Hiring the best Officiant for your Wedding/things you need to know
Regarding Weddings:
Hello & congratulations on your upcoming wedding! *I’m Chaplain Joe Andersen. I have been officiating weddings throughout Southern California since 2006. If you are searching for the perfect Officiant for your wedding, you’ve found him. I would be honored to meet with you & help you put together the perfect ceremony for your special day!
About Chaplain Joe *As a non-denominational Christian minister, I have had the honor of marrying loving couples throughout the Southern California area since 2006. Although Christian in faith, I understand that everyone comes from different backgrounds & faiths. I officiate weddings in all styles, religious or non-religious. Whatever your faith, we can work together to find you the perfect ceremony. I served 20 years in the United States Navy, then continue to serve Southern California doing weddings & funerals after I retired.
My wife (Erica) and I settled in Lake Elsinore in 2003 and we absolutely love it here! In our free time we like to try new restaurants in the IE and take rides on our Harley Davidson motorcycle with our fur children “Sir Benjamin Waffles & Madame Presley Pancakes” in the sidecar. You can often find the 4 of us riding around the local area exploring. My wife is also a Minister and can provide services as well.
What makes me different from all of the other Officiants? *I have learned over the years that the ceremony really does set the tone for the rest of the day. My goal is to create a ceremony that is a total reflection of you both - your personalities, values, & beliefs. I always conduct a personal interview with the couples I work with to make sure I have the background I need to create a very unique & memorable ceremony. I am a Veteran & also want to offer the best Military ceremonies one can offer. In my deluxe package, I offer my couples many different opportunities like the share of wine ceremony (wine & glasses provided by you), sharing of sand ceremony (sand & container provided by you) which is especially nice if you are combining families with children who all participate together, gender reveal ceremony (reveal items provided by you), and many other extras that no other officiant offers. Plus if you are a fan of "Elvis", I can do your wedding dressed like him (See my page on Elvis weddings).
Do you officiate same sex ceremonies? *Yes, I do! My personal belief is that love is just as strong & meaningful whether between opposite-sex couples or same-sex couples, everyone should be afforded the same rights & privileges of marriage.
Can we choose a non-religious ceremony? *Yes! Your wedding ceremony should be centered around your love for each other & your own personal set of beliefs. We can tailor a ceremony for you that is beautiful & meaningful, whether religious or non.
We come from different religious backgrounds. Do you have experience with interfaith wedding ceremonies? * Absolutely! I will work with you both to create a ceremony that embraces both of your beliefs & blends the entire ceremony together as one beautiful reflection of you both.
Can we read the ceremony first? *Absolutely! Some couples prefer to go into the ceremony not having seen the entire ceremony, while others like to read through it entirely to be sure it is exactly the way they pictured it. The choice is yours! I’ll clear it by you before it’s performed.
Should we bring you the marriage license before the wedding date? *While it is best to complete the marriage license before the ceremony, you may want to get with your photographer to decide if you want formal pictures of me signing your marriage license on the day of the wedding. If so, it has been my experience that it is better to take care of this before the ceremony, as you are going to be very busy after I pronounce you husband and wife!
Officiant Service/What you’ll get.
–A formal details meeting with you both to learn more about you & discuss your ideas for the ceremony. This meeting is usually about 1 hour & can be done face-to-face or via Zoom/Video Messenger/FaceTime for out-of-town couples.
–Close cooperation with your vendors (photographers, DJ, wedding coordinator, etc.) I will coordinate at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony so that they all know exactly what is going to happen during the ceremony, and when.
–Professionally officiate your wedding– What about the rehearsal? It is my belief that being at your rehearsal is just as beneficial to me as it is to you, and so I always try to be at every rehearsal, unless I am not available, or venue is not local.
Discounts I do offer discounts for the following: *Active Duty Military & Active Reserve AND Weddings taking place Monday through Thursday (holidays excluded)
Officiant fees range from $350-$600* But it depends on the circumstances. Additional travel fees will apply for weddings taking place more than 30 miles from zip code 92530. * And holiday rates apply for certain major holidays.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve your families during this very special time in your lives. As you can see in my ratings/testimonial page, I have helped many couples come together in holy matrimony. I serve in San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange County.
