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Rev. Michael Whalen

English
Interfaith
Civil Union
Non-religious

Why couples loved this vendor

  • Seasoned Professional
  • Officiant
  • Great Planner
Brianna
Brendan
Chris
Veronica
Megan

Recommended by 100% of couples

About this vendor

Rev. Michael Whalen is a warm and friendly wedding officiant based out of Neptune and Spring Lake, New Jersey. This minister is non-denominational and offers customized ceremonies to his clients. He is willing to travel to various locations including all venues, churches, homes, restaurants, parks, and more. If his clients wish to have a wedding on the beach at the Jersey Shore, he can easily accommodate. Wherever the nuptials take place, Rev. Michael Whalen works closely with the engaged couple to ensure that their wedding event lives up to their expectations in a professional and timely manner.

Services Offered

Rev. Michael Whalen is able to perform services for weddings, civil unions, vow renewals, and last-minute ceremonies. He always arrives dressed to impress and can perform some parts of his services in Spanish. Curious clients are encouraged to reach out to schedule a consultation should they have further questions about Rev. Whalen’s services

What You'll Love About Rev. Michael Whalen

Working with this professional made couples feel at ease with his warm and friendly demeanor. They especially appreciated his engaging ceremonies, which made guests both laugh and cry. Read through Rev. Michael Whalen's reviews to learn all the ways you'll be grateful to have booked this officiant.

Links

Visit website

Weddings with this vendor

Jennifer & Melvin's wedding
Jennifer & Melvin
19 photos

FAQ

Does starting price include the ceremony rehearsal?

No

What is the starting price for ceremony rehearsals?

$150

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

Non-religious
Interfaith
Vow Renewal
Civil Union

What services do you provide?

Bilingual

What religious affiliations do you serve?

Agnostic
Anglican
Baptist
Catholic
Episcopalian
Evangelical
Lutheran
Methodist
No Denomination
Orthodox Christian
Presbyterian

On average, how long are wedding ceremonies you officiate?

Less than 30 mins.

In which states are you licensed?

NJ
NY
PA

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 Rev. Michael Whalen

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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Couples rave about the officiant as professional, warm, and highly responsive, crafting personalized, meaningful ceremonies that guests loved. He guided couples through planning and marriage-license details, handled last-minute changes, and calmed nerves on the day. Highly recommended for his organized, flexible, and thoughtful service.

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.

Couples rave about the officiant as professional, warm, and highly responsive, crafting personalized, meaningful ceremonies that guests loved. He guided couples through planning and marriage-license details, handled last-minute changes, and calmed nerves on the day. Highly recommended for his organized, flexible, and thoughtful service.

Brianna
Brianna Sent on 05/08/2026
5 out of 5 rating

The Best of the Best!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about our officiant for our wedding 2 weeks ago. From the very beginning, he worked with us throughout the entire year to make sure our ceremony felt personal, meaningful, and exactly like us. He was patient, kind, responsive, and truly cared about bringing my vision to life.

On our wedding day, he helped make our ceremony everything I dreamed it would be. It felt beautiful, heartfelt, and so special. He created such a calm and meaningful presence, and we received so many compliments on how lovely the ceremony was.

I am so grateful for all of the time, effort, and care he put into making our day perfect. He truly helped make my dream come true, and I would recommend him to anyone looking for an officiant who is thoughtful, reliable, and genuinely invested in making your wedding ceremony unforgettable. 10/100000 recommend!!!
Brendan
Brendan Sent on 04/20/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Reverend Michael Whalen a Wedding Hit!

Reverend Michael Whalen was a fantastic fit for our Jersey Shore wedding. We met with him over a zoom call over a year prior to the wedding when we were at our most stressed and he immediately calmed us down with his knowledge and experience. He made the whole affair extremely east, which is exactly what we needed. Well worth the money, Michael Whalen was a 10 out of 10 and we would recommend him to any of our friends and family.
Chris
Chris Sent on 03/03/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Couldn’t Have Asked for a Better Officiant

We can’t recommend Rev. Michael Whalen enough. He was professional, warm, and truly took the time to get to know us. He created a customized ceremony that felt personal and meaningful, with the perfect touch of humor, so many guests told us how much they loved him.

He made the whole process easy and stress-free, and even nailed the little details (including smoothly jumping out of the way for our first kiss so the moment, and photos, were perfect). We’re so grateful he was part of our day. We would recommend him to any future couple considering him!

Chris and Megan
Perona Farms October 2025
C
Carly Sent on 01/28/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Highly Recommend Michael!

We cannot say enough great things about Michael! From start to finish, he was extremely organized and always responded promptly to our emails, which made the entire process so easy and stress-free. He wrote our entire ceremony and customized it perfectly to reflect our story and what we wanted to say, even providing different options for certain portions so we could truly make it our own.

