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Seasoned Professional
Marriage License & Certificate
Officiant
Great Planner

About

On WeddingWire since 2008

Jim Burch is a unusually-accepting, open, welcoming officiant who celebrates marriages from Marco Island to Sarasota.

Jim is considered one of the best officiants available by those 3,000+ couples (and counting) he has married, and by vendors in the wedding business. Jim makes certain that every wedding is a celebration of joy and love, no matter what your venue might be. He makes it his constant goal to help you make your wedding ceremony a day you'll never forget. All the time he hears it said: "That was the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen!"

Jim Can either officiate a wedding that is spiritual, special and warmly sacred. OR he can celebrate a wedding that just speaks about love and leaves the religious side ... to the side. (We all believe basically the same thing, just use different words, references, expressions and stories.) He will tell you about the two styles, and then you decide which fits you better. Whichever you choose, you will find your guests (and you) will be delighted with the ceremony.

Jim is able to draw on a reservoir of knowledge as an ordained Catholic priest who never stopped learning ... and not your usual issue for a "priest." He is married himself, with a wife, 5 children and 13 grandchildren. He has studied about love his whole life, has thought about it continually for many decades, and has taken the universal perception about goodness and divinity and learned to express it in contemporary (slightly-spiritual, or strictly-secular) language. He knows that every single human being is basically the same, with the same origin and destiny, the same hopes and goals for his or her life. and the same aspirations for their families. He has written 11 fascinating books on the subject of love and its expression, and has books and videos online at www.JamesHBurch.com. That is because his wide background gives him a most unusual perspective. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who speaks as clearly and as interestingly about things that matter as does Jim.

By focusing on your preferred approach to the ceremony - be it religious/spiritual or civil - Jim aims to cater to your needs, and he uses language and concepts that you and your guests will be most comfortable with, yet always leaving the newly married with a clear and sharp celebration of their love. Whether you envision something indoors or outside, he always makes your happiest moment everything you dreamed it would be and more.

Jim believes to the core of his being that we are all basically the same (different ages, colors, religious backgrounds, lifestyles, eexes, etc. make like interesting!) and he is open to all spiritual denominations - or none - providing officiant services for couples of all faiths and to those who are simply not religious at all. Your ceremony is completely tailored to you and your partner, as Jim takes the time to get to know you and your one-of-a-kind love story. Wedding Ceremonies by Jim Burch is licensed to perform weddings in many states across the country. Jim offers the following wedding ceremonies for everybody who loves someone else: Non-Religious Ceremonies, Interfaith Ceremonies, Single Faith Ceremonies, LGBT Ceremonies, Spiritual/Inspiring Ceremonies, Civil Ceremonies, Vow Renewal Ceremonies.

If you want to see nearly 1,000 thank you letters Jim has received from a wide representation of couples, take a look at this Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vk29taqxz3lk5cd/Thank%20yous.doc?dl=0 (You may have to copy and paste) Here are just a few:

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"We can’t thank you enough for the beautiful, beautiful ceremony that you most thoughtfully performed for us! Not only do we continue to talk about it, but our guests were also particularly touched by it. The words and philosophy were so beautiful and touching! We couldn’t believe how perfectly it matched us and our lives ... it was as if we were speaking our hearts during the ceremony. Everyone thought it was the most beautiful, intimate and loving ceremony they’d ever witnessed! We agree wholeheartedly!"

- Renee and John

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"Andrew and I received so much good feedback about you on our wedding day as well as afterwards. People thought your talk was absolutely beautiful and that you did a wonderful job as officiant of our wedding. We both know we made the right choice when we met you. Even though you do so many weddings we felt you gave our ceremony its own special touch."

- Andrew and Margaret

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"Thank you so much for officiating at our wedding ceremony recently. It turned out just the way we envisioned and our families couldn’t be more pleased. I feel that your philosophy really helped to unite both the religious and non-religious guests at our wedding. Your experience and care really made a difference in our trust and peace of mind."

- Celia and Steve

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"We can’t even come close to thanking you enough for the beautiful, loving ceremony you conducted on our wedding day. With all the details to attend to, we had almost lost sight of the real reason for the day. But your inspirational and, most of all, real, ceremony centered us, and grounded us, in a way we never thought possible."

- Judith and Fernando

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"We want to thank you for a truly inspiring wedding ceremony. It was everything we had hoped for and more. You spoke what we felt in our hearts, yet had never quite voiced ourselves. Thank you for everything. Our family and friends were all very deeply moved and have commented time and again that it was the most beautiful ceremony they had ever been to."

- Patricia and Patrick

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"Christine and I express our deep appreciation for your encouraging support of our marriage and your festive and warm ceremony … from the bottom of our hears, allow us to thank you for presiding over a wedding ceremony so beautiful and sincere that we hope it has set the tone for our entire marriage. … We truly loved every second of our ceremony, and we are both proud and thankful that a man with your convictions and beliefs officiated at our wedding."

