dirty jokes? Leads a pagan hand-fasting ritual? Incorporates your performance art into the service? Belts out a rock and roll love song for you and your significant other? Dresses like Elvira or a zombie for your Halloween wedding? Reads the entire service in Klingon? Or who FINALLY gets to perform legal, same-sex ceremonies with simple beauty and dignity? Or maybe you just want someone who understands your lifestyle and thinks it's awesome. You get the picture. No idea is too wild, too weird, or yes, even too normal. Your wedding can be anything you want it to be; my only goal is to help you achieve it.
Oh, and the best part? It's not gonna cost you an arm and a leg. Weddings are expensive enough without a total stranger demanding a ton of cash to perform a service pretending she's known you forever. I won't give my rate away here, but unlike most other officiants, I am honest and upfront about the price and post it right on my website. So trust me, I'm cheap. But I ain't easy.
Oh wait.
Yes I am. 😉
How I cater to offbeat weddings
Who understands the needs of an Offbeat Bride better than someone who was one? If you don’t believe me, check it out here. I know exactly what it’s like to wander from the beaten wedding aisle and I love helping other brides create their own unique traditions. I go out of my way to make the process fun and stress-free, and I am open to any ideas you’re willing to throw at me. Because at the end of the day, *you* are what will make your wedding unique. So essentially, my job is to help you express you.
“For anyone who does NOT want the same old, boring conventional wedding, Rev D is the one for you. She took the time to get to know us and we became friends in the process. Everyone LOVED our ceremony; many people came up to me afterwards and said it was the best wedding they had ever been to. Her words at our ceremony had people laughing and crying -- the best feeling in the world -- ‘laughter through tears’.” - Gary & RoRo
Could I be any cheaper, you ask? You betcha!! I *love* Offbeat Brides (and OffbeatBride.com) so mention that you found me via Offbeat Bride and snag yourself a 10% discount. (Of course, I don't charge very much in the first place, so you won't be saving a bazillion dollars, but still... who doesn't love a discount?)
Examples of my work
Vendors, we want you in here!