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Weddings
English
Ceremony Rehearsal
Interfaith
Civil Union
Deborah
Irina
Rebeca
Trever
Keri

Recommended by 100% of couples

About this vendor

Every wedding begins with a conversation. Mine begins with your story.

I believe the most meaningful ceremonies are never about scripts or formalities—they're about the two people standing in front of me and the life they're beginning together.

Whether you're planning an intimate elopement, a backyard celebration, or a traditional wedding surrounded by family and friends, my goal is to create a ceremony that feels authentic, heartfelt, and unmistakably yours.

Every ceremony I perform is written from scratch. I take the time to get to know you through conversation and my Love Story Questionnaire, learning about your journey together, your personalities, and what matters most to you. From there, I craft a ceremony that reflects your relationship—not one that sounds like every other wedding.

Some couples prefer heartfelt and emotional. Others want lighthearted and joyful. Some include faith, family traditions, personal vows, or special readings. Others prefer something beautifully simple. There are no right or wrong choices—only the ones that feel right for you.

For more than forty years, I've had the privilege of communicating with San Diego audiences through radio, television, live events, and thousands of celebrations. Many couples—and often their parents—recognize me from KCBQ, B100, KPRI, KSON, ABC 10News, and CW6. Those experiences taught me something that's invaluable as an officiant: how to help people feel comfortable, relaxed, and fully present during life's biggest moments.

Couples often describe me as calm, warm, professional, and easy to work with. My role isn't to be the center of attention. It's to help you feel confident, supported, and free to enjoy one of the most meaningful moments of your lives.

When your ceremony begins, I want your family and friends to feel like they're hearing your story—not a ceremony that could have been written for anyone else.

I'd be honored to tell your story.

Gary Kelley

Features

Just me

Experience

  • 42 years in business

  • We speak English

Links

Visit website

FAQ

What is the starting price for ceremony rehearsals?

$299

What types of weddings and events do you provide services for?

Non-religious
Interfaith
Ceremony Rehearsal
Vow Renewal
Civil Union

What religious affiliations do you serve?

No Denomination

On average, how long are wedding ceremonies you officiate?

30-60 mins.

In which states are you licensed?

CA

What languages do you speak?

English

Still have questions?

Reach out about anything you didn't see answered here—no question is too small!

Wedding couple

Reviews of Gary Kelley Weddings

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

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Gary is a highly recommended, professional and caring officiant and DJ who personalizes ceremonies, handles last-minute plans, and guides couples with warmth and a clear, soothing delivery. He’s punctual, attentive, and often attends rehearsals to collaborate on scripts. Guests praise his music, connection with attendees, and ability to make ceremonies intimate and memorable.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Gary is a highly recommended, professional and caring officiant and DJ who personalizes ceremonies, handles last-minute plans, and guides couples with warmth and a clear, soothing delivery. He’s punctual, attentive, and often attends rehearsals to collaborate on scripts. Guests praise his music, connection with attendees, and ability to make ceremonies intimate and memorable.

Deborah
Deborah Sent on 07/13/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Gary Kelley was the best of the best!

Gary Kelley is wonderful! We are so glad we chose him to marry us. He is a super nice man very knowledgeable , very affordable and pretty witty as well! Nobody would ever be sorry they hired Gary to do the honors at their special occasion. He made us feel special from start to finish!
Irina
Irina Sent on 06/29/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful Celebration of Life officiant

We retained the services of Gary to oversee the celebration of life for my late mother-in-law. Gary was so kind and professional and caring on our initial phone intake. He sent us details of how everything would go and a questionnaire so that he could get to understand the life of my mother-in-law more thoroughly, to be able to officiate the ceremony to the best of his ability.

We provided him with the obituary and answered some questions, and Gary made sure to have all the pronunciations of certain words correct. He arrived on the day of the event on time, actually early, and was well-dressed and presentable. He made everyone feel welcome and delivered the tribute so perfectly. He had everyone feeling that he was part of the family.

I would highly recommend Gary for all kinds of officiating, from weddings to celebrations of life and beyond.
Rebeca
Rebeca Sent on 05/28/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Beyond what we expected!

