The California Wedding Officiant Story
When my cousin Julia got married in 2014, she asked my father, Andrew, to be the officiant for her wedding. He agreed and was so thrilled with the experience that he wanted to do more. This led him to create his own wedding officiant serivce, complete with a website (you're on it!), contracts, script templates, etc. With an initial goal of officiating ten to twelve ceremonies per year, my father ended up conducting nearly sixty in the first year and went on to officiate several hundred ceremonies during his almost 10 years as the owner/operator of California Wedding Officiant.
In 2023, my father decided that he was ready to retire from officiating. By this time, I had witnessed him officiate several of his ceremonies and had had many long conversations with him about the practice. I was also aware of the long hours he had spent building the website, creating a social media presence, developing scripts, and communicating with clients. So I suggested, "Why don't I get ordained, and take over the business you have put so much time and effort into building?" My father mentored me through this transition, and I have now been the owner of California Wedding Officiant for the past few years.
Due to my ongoing teaching job, I am sometimes not available to officiate on certain days of the week. However, around the time I took over California Wedding Officiant, a long time family friend, Ferris Phillips, shared that she was very interested in officiating weddings as well. I jumped at the idea of adding another officiant to the team, so Ferris became ordained, and she has now officiated about two dozen weddings for California Wedding Officiant. Ferris uses the ceremony scripts that we finalize in collaboration with our couples, and she follows a similar approach that my father used when he developed the outstanding reputation of our brand.
Today, Ferris and I stand ready to help many more couples craft their perfect ceremony. Please reach out and contact us if you need an experienced officiant!
Our Approach
I entered the wedding officiating profession after spending almost twenty years as a college instructor. In my teaching career, I have spent many, many hours speaking in front of groups of people, where I developed the ability to speak clearly and forcefully so that I could be heard by all my students. One of my favorite aspects of teaching is when I get an opportunity to insert some humor into the topic being taught. These are attributes I have carried into my officiating work.
Ferris also enjoyed a long career as a school teacher. She has a very kind, caring manner, loves people, and feels a thrill every time she has the chance to be there to help her couples as they seal their bond of love.
We both feel honored and gratified every time we are able to play a part in one of the happiest moments of many peoples' lives (and in the lives of their loved ones) -- their wedding ceremony!
What is a "Wedding Officiant"?
In the state of California, an approved organization ordains a Wedding Officiant. They are authorized by the state to conduct officially recognized wedding ceremonies formally and to certify the marriage license. They will perform the service, which solemnizes your relationship, legally and emotionally.
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