Important note
to out-of-state couples: The application for Washington,
DC marriage licenses is taking a full 5 days to process which is causing some difficulty for out-of-state couples who only
have a few days scheduled in DC for their wedding ceremony. I spoke to a clerk at the DC Courthouse and was advised that they
will allow your minister to apply for the marriage license on your behalf. This is a service I can provide
to you. Then, when you arrive in DC, the marriage license will be ready and waiting for you to pick
up at the courthouse during business hours, and, you can be married as early as the same day at your choice of location!
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On Friday, April 16, 2010, I had the
extreme pleasure and profound honor of officiating my first LEGAL gay wedding in Washington, DC. The lovely
couple had chosen the National Arboretum in which to be married. It was just the three of us in a natural
cathedral of soaring trees. As they spoke those words of love and commitment that couples have spoken for
thousands of years it made me wonder why such a simple act of declaring one’s love for another person is so threatening
to some people. As I often say in my wedding ceremonies, “Love is a miraculous gift and the miracle
of love is that love is given to us to give to others.” It’s that simple. We
cannot have too much love in this world! I was ordained ten years ago through the Baltimore
Spiritual Science Center, an interfaith school that honored all religious traditions and stressed a policy of inclusiveness.
It has been my great joy to officiate almost 200 weddings, civil unions, baptisms and funeral ceremonies in the last
decade. I believe that marriage is a sacred rite that should be open to ALL couples.
I work closely with each couple to ensure that the wedding ceremony they want is exactly what they get.
The couple has final say on all aspects of the ceremony.
Many couples want
to add special readings and rituals, memorial candles, broom jumping, or pagan/Wiccan/Celtic elements, such as handfastings.
I can weave these elements into a beautiful and meaningful service that you will remember always.
Some couples also wish to honor their religious or cultural traditions and I am familiar with Christian, Jewish, Muslim,
Hindu and Buddhist wedding rites and rituals, and can incorporate these into the wedding ceremony.
The initial meeting is free of charge of course, and it gives the couple a chance
to find a wedding officiant who can provide them with the wedding they want. For out-of-state couples,
I have a toll-free number, 1.800.549.9578, which you can call to discuss your wedding plans in detail. There
are many wonderful wedding ministers out there and it’s important to find the right one for you. Let
me help you make this decision. Congratulations and blessings to you both, and best wishes for a long and
happy marriage!