My husband and I planned our wedding in one day to get married the next day, and Gary was the first one to pick up our call. From the start he was super helpful, and went above and beyond to make our day special.  He asked me all the important questions, such as expectations, etc, that I had not even thought of. I would have been ok with a basic ceremony, but Gary suggested making it personal to us. He asked us questions to get to know us and our relationship, He sent us links to different vow writing examples, and he communicated with us throughout the whole planning process. I could not be more happier with how our ceremony turned out. He was very professional, kind, and military friendly! I can not recommend him enough. Thank you, Gary, for making our day special!
B
Barbara Sent on 05/22/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Gary Kelley

I have had Gary Kelley host many of my events....from my own wedding, to a military ball, and other social functions. Gary is the utmost professional, and plays the BEST variety of music! He welcomes music requests from guests, and fulfills them as much as possible. I would 100% recommend him. You will NOT be disappointed!!
Trever
Trever Sent on 05/15/2026
5 out of 5 rating

A Thoughtful and Incredible Officiant

Gary Kelley was an incredible wedding officiant, and we could not have asked for a better person to lead our ceremony. From the beginning, he was thoughtful, attentive, and genuinely invested in making our ceremony feel personal and meaningful. He attended our rehearsal, collaborated with us on the script, and made sure every part of the ceremony reflected us as a couple.

What stood out most was how Gary kept the focus entirely on the bride and groom. He created a ceremony that felt heartfelt, intimate, and special without ever making it about himself. You could truly tell that our wedding meant something to him too, and that care came through in every word he spoke.

We are so grateful for the role Gary played in our day. He helped create one of the most memorable and meaningful parts of our wedding, and we would highly recommend him to any couple looking for a thoughtful, professional, and genuinely caring officiant.
G
Gwen Sent on 05/12/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful vendor

5 Stars for the GOAT of San Diego 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 Gary Kelley is a San Diego treasure! He knows how to connect to the guests! Gary does his homework to make every wedding customized for the two of you! As far as Music, Gary will get the party going with decades experience on the radio as a very popular DJ.  He’s fun, friendly and professional. Gary has done my wedding, our company, Christmas party, three high school, reunions, several friends weddings, my daughter’s, sweet, 16 birthday party to name a few. I would never use anyone else. Plus, he’s extremely knowledgeable with all types of music and artists. and as a bonus, he is even a wedding officiant. Look no further!   Gwen J 🤩
Keri
Keri Sent on 05/09/2026
5 out of 5 rating

My wedding officiant Gary!

Gary was truly an exceptional wedding officiant, and we feel incredibly lucky to have had him as part of our special day. From the very beginning to the end of the ceremony, he guided us with such kindness, warmth, and professionalism that immediately put us at ease!!

He sent us a voice recording beforhand, and we loved it. At our wedding, his voice was clear, calm, and soothing, which made a huge difference during such an emotional moment. He led us through our vows in a way that felt natural and heartfelt, allowing us to stay present and truly take in every second. Many of our guests later mentioned how much they appreciated his gentle tone and the way he carried the ceremony—it created such a beautiful and intimate atmosphere ´͈ ᵕ `͈ ♡°◌̊

Our wedding day itself was quite hectic, especially with the unexpected challenges of moving between outdoor and indoor spaces due to the heat (100 degreees!). Despite everything going on, Gary remained composed, attentive, and incredibly thoughtful throughout. He handled every situation with grace and made sure the ceremony flowed smoothly, which meant so so much to all of us.

We’re still waiting to receive our wedding photos and videos from the photographer, so it’s a little disappointing that we don’t have those moments captured just yet—but even without them, we clearly remember how wonderful Gary was and how beautifully he led our ceremony.

What stood out the most was not just his professionalism, but his genuine care really. He didn’t feel like just an officiant doing a job—he felt like someone who truly cared about making our ceremony meaningful and memorable ❤︎ꔛ❜

We will never forget this day, and Gary played a huge role in making it so special. We’ve already recommended him to friends and family, and we would wholeheartedly recommend him to any couple looking for a wedding officiant who is both professional and genuinely kind. Thank you so much Gary!!
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Gary Kelley
Gary Kelley
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This vendor will travel up to within 50 miles

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