An officiant who mistook us for another couple - stay away
An officiant who mistook us for another couple - stay away
It is with deep disappointment that we share our experience with Ken Robins, a vendor who turned out to be the weakest link in our wedding day. Ken Robins displayed a shocking lack of professionalism and competence that left my partner and me utterly dismayed.
Mistook us for another couple:
Ken and we communicated in the email clearly that we don’t need to provide a license because we already got the certificate. We confirmed with him twice, once in a phone call, another in the email in writing. However, upon his arrival, he insisted on asking the groom for the marriage license, and stated that he can not marry us without the license.
It was until he called the groom another name that the groom realized Ken mistook us for another couple, and then he said, “Oh, I went to the wrong wedding.”, after that, he kept repeating “I have never made this kind of mistake in 30 years.”
Brought a wrong script:
Because Ken “went to the wrong wedding”, in his own words. He brought the wrong script. Then it is the groom who spent a lot of extra time to make up for his mistake to finally find some parts of the correct script for him to assemble in the field.
Arrived late
Not sure if it is because the other wedding has a different start time and he went to the wrong wedding. Ken didn’t show up at our scheduled time. We communicated with him that the ceremony should start between 3:30pm to 4pm. He mentioned in the phone call he would arrive around 3:00pm. Our coordinator called him at 3:30pm asking where he was, despite prior reassurances and contact with our coordinator, he arrived a staggering 40 minutes late. This egregious oversight not only disrupted our meticulously planned schedule but also added an unnecessary layer of stress to what should have been a joyous occasion.
The groom emailed Ken 12:57PM on the wedding day
It’s very hard to comprehend how Ken could run into the wrong wedding at the wrong time, as the groom emailed Ken on the very day, clearly mentioned Groom’s name and the wedding date(that day).
Caused delay in our wedding timeline:
Because of the above: 1) Ken arrived late; 2) Ken brought the wrong script and the groom broke the original rhythm to find the correct paragraph; and 3) Ken himself needed to rewrite the script in the field, the officiating ceremony was delayed to 5pm. Furthermore, during the crucial moments when the groom was making final preparations, including tuning the arch's speaker, Ken exhibited impatience and an inappropriate sense of urgency. His comment "we have to start now, it's too late, just leave it. Even the kitchen is complaining..." was not only unprofessional but also added unnecessary pressure to an already tense situation. Understandably, addressing these issues in the midst of the ceremony was not feasible, especially in front of our guests and at the wedding arch. Unfortunately, this situation caused a blemish on the groom's special moment.
Given all the facts stated above, I strongly caution any couples against entrusting Ken Robin with their wedding ceremony. His evident inability to meet even the most basic expectations of an officiant reveals a lack of dedication to his role and a disregard for the significance of the events he is a part of.
In conclusion, our wedding day, a day that should have been filled with joy and love, was overshadowed by Ken's incompetence and unprofessional behavior. I hope that our experience serves as a warning to others.
Steer clear of Ken Robin if you value professionalism, respect, and a ceremony that reflects the love and commitment you share as a couple.