WEDDING OFFICIANT JON

First contact him with the date, start time and location of your ceremony. Assuming he's available, he'll send you additional information. You can secure the date with a deposit if you'd like to move forward. You're also welcome to call or meet (if desired) for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Jon would be happy to lead your wedding rehearsal subject to his availability. Even if you book Jon only for your wedding and then decide later to add the rehearsal, no problem.

No. Although Jon enthusiastically suggests this as a valuable step before marriage, this is not required. If you are interested in premarital counseling/coaching, Jon would be happy to refer you to an experienced colleague who has an extensive counseling background and is also a certified facilitator for the popular Prepare-Enrich premarital assessment.

Absolutely! Jon works with many couples who have only weeks (sometimes only days!) before the wedding and are still looking for an officiant. Jon will expertly guide you through the planning process on an accelerated schedule, and things will work out perfectly. Your guests won't know whether you planned out your ceremony a year in advance or just days beforehand.

Yes. Jon will work in accordance with your values and religious preferences. Whether you are both non-religious or have different spiritual backgrounds, Jon will respect your wishes and plan accordingly.

Yes. Regardless of your preferred length, style, guest count, or ceremony content, Jon will work with you to craft a perfect wedding.

Absolutely! Jon enjoys working with couples regardless of their sexual orientation, whether gay or straight. He is experienced with officiating LGBTQ weddings.

Not to worry! The majority of couples with whom Jon works have never planned a wedding before and, frankly, are intimidated by the process. Jon is an expert at wedding planning and will first work with you to learn more about your values, preferred style and specifics you may want incorporated into your ceremony. Once the decision is made to work with Jon, he will provide you with an informative worksheet that serves as a great first step. Once it's completed, Jon will then resource you with the materials you need (sample vows, readings, etc.) and guide you through the process of planning out your ceremony.

The ultimate length is completely up to you, and Jon will work with you during the planning session to find the time length you desire. With that said, the majority of weddings Jon performs are 15-25 minutes in length; some are naturally shorter and some are longer. This timeframe is typically your "sweet spot" in terms of length as few guests enjoy sitting for longer period of time. Plus, with strategic wedding planning (Jon's expertise), a significant amount can still be accomplished in this time length.

Great! If you'd like some guidance in writing them, Jon is more than happy to help. Jon also makes available to couples a collection of recommended vows many have found invaluable. You're also free to use them as is or cut/paste as needed.

One benefit to having Jon perform your ceremony is his extensive communication experience. Besides having done a considerable amount of public speaking, Jon has also served as a radio personality and has done broadcasting for Microsoft. This experience translates well to weddings, as Jon naturally engages people with his warm personality and clear, articulate and enthusiastic speaking style. He also engages guests with his sense of humor and down-to-earth, practical approach.

In most situations, Jon would wear a dark suit that blends in nicely with your wedding party. His responsibility is to look sharp and represent you well. In the event that business casual or even casual attire is more appropriate to your ceremony setting, just let Jon know.

The marriage license is something that the bride and groom are responsible for obtaining from the County Clerk’s office. You may obtain the license from the County Clerk's office up to 90 days prior to the wedding date, and will need to bring photo ID as well as provide some personal information and pay a fee. You’ll then give the marriage license to Jon before the wedding starts. He'll take care of the needed signatures and will then resubmit it to the County Clerk's office following the wedding.

There are two different kinds of marriage licenses you may obtain: a standard license requires one or two witness signatures. The license may be obtained in any California county, and is valid for a wedding anywhere in California. The other kind of marriage license is a confidential license. Unlike a standard license, this does not require any witness signatures. Also, the details of your marriage are not released to the public marriage record (some couples prefer this for privacy reasons). The one caveat of a confidential license is that the couple must state that they are living together (at the time the license is issued) and provide the same address. The law recently changed in regards to confidential licenses. Previously a confidential license had to be obtained in the same county where the couple was getting married, but this requirement has been eliminated. Now confidential licenses can be obtained in any California county, and the wedding can take place anywhere in the state (as is the case with a standard marriage license).

Thousands! Nobody knows wedding ceremonies better than Jon. He has performed weddings for groups as small as two people (just the bride and groom) to large groups of over 500 people. He is experienced with weddings representing a diversity of styles, venues, cultures, and spiritual backgrounds.

Whereas many wedding officiants obtain their license or ordination by simply paying a fee to an organization (especially in California it is very easy to become a "wedding minister"), Jon has earned his license through over two decades of practical church/pastoral ministry. He was first licensed in 1991 and later ordained in 2000.

You can see a list of the many venues where Jon has performed weddings in SoCal. On the menu bar at the top of this page, click WEDDINGS > WEDDING VENUES