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Father Jerry Bellamy
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About
On WeddingWire since 2010
Father Jerry Bellamy is a retired Catholic priest, in CA. He has been planning and performing weddings for over 50 years. Ordained after 12 years of seminary training, he spent 9 happy years in parishes. In 1981, he retired from full time ministry because he wanted to be married. He and his wife have two wonderful children. Both children are professionals in California. He is still a Priest but performs weddings as a non-denominational minister. Father Jerry specializes in both religious and non-religious ceremonies. He also speaks Spanish.
This is NOT his “side job”. This is what he does.
Services Offered
Father Jerry is bilingual and will work with you to plan and celebrate your wedding, in English or Spanish traditions. So many of his couples are not religious, as adults, but were as children. Many couples are agnostics, atheists or are just upset with the church of their parents. Father Jerry very often helps bridge the gap between what the couple wants and what their parents want. Father Jerry’s couples usually want to be married outside of traditional churches or temples or synagogues. He also celebrates weddings, side by side, with Rabbis, Imams, Ministers, and Elders of other religions. He will take the time to sit down with you to plan your ceremony. His approach is to help you find the ceremony that is hiding within your relationship. Your wedding could end up being rather traditional, or not very traditional at all. The average duration of a ceremony is about 28 minutes.
“What makes a person holy, is determined by how loving one is, not by how religious one might be. We celebrate how great or holy it is that you love each other. Dios es Amor.”
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![Adri]()
Adri Married on 01/08/2023Delivered a Perfect Interfaith Ceremony in a Historic Chapel
My husband and I really wanted a ceremony that didn't feel like just a formality. We both had religious upbringings, but our families come from different faiths. We hoped that Father Bellamy could create a spiritual tone without being specific enough to risk stepping on anyone's personal beliefs. He did exactly that and so much more!
We first met with him in Santa Barbara, where we discussed what our ceremony would look and feel like. After the meeting, he emailed us an outline that we later used to run our rehearsal. The outline was so comprehensive that we managed to do everything without a coordinator, and we actually felt confident about it (which is saying a lot because I'm a big worrywart).
The ceremony took place at the Wee Kirk O' the Heather, a reproduction of a 14th-century Scottish church, on the grounds of Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA. Father Bellamy perfectly suited the Old World charm of the chapel, dressed in his traditional vestments.
Father Bellamy said all the right things. He has such a fun, quirky personality that puts everyone at ease, but he also masterfully created an environment in which we all felt spiritually in tune with each other and with God. After the ceremony, several of our guests remarked that the ceremony really touched them and that they felt like they were participating instead of just spectating. You absolutely will not regret hiring Father Bellamy!Father Jerry Bellamy's reply:
Adri and Martin, you really brought both of your families and cultures together. Your mothers actually went to the front and read the selections you had chosen, English and Spanish. We were Catholic Christians and Mormons, all together, celebrating your love and commitment to each other. Thank you for your sharing your lives with all of us. Dios es Amor. -
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Jessica R. Getting married on 06/24/2023
Father Jerry is the best!
We love Father Jerry! From the very first phone call, we knew Father Jerry was a perfect fit for us and our ceremony. We loved his humor, kindness, values, and flexibility. My husband's family is from Spain and since Father Jerry speaks Spanish, he was able to do our ceremony in both English and Spanish. We loved how we could include my husband's family, even from a far distance. They tuned in via Zoom, all the way from Spain. That was very important to us. He was very easy to work with. Our initial consultation was by phone since we were from out-of-town. We liked how he gave us different options to pay, including Venmo or Zelle. When planning over the phone, he was able to do a run-through rehearsal of what to expect day-of. He gave us great suggestions of what to include in our ceremony, like the Rose Ceremony for Mothers, low-pressure letters written by hand the night before to read aloud to each other, and the freedom to choose passages read by each of our mothers during the ceremony. We loved these special touches and everyone in attendance did too. What we also really loved was how he added a moment in the middle of our ceremony for us to just pause and look around and take the setting and everything around us in. Our guests and photographers couldn't stop talking about how wonderful and funny he was. We are so happy we found him and that he was available on our special day. Thank you for everything Father Jerry! We're so grateful to you!Father Jerry Bellamy's reply:
Jessica, what a wonderful couple you are. Your generosity and sense of sharing brought your family members in Dublin, CA, and other family members in Spain, together for your special wedding in beautiful Santa Barbara. Your ceremony was a reflection of who the two of you are. I just helped the two of you find your ceremony. It was hiding within your relationship. Your ceremony was not something from a book or something you found on the internet. It was a reflection of your love for each other. Remember, Santa Barbara is now "your town". Blessings. Father Jerry -
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Ds Pompa Married on 05/18/2023
Perfection
Father Jerry did an absolutely perfect beach ceremony for our wedding! He is efficient yet not rushed, incorporates appropriate humor and doesn’t miss any of the details. He clearly explains everything and guides you through the entire process and the ceremony. When he says “all you have to do is show up” it’s 100% true. Our guests are still raving about him and how perfect our ceremony was. Thank you wedding wife and everyone writing reviews because that’s how we found the BEST OFFICIANT EVER ❤️❤️❤️. Thank you so very much Father Jerry!!Father Jerry Bellamy's reply:
Sarah and Dominic, thank you for sharing your thoughts. Yes, I had a part to play in all of it, but it was your ceremony. It reflected your personalities and the values of your parents and friends. We celebrated your wedding at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz, on the sand. What a beautiful day. We did all of our planning in Santa Barbara months before your big day. It all came together. Blessings in your future. Father Jerry -
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What a great company! We highly recommend!
It is very challenging for couples to not only choose the right person to marry them but also to find the right person! In this small pocket of California there are limited choices. I am so relieved when my clients mention Father Jerry because I know not only will they have a memorable and exquisitely penned ceremony but they will also go into their day organized, calm and excited. Father Jerry has many years of experience and knows how to set my clients' mind at ease. I highly recommend him for the job!
Father Jerry Bellamy will make your wedding ceremony relaxed, personal and beautiful. I love how he gets to know the couples so that the ceremony rings authentic to who the couple is. I always know my couples are in good hands when working with him.
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