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Elina Sent on 02/21/2024

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Amazing officiant and speaker

Chris officiated our 1/20/24 wedding. He did a fantastic job, people laughed, people cried, and everyone asked about him afterwards. He came highly recommended on just about every website we found him on, and for good reason! His process is great, he's asks the right questions and wants feedback along the way. He wanted to make sure our ceremony had the vibe we wanted. He was punctual and was flexible with the plan, making sure everyone knew what they were doing. Would highly recommend his services.

Robyn Sent on 07/08/2025

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Charismatic, Caring & Celebratory!

Hands down—best day ever! We had the absolute pleasure of having Chris marry us in the beautiful gazebo in the gardens at the Hilton Garden Inn. It was 10 days ago and everyone is still talking about how amazing and wonderful Chris is. Even though the sun was beating down on us in that hot gazebo, he treated our love story with so much care and professionalism, and delivered the most beautiful words. Our guests were hanging onto every moment. He has a very unique approach to marrying couples and his skills definitely shine. His delivery was heartfelt, humorous, and thoughtful. He made our ceremony so personal that our guests were coming up to us during the reception asking if he was our lifelong friend. He truly goes above and beyond. It was a spectacular day that began with an absolutely wonderful ceremony that people will be talking about for a long time to come! Excellent! We couldn’t be happier!

Taylor Sent on 01/20/2025

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Amazing Ceremony!

I am so glad we had Chris officiate our ceremony. Beyond his questionnaire, he took the time to meet us in Manhattan to get to know us a bit better as a couple. He was able to understand what we wanted and didn’t in a ceremony. Chris’ script was personal, lighthearted, and really captured our story the way we wanted it conveyed. Chris collaborated with us to make sure we were on board with the script and that it covered everything we wanted. He even worked with us and our band to coordinate the Jeopardy song to give guests 30 seconds of photos before the unplugged ceremony kicked in. He also included some personal advice about married life for us in the ceremony (while planned in the script, the advice itself was kept as a nice surprise for us to hear at the altar). Our guests loved him too – we got a good number of compliments about Chris’ ceremony during cocktail hour and a few questions about how we know him. Guests assumed he was a long-time friend based on how personalized he made our ceremony. Chris truly did a great job of making our ceremony unique to us, fun, and heartfelt!

Brittany Sent on 01/19/2025

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Chris Made Our Wedding Unforgettable!

We found Chris on YouTube while searching for an officiant who could make our DC wedding in November 2024 truly special—and he exceeded all our expectations! From the start, Chris was an expert partner in helping us bring our ceremony vision to life.

He guided us through a fun and insightful couples questionnaire, including some secret questions that added a personal and unexpected touch. His insights, humor, and charisma shone through in every interaction, making the planning process smooth and enjoyable.

On the big day, Chris delivered a ceremony that was everything we dreamed of: intimate, special, and light-hearted. It was the perfect blend of tears, laughter, and joy—a true reflection of our relationship and the love we share.

We couldn’t have asked for a better officiant and would wholeheartedly recommend Chris to any couple looking for someone who can beautifully balance professionalism, warmth, and creativity. Thank you, Chris, for making our wedding day unforgettable!

Jack Sent on 01/02/2025

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Incredibly Personal Ceremony

We were overjoyed to have Chris as our officiant! He did a phenomenal job at creating a personalized ceremony that centered around our story while still ensuring that . We loved the result and received multiple compliments about the ceremony from our friends and family.

My wife and I enjoyed the process of working with Chris almost as much as the result. If you are looking for a ceremony that tells your love story, has the right amount of levity, but also has the professionalism and structure behind the scenes to make it seem "effortless" then he's perfect. We are among the last of our friends to get married, but would recommend him to anyone looking for an officiant!

Thanks Chris!
Jack

Jc Calingo Sent on 11/27/2024

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Unforgettable Officiant: Chris Made Our Wedding Perfect!

