I am a licensed officiant. Did you know that? Sometimes even I forget.
I have performed dozens of weddings for friends, family and even strangers. Lots for strangers actually. It's a side business I love. With family and friends, marrying them is an honor. So great. I've had such fun marrying friends and family. But with strangers, it feels illicit or illegal in some way. Like I'm peeking into their private moment without invitation. I mean, after all, I'm just an actor. But I have to remind myself that I have been invited and I am actually kind of important in their ceremony.
I do whatever people want for their weddings--anything from just a joyful, playful tone to the ceremony to storytelling to full on standup. I love officiating weddings.
Usually.
One wedding, they wanted standup. Straight up stand up. It was awful. I really thought I bombed. The Russian bride and groom seemed to enjoy it, were smiling and laughing throughout, but no one else did. No one. All stoic non-entertained faces. After the ceremony, devastated by what I thought was massive failure, I learned no one else spoke English, just the bride and groom. Well that explains that. Would have been nice to know ahead of time.
Another ceremony was on a boat on the Hudson River in NYC. Beautiful, sunny day, just slightly choppy waters. Halfway through the ceremony, we hit a big wave and the groom fell over. And then I fell on top of him. Yes, on top of him. On top of the groom. We all nervously laughed as the groomsmen tried to pull me off the groom. It had nothing to do with the champagne I just drank. I don't think.
Another ceremony was two minutes --- literally two minutes. It's all they wanted.
"Do you?"
"Do you?"
"Then by the power vested in me by some online church...."
Life is funny. So many moments we get to participate in if we pay attention and sometimes...get lucky.
www.thefunnyofficiant.com
I have performed dozens of weddings for friends, family and even strangers. Lots for strangers actually. It's a side business I love. With family and friends, marrying them is an honor. So great. I've had such fun marrying friends and family. But with strangers, it feels illicit or illegal in some way. Like I'm peeking into their private moment without invitation. I mean, after all, I'm just an actor. But I have to remind myself that I have been invited and I am actually kind of important in their ceremony.
I do whatever people want for their weddings--anything from just a joyful, playful tone to the ceremony to storytelling to full on standup. I love officiating weddings.
Usually.
One wedding, they wanted standup. Straight up stand up. It was awful. I really thought I bombed. The Russian bride and groom seemed to enjoy it, were smiling and laughing throughout, but no one else did. No one. All stoic non-entertained faces. After the ceremony, devastated by what I thought was massive failure, I learned no one else spoke English, just the bride and groom. Well that explains that. Would have been nice to know ahead of time.
Another ceremony was on a boat on the Hudson River in NYC. Beautiful, sunny day, just slightly choppy waters. Halfway through the ceremony, we hit a big wave and the groom fell over. And then I fell on top of him. Yes, on top of him. On top of the groom. We all nervously laughed as the groomsmen tried to pull me off the groom. It had nothing to do with the champagne I just drank. I don't think.
Another ceremony was two minutes --- literally two minutes. It's all they wanted.
"Do you?"
"Do you?"
"Then by the power vested in me by some online church...."
Life is funny. So many moments we get to participate in if we pay attention and sometimes...get lucky.
www.thefunnyofficiant.com
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