Hello & congratulations on your upcoming wedding! *I’m Chaplain Joe Andersen. I have been officiating weddings throughout Southern California since 2006. If you are searching for the perfect Officiant for your wedding, you’ve found him. I would be honored to meet with you & help you put together the perfect ceremony for your special day!
About Chaplain Joe *As a non-denominational Christian minister, I have had the honor of marrying loving couples throughout the Southern California area since 2006. Although Christian in faith, I understand that everyone comes from different backgrounds & faiths. I officiate weddings in all styles, religious or non-religious. Whatever your faith, we can work together to find you the perfect ceremony. I served 20 years in the United States Navy, then continue to serve Southern California doing weddings & funerals after I retired.
My wife (Erica) and I settled in Lake Elsinore in 2003 and we absolutely love it here! In our free time we like to try new restaurants in the IE and take rides on our Harley Davidson motorcycle with our fur children “Sir Benjamin Waffles & Madame Presley Pancakes” in the sidecar. You can often find the 4 of us riding around the local area exploring. My wife is also a Minister and can provide services as well.
What makes me different from all of the other Officiants? *I have learned over the years that the ceremony really does set the tone for the rest of the day. My goal is to create a ceremony that is a total reflection of you both - your personalities, values, & beliefs. I always conduct a personal interview with the couples I work with to make sure I have the background I need to create a very unique & memorable ceremony. I am a Veteran & also want to offer the best Military ceremonies one can offer. In my deluxe package, I offer my couples many different opportunities like the share of wine ceremony (wine & glasses provided by you), sharing of sand ceremony (sand & container provided by you) which is especially nice if you are combining families with children who all participate together, gender reveal ceremony (reveal items provided by you), and many other extras that no other officiant offers. Plus if you are a fan of "Elvis", I can do your wedding dressed like him (See my page on Elvis weddings).
Do you officiate same sex ceremonies? *Yes, I do! My personal belief is that love is just as strong & meaningful whether between opposite-sex couples or same-sex couples, everyone should be afforded the same rights & privileges of marriage.
Can we choose a non-religious ceremony? *Yes! Your wedding ceremony should be centered around your love for each other & your own personal set of beliefs. We can tailor a ceremony for you that is beautiful & meaningful, whether religious or non.
We come from different religious backgrounds. Do you have experience with interfaith wedding ceremonies? * Absolutely! I will work with you both to create a ceremony that embraces both of your beliefs & blends the entire ceremony together as one beautiful reflection of you both.
Can we read the ceremony first? *Absolutely! Some couples prefer to go into the ceremony not having seen the entire ceremony, while others like to read through it entirely to be sure it is exactly the way they pictured it. The choice is yours! I’ll clear it by you before it’s performed.
Should we bring you the marriage license before the wedding date? *While it is best to complete the marriage license before the ceremony, you may want to get with your photographer to decide if you want formal pictures of me signing your marriage license on the day of the wedding. If so, it has been my experience that it is better to take care of this before the ceremony, as you are going to be very busy after I pronounce you husband and wife!
Officiant Service/What you’ll get.
–A formal details meeting with you both to learn more about you & discuss your ideas for the ceremony. This meeting is usually about 1 hour & can be done face-to-face or via Zoom/Video Messenger/FaceTime for out-of-town couples.
–Close cooperation with your vendors (photographers, DJ, wedding coordinator, etc.) I will coordinate at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony so that they all know exactly what is going to happen during the ceremony, and when.
–Professionally officiate your wedding– What about the rehearsal? It is my belief that being at your rehearsal is just as beneficial to me as it is to you, and so I always try to be at every rehearsal, unless I am not available, or venue is not local.
Discounts I do offer discounts for the following: *Active Duty Military & Active Reserve AND Weddings taking place Monday through Thursday (holidays excluded)
Officiant fees range from $350-$600* But it depends on the circumstances. Additional travel fees will apply for weddings taking place more than 30 miles from zip code 92530. * And holiday rates apply for certain major holidays.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve your families during this very special time in your lives. As you can see in my ratings/testimonial page, I have helped many couples come together in holy matrimony. I serve in San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange County.
Audience participation