- Christine and Christoph

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"We want to thank you for making our wedding day absolutely wonderful, unforgettable and so so happy! The ceremony was absolutely great and didn’t leave anyone indifferent. All our guests were very impressed and in awe by what you have said. Everything about you – your wisdom, voice, poise, looks - made our ceremony so special. You found exactly the right words to express what we both feel for each other. We also were impressed how smoothly everything went – we didn’t have to worry about anything: your kind voice, reassuring look and smile throughout the whole ceremony made us both feel taken care of. If there are angels on the Earth – you definitely are one of them. Your kindness, love and warmth are radiating throughout everything you do or say making people around you feel the part of your world full of love and care. Blessed and honored be the couples whom you willo marry in the future for they will be the fortunate ones to witness and share in the most unforgettable and sacred ceremony in their lives."

- Maria and Michael

Frequently asked questions

What is the typical price for your wedding services?

$395

What is the starting price for your wedding services?

$295

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
Ceremony Rehearsal
Vow Renewal
Civil Union

What religious affiliations do you serve?

Agnostic
Anglican
Baha'i Faith
Baptist
Buddhist
Catholic
Earth-Based
Episcopalian
Hindu
Islam
Jainism
Jewish
Lutheran
Methodist
Mormon
No Denomination
Orthodox Christian
Pagan
Presbyterian
Quaker
Shinto
Sikhism
Taoist
Unitarian

On average, how long are wedding ceremonies you officiate?

Less than 30 mins.

In which states are you licensed?

CA
CO
DE
DC
FL
KY
LA
MD
MA
NJ
NC
OH
PA
SC
TN
VT
VA
WV

What languages do you speak?

English
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4.9 out of 5 rating
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
470 Reviews
  • Quality of service
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.9 out of 5 rating
87% Recommended by couples
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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Jim is highly recommended as a wedding officiant by multiple reviewers. He is described as professional, warm, and kind, making couples feel at ease throughout the process. Reviewers appreciate the personalized ceremony options and the guidance provided by Jim. Guests also commend the beautiful and meaningful ceremonies he leads. Jim's flexibility and ability to accommodate various religious and spiritual backgrounds are also highlighted. Overall, couples highly recommend Jim as an officiant for a stress-free and memorable wedding experience.

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.

Jim is highly recommended as a wedding officiant by multiple reviewers. He is described as professional, warm, and kind, making couples feel at ease throughout the process. Reviewers appreciate the personalized ceremony options and the guidance provided by Jim. Guests also commend the beautiful and meaningful ceremonies he leads. Jim's flexibility and ability to accommodate various religious and spiritual backgrounds are also highlighted. Overall, couples highly recommend Jim as an officiant for a stress-free and memorable wedding experience.

H
Heisy G. Sent on 03/27/2024
5 out of 5 rating

So thankful throughout the whole process

We are very thankful for having Jim be a part of one of our most special days. The ceremony was short and sweat, which is what we wanted, but had great impact and meaning. We had people saying how much they could relate to his words. He made the process easy and the ceremony memorable. Not to mention that Jim was very flexible and accommodating to our schedules when prepping for the big day.

Thank you Jim!
K
Katelyn B. Sent on 03/21/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing officiant!

Jim was the best choice that we could have made for an officiant. He was incredibly accepting, and welcoming, and our ceremony turned out absolutely beautiful because of him.
Kim
Kim N. Sent on 02/14/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Jim was fantastic!

From our first conversation with Jim, we knew we had to hire him. He was so kind, professional, and warm! Speaking to Jim felt like a virtual hug, and he made us feel completely at ease. He also kept emphasizing that he would lead and we just had to show up, which is exactly how it went! He helped us put together our script, and made sure we chose a reading that felt personal. Overall, Jim did an amazing job officiating my wedding, and made the entire process stress-free. I couldn't recommend Jim enough!
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Awards

470
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 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
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2011 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2010 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2009 Winner

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Professional Network & Endorsements

21 Endorsements
Sarah Botta Photography Sarah Botta Photography Wedding Photographers

I've worked with Jim a few times as a wedding photographer. I love hearing his ceremonies as they are just so beautiful. If you're on the search for a wedding officiant, look no further. Jim will do an amazing job!

University of Maryland Memorial Chapel University of Maryland Memorial Chapel Church & Temple Weddings

Thank for your wonderful work with our clients at the Chapel. We are happy to endorse you! Cheerfully, Mel. Coles Event Sales and Office Assistant

Whitehall Estate Whitehall Estate Mansion Weddings

A wealth of knowledge and always a pleasure to see and talk to! Jim is the consummate professional. Anytime we know he will be at our property, we look forward to seeing him. Also, Jim is my "go to" professional to refer clients to, especially if they are unsure about something related to ceremonies or need experienced advise! Thank you Jim for all you do for the wedding industry :)

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