We had the absolute pleasure of having Chris as our wedding officiant, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. From the moment we started preparing, he was professional, thoughtful, and incredibly easy to work with. On the big day, Chris truly stole the show with his humor and storytelling—our guests, including my family, couldn’t stop raving about how engaging and heartfelt he was. He made our ceremony feel unique and special, and his delivery was flawless. Chris absolutely crushed it, and we’re so grateful for the role he played in making our day unforgettable!

Ryan Sent on 11/19/2024

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A top notch professional. I can't recommend him enough.

Not only was he extremely flexible and understanding, we could tell how much time he spent preparing for our special day.
He tailored our ceremony to highlight our unique circumstances and story, and perfectly executed it to set the exact mood we wanted.
During the reception, half of our guests were talking about him instead of us!
All in all, an absolute joy to work with.

Allison Sent on 11/01/2024

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don't use your uncle tony, use a professional like chris!

we are SO lucky to have found chris and to have used him for our wedding on october 11, 2024! my husband and i had so much fun filling out his questionnaire which really helps him to understand the couple and their love story on a deeper level. he then takes the questionnaire to create a cohesive, beautiful script which you can edit to your liking, and then you can offer feedback and he will execute any adjustments you'd like. we also met chris for coffee one morning which helped him to get to know us even better! our love story is incredibly special to us and chris absolutely NAILED it on our wedding day. we had multiple people approach us throughout the night saying it was the best ceremony they had ever been to, and let me tell you, it really WAS!! hiring a professional officiant truly makes such a difference. he helps with rehearsal and the flow of the ceremony, and handles everything with your marriage license too! the ceremony was such a highlight of our wedding day. THANK YOU CHRIS :)

Juliana Sent on 09/11/2024

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The Absolute Best!

If you're looking for an officiant who will make your wedding ceremony truly special and tailored to your unique story, look no further than Chris Shelly. From start to finish, working with Chris was an absolute delight. He is not only incredibly kind and personable, but also exceptionally skilled at what he does. Our ceremony was a huge hit with our guests, and we cherished every moment. Chris's ability to craft a ceremony that felt deeply personal and meaningful was nothing short of remarkable. We cannot recommend him highly enough—he truly made our day unforgettable.

Lily Sent on 07/03/2024

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Don’t think twice about hiring Chris!!

I cannot say enough amazing things about Chris!! He came super highly recommended by our planner so we felt lucky to be able to book him for our date. From the first meeting, Chris was engaging and fun, yet professional and had a clear process that he explained to us. That process, included questions that dove deep into our relationship and love story and was extremely fun for us to complete. As I look back, his process feels like a super special part of the planning process. Then came wedding day…. Chris was phenomenal!!! The ceremony was so fun and exactly our vibe. He involved our guests the perfect amount and the ceremony felt so special and exactly what we wanted. Multiple guests raved about him, but beyond that, told me they got a chance to talk with him afterwards which I thought was so special that he stayed and engaged with guests. I would rate him more than five stars if I could, book Chris Shelley!!!

Shelby Sent on 07/02/2024

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The Best Ceremony Ever!

If Chris is available on your big day, look no further and just book him. We were so unsure of where to turn as we are not religious so we didn't have a preacher but also didn't have any family or friends we could visualize to do our ceremony, which so many people do now (Hire the pro!). I'm so so glad we found him! Chris is great because he does a great non-religious ceremony, under 30 minutes (what we wanted), and is so engaging, funny and easy to work with. Our guests loved our ceremony so much and wondered how we knew him (spoiler alert: we didn't know each other before we booked him for our wedding) because he made our ceremony so personal and told our beautiful love story so masterfully. After speaking with Chris my now husband and I both immediately wanted to move forward with him. After booking we got a somewhat long questionnaire, parts were for both of us to fill out together and we each had other parts that we filled out individually telling our version of our love story in our own words which made for a quite fun ceremony. While the questionnaire was long it was necessary to have the personalized ceremony we both wanted. We were able to meet with him in person when he was in Cincinnati, he also works in NYC, for another wedding and he is such a joy to be around. Once he was done with our ceremony he sent us a draft and we made a few small adjustments but it was PERFECT. Chris also ran our rehearsal and he did amazing organizing everyone and making sure that people knew what they needed to do. The ceremony couldn't have been more perfect on our wedding day, he has great timing, he is funny, engaging and had about 75% of our guests crying by the end. The video of our ceremony gets me misty every time. Thank you again Chris!

