There's no doubt that weddings are among the most important
ceremonies that happen in a person's life. More importantly, it's really the only ceremony that occurs in two peoples' lives. Which is why, according to recent census figures, more than 80% of nuptials, even today, happen inside a church or synagogue. Which means that, to roughly 20% of people getting hitched, the occasion may be important but the actual ceremony doesn't have to be traditional, stodgy or weighed down with unnecessary pomp and circumstance.
Using an independent, non-denominational officiant is becoming more and more popular.
People are having a blast moving away from the creaky old ways and designing their own memorable occasions: Saying "I do" while overlooking a volcano in Hawaii. Exchanging vows while skydiving. Slipping the ring on her finger while snorkeling off the Great Barrier Reef. Those are fantastic experiences, sure not to be forgotten -- by either you or your bank account (or, most likely, your credit cards...)
On the flip (and cheaper) side of the coin, thanks to online ministries such as the Universal Life Church, couples
can have a friend be instantly ordained and ready to legally
perform a wedding without any schooling or preparation. This is a handy option IF the couple getting married knows exactly what they want their poor friend to do and say.
As an officiant, a duly ordained minister (through the aforementioned ULC), I offer you a happy medium. A friendly, experienced performer -- 25 years of improvisational theater and comedy -- combined with the knowledge of how to work with you to put together a ceremony that is both touching and light-hearted. It's fun and memorable to be part of an occasion that has your guests laughing one moment and crying the next, through the use of stories and memories that involved the bride, the groom, members of the wedding party and the assorted family members on hand for the event.
I live on the beautiful Northern California coastside, in Half Moon Bay, where there are lots of picturesque locations to create the perfect wedding ceremony. But I'm happy to travel anywhere in the greater Bay Area to bring two people together.
I'm happy to meet with you in advance of the event, and conduct a conversational interview so that you can help me to craft a personalized ceremony. By sharing the stories, both that brought you together and that you experienced as a couple, the occasion is guaranteed to be a memorable experience for you and your guests.
In addition, the other elements that make up your lives — the interests, family and friends — can help to shape the nuptials even more ideally. One wedding I performed with the ceremony made up entirely by putting
together quotes from the couples' favorite films. For another, where
the bride and groom were big sports fans, I wore a referee shirt and
signaled the kiss at the end of their vows by blowing a whistle.
You're probably thinking that's a lot of extra effort and that it's likely to cost an arm and a leg. But no -- for the very reasonable price of just $300, you're assured of having a very memorable occasion. The price includes our pre-wedding meeting as well as my attendance at your rehearsal event to make sure everyone knows where everyone goes. (It also give me the chance to pry some last-minute stories out of your families.)
To want to make sure that I'm an ideal fit for the ceremony you have in mind, I offer a free consultation to give us a chance to talk by phone or in person if convenient. Let's talk over plans for Your Fun Wedding today! Give me a call at (415) 383-6365. Or drop an email with your phone number and good time to call to marc@MarcHershon.com.
Let's make your wedding an occasion that you and your guests will remember for years to come!
— Wedding Testimonials —
"Melissa and I were Marc’s first marriage ceremony. He approached our wedding as he does his life; full of energy, good humor and open to new experiences. His sermon was surprisingly spiritual without being preachy — it fit our wedding perfectly and did so without offending any of our more conservative family members and guests. Everyone had a great time, thought it was a wonderful wedding and a large part of that was due to Marc."
— James "Scoop" McGuire
"After the wedding and even a year later, several people have said to me it was the best ceremony they had ever seen. The personal touches to the ceremony made it more meaningful and unforgettable. Highly recommend Rev. Marc!"
— Jenny Brooks-Stratton
"With all the headache that surrounds wedding planning, writing our non-denominational vows was a task that Krisztina and I weren’t prepared to deal with. Given precious little input from the happy couple (“Make it funny and include some movie quotes!!!”), Marc’s wit was able to construct a brilliant, hilarious blessed event that blended seamlessly with our theme. Marc’s was the funniest, most memorable ceremony we’ve ever witnessed. Bonus that it was ours! Well over a year later, we continue to hear similar sentiment from attendees. Marc single-handedly brought an irreverent, yet heartfelt and touching flavor that Krisztina and I were completely blown away by."
— Phil Reichardt
— Wedding Pictures —
Click on the shots below to see my album of happy couples!
— Shameless Plug —
I didn't write the book on weddings but I DID write the movie on them. Or a movie, anyway. The family-friendly "Wedding Daze", which originally appeared on the Hallmark Channel and is now available on DVD. I even make a cameo appearance in the movie.
Click on the picture below to be whisked off to Amazon.com where you can get a copy for yourself. (And if you hire me to do your wedding, I'll be happy to autograph it for you!)
— Viewer Reviews —
"Great Romantic Comedy that I am glad to add to my collection!"
"Father of the Bride times three!"
"Great movie!"
— Great Flowers —
Whether you're looking for flowers for your wedding or any other festive occasion, including office decor, you can't beat the personalized service you'll get from Lauren at Brand Floral Design!