Illuminating Ceremonies

Illuminating Ceremonies I specialize in creating wedding ceremonies that blow people's minds. Wedding Officiant, Life-Cycle Celebrant

Holy cow: I just realized that it was 13 years ago today when I officiated my 1st wedding, by Channel Gardens at Rockefe...
12/03/2024

Holy cow: I just realized that it was 13 years ago today when I officiated my 1st wedding, by Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Plaza.

Many thanks to my couples and fellow wedding vendors, far too many to tag here.



Most people know me as a wedding officiant, but my new other passion job is NYC Walking Tour Guide. Coming soon, my soci...
11/22/2024

Most people know me as a wedding officiant, but my new other passion job is NYC Walking Tour Guide. Coming soon, my social media output for walking tours will be on a new Instagram page (WalkwithChris).

I love my wedding colleagues and the hundreds of couples I've married over the last 12+ years. I will keep doing weddings as long as couples want hilarious & heart-achingly genuine ceremonies. But during weekdays, you can join me in fun, roaming crowdwork strolls through NYC.

Coming soon for individuals, couples, and groups up to 8 people!

WalkwithChris.com

For now, DM me for info

Chris

Wedding in Mt. Adams at the elegant Monastery Event Center. Kris & her staff are masters of the room flip. The venue is ...
11/16/2024

Wedding in Mt. Adams at the elegant Monastery Event Center. Kris & her staff are masters of the room flip. The venue is always the biggest star of the evening. The acoustics feel grand. Congrats to Stacey & Matthew.






Wedding MBA is a great place to meet new people. Within minutes of arriving, the talented JB Sax sat down next to me and...
11/13/2024

Wedding MBA is a great place to meet new people. Within minutes of arriving, the talented JB Sax sat down next to me and bam - we talked for the next half hour. What a guy! He plays sax for many people including San Diego Padres fans, meaning, he will play the national anthem before games. Yeah. He's been doing that for decades. And now the wedding industry gets to enjoy his skills. Are we lucky or what?



Time to learn and be learned. Looking forward to seeing and many others...
11/12/2024

Time to learn and be learned. Looking forward to seeing and many others...

To all the wedding planners and venue hosts with whom I've worked. On behalf of all professional wedding officiants, I a...
11/08/2024

To all the wedding planners and venue hosts with whom I've worked. On behalf of all professional wedding officiants, I am asking that you help us educate couples on the value of having a professional officiate the ceremony. Maybe explain that the ceremony is like the classic car pictured in this photo: classic, gorgeous, iconic. Ask if they would entrust someone who has no driver's license and no experience driving a car to drive this car. On a highway. At top speed. Please let them know that creating a personal touch is part of what we do. Please let them know that there are other ways to save money. Please help us. We are so downstream in the hiring process, we have little to no chance to educate couples before they have made this decision. We love our work, but for us to make this argument is tough because we are obviously biased. We need the other trusted vendors to defend and help us.

And if any of you will attend Wedding MBA next week, please come hear my talk Thursday at 3:50pm. I will make a pitch for how pro officiants can improve the emotional impact and guest experience for the entire wedding, not just the ceremony. Thank you.




DC did not disappoint for Brittany & Brian's wedding at the Dockmaster Building. Brilliant skies, lively marina, pro ven...
11/06/2024

DC did not disappoint for Brittany & Brian's wedding at the Dockmaster Building. Brilliant skies, lively marina, pro vendors.

Planner:
Dress:
Tuxedo:
Florist:
Desserts:
Cake:
Caterer:
Hair & Makeup:
Photo:
DJ:
Decor:
Lion Dancers:
Crane Wall:
Hotel:

On Thursday Nov 14, at 3:50pm, I'll be talking about ways that officiants can make more money.
10/31/2024

On Thursday Nov 14, at 3:50pm, I'll be talking about ways that officiants can make more money.

Saw Todd Barry perform tonight. Great stuff.
10/26/2024

Saw Todd Barry perform tonight. Great stuff.


New trend: the Vendor Shot! A must at every wedding.Gathered here: Amy Duvic of Glass and Grace Events, Dan from Cincy ...
10/22/2024

New trend: the Vendor Shot! A must at every wedding.

Gathered here: Amy Duvic of Glass and Grace Events, Dan from Cincy Wedding Services and Brit from Brit Jaye Photography.



My double life has been very much in effect for the past two months, with weddings at their peak and walking tours picki...
10/18/2024

My double life has been very much in effect for the past two months, with weddings at their peak and walking tours picking up speed. I really love both jobs; I love the dressed-up excitement and pressure of a wedding crowd and I love the roaming shows through NYC streets with a dozen international tourists in tow.



Private tours available, for 1-12 interesting people

The Studs station was busy this week. My photographers don't always understand the importance of getting the sign in the...
10/16/2024

The Studs station was busy this week.

My photographers don't always understand the importance of getting the sign in the shot.

Always a treat to bump into my colleague and friend Peter Boruchowitz as both of us are headed to officiate weddings in ...
10/13/2024

Always a treat to bump into my colleague and friend Peter Boruchowitz as both of us are headed to officiate weddings in the same neighborhood. Peter was off to 620 Loft & Garden, I was off to The Rainbow Room. Great for both of us to have a quick laugh before doing our ridiculously fun jobs.



At the Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center for Krista and Thomas. What a night! The views: spectacular. The food: chef'...
10/13/2024

At the Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center for Krista and Thomas. What a night! The views: spectacular. The food: chef's kiss. The adulation from 190 happy guests: intoxicating. I love making guests laugh, but even more, I love telling them a story. I feel like I'm sneaking vitamins into their cake.

What a life. Thank you for your exquisite planning and for your music.

Revealing my killer selfie skills with my visitors from Bosnia and this highly-decorated guard.
10/07/2024

Revealing my killer selfie skills with my visitors from Bosnia and this highly-decorated guard.




In the middle of this afternoon's walking tour of The Highline, I spotted a poet. In the wild! I asked him, "Do you kno...
10/03/2024

In the middle of this afternoon's walking tour of The Highline, I spotted a poet. In the wild! I asked him, "Do you know Zoe Branch?" And he did! In fact, he appeared with her on The Today Show recently. I love New York. Zoe and Jay do their on-the-spot poetry at weddings all the time, so we have weddings in common (I've been officiating for 12 + years). I just love these NY career overlap moments.

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New York, NY
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+17182220110

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Videos

Pre-reception entrance fun @hotelcovington @thejeffyj

Seated dance party at Chelsea & Austen's wedding. @islandbrotherspro @crystal_horton_photo @manorhouseeventcenter

The Weylin. Wey more elegant than you might think a former bank could be. Wey more. Guitarist, weylin' in the background. I will wey more after eating so many Lobster roll hors dhoeurves. If I could find a wey to stay all night without looking conspicuous, I would. @weylin1875 #brooklynwedding #brooklynbride #brooklyn

@stephaniebabirak Had the pleasure of working with Stephanie Saturday at The Ravel Hotel @ravelhotel @ravelevents

Glukh Ensemble, brassy and classy, at @wavehill If anyone knows their social handles please let me know. They are straight up wonderful.

New York. This city just grabs you and never let's go...

My wife doesn't do social media, because she sees no point in it. But whenever I post something with her in it, my popularity soars. So here is an action video...

Thrilled that my couple used the 'Meet the Mets' song for their reception entrance music. (They are now The Metz. Metzes?)

A little music, little groovin... @visioneventco @djbenhameen

What makes relationships work? That's what Kyle & I talked about... @goodknightvo

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