On top of that, Michael handled all of the marriage license details with the town after the wedding. All we had to do was pick it up when we got back from our honeymoon. That level of care and professionalism meant so much to us. Truly stress free!

We are so glad we chose Michael as our officiant. He was truly one of the best vendors we had on our wedding day, and we would recommend him without hesitation!
Veronica
Veronica Sent on 01/24/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Rev Michael Whalen is the best!

Our wedding day couldnt have been any more perfect. Rev Michael Whalen made the ceremony just how we would have pictured it, full of love, but not too serious either. He was amazing throughout the entire planning process as well!
Megan
Megan Sent on 01/22/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Thank you, Rev. Whalen!

My husband and I had another officiant lined up that backed out at the last minute due to a family emergency. In a panic, I looked up other officiants in the area and I found Rev Whalen who happened to be available on my wedding date. He happily accepted the job, despite the last minute notice. He made the entire experience very easy for my destination wedding on the Jersey shore. Thank you!
Emily
Emily Sent on 01/19/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding Officiant

Michael was an absolutely amazing choice to officiate our wedding ceremony. From our very first phone calls while planning, he made everything feel clear, simple, and stress-free, while still being incredibly thoughtful and specific to what we wanted as a couple. He was always available to answer questions and guide us through the process with confidence and care.

On the day of the ceremony, Michael was professional, warm, and so well-spoken. He had a natural way of connecting with our guests and felt completely at home with our crowd, which made the entire ceremony feel intimate and meaningful. We incorporated Catholic undertones along with additional rituals and elements, and he presented everything beautifully and seamlessly.

We truly could not be happier with his service. His presence, friendliness, and genuine support made our ceremony unforgettable, and we are so grateful to have had him be part of such an important day in our lives
A
Alyssa Sent on 01/18/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Great Wedding Officiant

Rev. Michael Whalen was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. His warm and professional tone was consistent from the first call through the ceremony itself. He worked collaboratively with us to create the perfect ceremony and allowed us to choose readings, ceremony style, and include personal details as well. Highly recommend!
Stephanie
Stephanie Sent on 01/07/2026
5 out of 5 rating

This is the officiant you want officiating your wedding!

There aren't enough things we can say about Reverend Michael. He created the most magical, personalized approach to our ceremony and people continue to remind us how incredible it was. he is an absolute pleasure to work with leading up to the event, and day of does not disappoint! I would choose him to capture our ceremony in every lifetime! you won't regret it!
Sam
Sam Sent on 10/29/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing! Thank you!

Michael was amazing. He was very professional and responsive since the first time we connected. He had a lot of great suggestions for the ceremony and made it very easy for us. Many people came up to us saying how beautiful the ceremony was, and his delivery, structure, and added details really helped make the ceremony special. He also helped with the marriage license process and made it really easy for us.
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Awards

353
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2026 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2025 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2013 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2012 Winner
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Professional Network & Endorsements

Jaclyn Duncan Music Jaclyn Duncan Music Wedding Musicians

Michael's friendly and personable manner always makes for a pleasant atmosphere at every ceremony he officiates! I recently worked with Michael (for the second time) on a wedding ceremony at The Rockleigh Country Club in Rockleigh, NJ. Michael's professionalism added to the already classy atmosphere at The Rockleigh. To be sure things ran smoothly, he came by to greet me and my violinist before the ceremony to get all music cues coordinated. The ceremony went on without a glitch and Michael delivered his usual quality work! I would highly recommend him as a wedding officiant and look forward to crossing paths on the job with him again soon!

Bridal Music Bridal Music Wedding Musicians

Dear Brides-to-Be! Reverend Michael Whalen's excellent ease to work with, his professionalism and perfect appearance make Reverend Whalen a pleasure to recommend to our Brides. When you choose Reverend Whalen, you have the confidence, and peace of mind, in knowing that you will have chosen a true professional! Sincerely, Michele, Flutist/Artistic Director, Bridal Music, www.BridalMusic.Org

Branches Catering Branches Catering Banquet Halls

I have had the opportunity of working with Rev. Whalen at several weddings. He is a pleasure to work with. He works with each bride and groom individually to make sure the ceremony is exactly what they want. He has a warm, kind, personality. He is accomodating to work with and right on top of what needs to get done to have a successful wedding ceremony. I look forward to working with him on future weddings. I highly recommend his service to everyone.

The Spring Lake Manor
4.9 out of 5 rating , 96 reviews
· Banquet Halls
Bridal Music
5.0 out of 5 rating , 182 reviews
· Wedding Musicians

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