Luxury Wedding Officiant in New Jersey
You didn't plan a wedding this beautiful to have an ordinary ceremony at the center of it.
TRUSTED BY COUPLES SINCE 2014
12+
YEARS
OFFICIATING
1,000+
CEREMONIES
PERFORMED
CMR
CERTIFIED MUNICIPAL
REGISTRAR
I'm Aretha, a New Jersey wedding officiant trusted by couples across NJ, the tri-state area and as far away as Australia, London and the Caribbean to write and deliver the ceremony their entire day is built around.
Availability is limited.
Inquiries are reviewed in the order they're received.
A Wedding Officiant for Couples Who Want Their Ceremony to Feel as Special as Everything Else on the Day
You've chosen the venue. The dress. The florist everyone's been trying to book. Your ceremony deserves that same level of care, not a generic script read by a stranger, but a real, custom-written ceremony delivered by someone who knows how to hold a room.
I officiate large, luxury weddings across New Jersey and the greater NY tri-state area, the kind with a full guest list, a produced timeline and a couple who wants their vows to actually mean something to the people watching.
If that's you, you're in the right place.
Why New Jersey's Most Sought-After Couples Book Me
Officiating since 2014. More than 11 years and over 1,000 ceremonies, from ballroom celebrations to rooftop ceremonies overlooking the NYC skyline.
Certified Municipal Registrar in New Jersey, and registered to officiate in New York. Your marriage license and legal paperwork are handled correctly, every time.
205+ five-star Google reviews from real couples who trusted me with the most important minutes of their wedding day.
A massive luxury wedding portfolio built alongside NJ and NY's top planners, photographers and venues.
Couples travel from across New Jersey and New York and from as far away as Australia, London and the Caribbean specifically to have their wedding officiated by me.
My passport is always valid and I'm able to travel to any part of the world for luxury weddings. When a couple wants to marry overseas, I make sure we complete the legal marriage state-side first, so we never have to navigate another country's paperwork or requirements.
What's Included When You Book Your Wedding Ceremony
A fully custom-written ceremony built around your relationship, your story and how you want the moment to feel
Guidance on vows, readings and ceremony structure
Professional officiation on your wedding day (large ceremonies run a minimum of 30 minutes), delivered with presence and polish in front of your full guest list
Coordination with your planner and venue so the ceremony fits seamlessly into your timeline
Proper completion and submission of your marriage license.
Clear guidance on obtaining your Certified Marriage Certificate after the wedding.
Investment: Wedding ceremonies begin at $1,500.
(This does not include travel and hotel when necessary or rehearsal attendance, which can be arranged based on your needs. Ceremony ritual materials, such as a unity candle or broom, are the couple's responsibility to provide. I'm happy to perform any ritual you'd like, fully customized to your culture and your vision for the day.)
I believe in complete transparency around pricing. You can see the full breakdown of what's included on my Pricing page..
A Ceremony Script Written Only for You
Your ceremony is not reused, recycled or shared in advance.
I write every wedding ceremony from scratch, specific to the couple standing in front of me, which means your guests hear something they've genuinely never heard before and your ceremony stays personal and meaningful from the first word to the last.
Dressed for Your Wedding Day
Your ceremony photos will last a lifetime, and I'm mindful of how I show up in them. I wear designer gowns and dresses for every ceremony I officiate, and couples often tell me how much they love what I wear on their wedding day. If you'd like, share your wedding colors or your color palette with me and I'll coordinate my attire to complement the look and feel of your day.
What Your Wedding Day Looks Like Working With Me
On your wedding day, I arrive early, connect with your planner or venue coordinator and step into place as part of your vendor team, not a stranger showing up to read a script.
I officiate your ceremony exactly as planned, hold the space with confidence in front of your full guest list and make sure your marriage license is completed correctly on-site.
After the wedding, your license is processed with the appropriate registrar and you'll receive clear, simple instructions for getting your Certified Marriage Certificate.
Once you're booked, you have unlimited access to me by text and email throughout your planning process, and you're always welcome to include your wedding planner in any of our meetings.
Any additional Zoom meetings beyond your initial consultation are scheduled directly on my calendar, so we always have dedicated time to make sure everything is exactly right.
"Even though we had a large wedding, she made the ceremony feel so personal and intimate."
She really did such a thorough job understanding the mood and the tone that my husband and I wanted to set for the ceremony, and made sure she understood what was important to us. After answering some detailed questions about me and my husband's love story and what is meaningful to us, Aretha delivered an absolutely beautiful ceremony and vows that were beyond my highest expectations! Thank you so much, Aretha, for making our day so special!
Caroline & Brett
Florentine Gardens
River Vale, NJ
How to Book Your Wedding Ceremony
#1 — Submit Your Wedding Inquiry Form
This is the first step, always. I don't take calls or answer questions before a Wedding Inquiry Form is completed. This is how I confirm availability for your date and learn what your ceremony needs.
#2 — I Respond by Text
Once I receive your inquiry, I text you directly to confirm my availability for your date. From there, we get a Zoom consultation scheduled and locked onto the calendar.
#3 — We Meet on Zoom
Both partners join a Zoom consultation, about an hour long, where we get to know each other and talk through your vision for the ceremony. If it's a great fit, these calls tend to run a little long, in the best way.
#4 — You're Booked
If we're a match, you submit full payment and sign a straightforward Service Agreement to secure your date. From there, I send over your onboarding package, including a ceremony questionnaire and a first draft of your ceremony structure, to get us started.
Is a Wedding Ceremony the Right Fit for You?
This is a great fit if:
You're planning a large or luxury wedding in New Jersey or the tri-state area
You want a fully custom, professionally delivered ceremony
You value an experienced officiant who handles every legal detail correctly
You're ready to move forward and want a straightforward, transparent booking process
This may not be the right fit if:
You're looking for an informal, budget officiant
You want the ceremony script shared with you in advance
You're planning a courthouse-style or same-day marriage certificate ceremony rather than a full wedding
You've Got Questions. I've Got Answers.
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No, I don't take calls or answer questions before a Wedding Inquiry Form is completed. This form is how I confirm availability and understand what your ceremony needs, and it's always the first step.
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Wedding ceremonies are booked on a limited basis each year, so the earlier you inquire, the better your chances of securing your date.
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No. Every ceremony is written specifically for the couple being married and it isn't shared in advance. This keeps the moment authentic for both of you and for your guests.
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A fully custom-written ceremony, professional officiation on your wedding day and complete handling of your marriage license through your Certified Marriage Certificate. Travel and hotel when required and rehearsal attendance are not included and can be arranged separately. Ceremony ritual materials are the couple's responsibility to provide.
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Yes. As a Certified Municipal Registrar in New Jersey and an officiant registered in New York, I officiate weddings throughout NJ and the greater NY tri-state area, and couples travel to me from as far as Australia, London and the Caribbean. I'm also available to travel internationally for weddings, and I always make sure a couple is legally married state-side first so we don't have to navigate another country's marriage paperwork.
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You'll have unlimited text and email access to me throughout your planning process, and you're welcome to include your wedding planner in any of our meetings. Additional Zoom meetings are scheduled directly on my calendar, and I'll be in close contact as your wedding day approaches.