Karli Sent on 05/29/2024

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The best wedding officiant

We recently had the pleasure of having Chris as our wedding officiant, and we couldn’t be happier with our choice. From start to finish, he was exactly what we needed. Chris was incredibly easy to work with, making the entire process simple and stress-free for us.

Chris is not only a consummate professional but also a genuinely great person. His warmth and charisma shone through during our ceremony, which was perfect in every way. We couldn't have asked for more or less; it was just right.

Our guests have been raving about Chris ever since the wedding, and we completely understand why. His ability to connect with everyone and make the ceremony so special was truly remarkable.

If you are looking for an officiant who will make your wedding day unforgettable, look no further than Chris. We highly recommend him!

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Robert Sent on 05/13/2024

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Best Officiant in the Tri State Area

Christopher Shelley is the BEST!
Every wedding should have an officiant like Christopher Shelley.
He asks you a bunch of questions and incorporates this into your wedding vows. This so key for him to weave this great story about you and your partner.

He will make people Laugh and Cry as he weaves your love story.

There just is not enough praise I can give to Chris.
He made something that some people might consider stressful though wonderful and made it Fun and Wonderful!

Dean Sent on 05/12/2024

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Choose a Magical Ceremony, Choose Chris

Selecting Chris as our wedding officiant was one of the most significant decisions we made for our special day. From the moment we completed his insightful questionnaire, we knew we were in exceptional hands. Chris took the time to understand our unique love story, weaving it into a ceremony that was both deeply personal and wonderfully engaging. He masterfully balanced humor with sentiment, while thoughtfully incorporating our cultural traditions. Our guests were captivated, with many asking us afterward how long Chris had known us, as he so perfectly captured the essence of our relationship. His script was beautifully written, and his delivery was simply outstanding. For a ceremony that is touching, unforgettable, and truly reflective of your love, Chris is the officiant who will make your wedding dreams a reality. We highly recommend Chris, it will be one of the best decisions you make for your wedding day!

Ameena Sent on 04/24/2024

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Very impressed!

Chris was our officiant for our March 2024 wedding, and we were very impressed with him! From the start, he was prompt and professional in his email responses. The couples questionnaire he sends you to get to know the couple was very thorough and the script is very detailed. On the day of, he arrived promptly and coordinated with the other vendors. During our ceremony, he rolled with unexpected wind and red fireworks, making the ceremony seamless. Several of our guests told us they were impressed with Chris. Could not have asked for a better officiant.

Natalie Sent on 12/29/2023

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5 Stars is Not Enough!

Five stars doesn't begin to reflect how wonderful Chris was to work with. We are not a conventional couple; mature in years and young at heart, so we wanted an officiate that would help us plan a ceremony that reflects our personalities. From the very beginning we knew we had found the perfect match with Chris. The communication from our first meeting to our last was amazing. The detailed questionnaire helped Chris to get to know us on a deeper level and was key to the ceremony that Chris wrote. It was OUR story, full of laughter, poignant moments, and pure joy. Chris listens to the bride and groom's ideas and gently guides them to create the perfect ceremony. We were able to review the script and tweak it until it was perfect. His idea to engage the guests and make them part of the ceremony was incredible and so memorable, from our flower "dude" to the one minute of selfies at the beginning of the ceremony, our guest knew this wasn’t going to be a traditional wedding. We heard over and over from our guests, how did you find him? He was amazing. Even other vendors said that this was the best wedding they had ever been to. What a wonderful compliment. I know it is a day WE will always remember and thanks to Chris our guests will too. Thank you, Chris, from the bottom of our hearts!

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C Z Sent on 12/28/2023

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Impressed every guest and made us feel so great in a genuine way

Chris Shelley impressed everybody (my wife and me included) at the wedding. It was an amazing performance by him - with his voice, humor, and thoughtfulness - without taking the spotlight away from my wife and me. Chris has an excellent handle on every minutia of the ceremony, both the expected and the potentially unexpected. Apart from being very familiar with our venue (shown in a lot of his pictures), he did an excellent job coordinating with our harpest on the day of which was another highlight of his performance.

Chris crafted a detailed plan to ensure the ceremony would go smoothly which also made my wife and me at ease and enjoying the event. He sent us a detailed list of questions to understand our story and details of the event (to be filled out ~2 months prior to our wedding), and then worked with us over a number of iterations until we found the script perfect. Throughout the entire preparation process, Chris was generous with his time and met us in person a month ahead of our wedding to get to know us better, talk through any concerns/questions we had, and offered his encouragement as well as additional suggestions. Further, he was extremely reliable throughout our interaction and always early to our appointments.

Chris surely set the bar very high for officiants. A lot of our guests came to us asking how/where we could find such an exceptional officiant that made the event so touching and memorable right from the start. We were lucky to have had Chris referred to us by our friends who worked with him at their wedding, and we 1000% recommend him without any reservation.

Rebecca Sent on 11/22/2023

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Best wedding ceremony we could imagine!

We are so incredibly lucky that we came across Chris in our search for an officiant. Our ceremony was the highlight of our wedding and so special due to Chris’s creativity and inventive way of approaching ceremonies! He’s a beautiful writer that both wrote and narrated our love story for our guests. The ceremony was a perfect balance of laughter and more sentimental moments. So many of our guests remarked that our ceremony was one of the best ones they have ever been to and my husband and I can attest to that because it was hands down our favorite part of our wedding! We also had the opportunity to speak with Chris and meet him in person before the wedding. He was very open to the ideas and vision we had for the ceremony that were important to us. Chris has changed the game for how wedding ceremonies can be imagined and we couldn’t speak more highly of our experience!!

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Tara Sent on 11/01/2023

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100% The Best Officiant

I am SO thankful we had Chris as our wedding officiant. He was incredibly kind, professional, and effectively communicated with us during the entire process. Even our guests were telling us how incredible our ceremony was and it was all thanks to Chris for making it perfect. Everything ran smoothly and I highly recommend him. If you want the best for your day, hire him!

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Alison Sent on 08/15/2023

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We love Chris!

Chris was exactly what we wanted for our wedding and he executed it perfectly. He took the time to get to know us, asked all the right questions, and our ceremony was nothing short of amazing. He has the ideal mix of humor and sentimentality which was exactly what we wanted. When it came time for our ceremony, I had read Chris’ speech a few times before but I still thoroughly enjoyed being up there while he said the words out loud. He puts his own spin on things but still really captured us and our story. After the ceremony, so many of our guests came up to us specifically to say how much they enjoyed it and how great Chris was. I think if more of our friends weren’t already married they would hire him for their weddings, too! He puts so much life into what he does and you can tell that he genuinely loves doing it. Chris was ultimately the perfect choice for us and I can’t recommend him enough.

Nicholas Sent on 01/08/2023

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Stop the search you’ve found your officiant!

EVERY guest talked about how much they loved Chris and how they’ve never been to a wedding with such a good officiant. Even employees from our venue and our photographer said that Chris is the best in the business. Without upstaging us, he was the star of the show. Chris was great to work with both professionally and personally as he guided us through the ceremony development process. His speech was a good combination of heartfelt and serious with some tasteful comedy. The ceremony was so personalized to us that people thought Chris was our friend. We couldn’t recommend him enough.

Klara Sent on 10/20/2022

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Chris was like family!

Asking Chris to officiant our wedding was one of the best wedding decisions we made! More than just being organized, well-spoken, and reliable, he was like family! He was excited to learn and participate in our Slovakian traditions and even learned to say a couple of lines in Slovak for the ceremony. He knew how to draw people in, how to make people laugh and cry, and truly celebrate us. Everyone raved about him and wanted to book him for their event!

Lauren Sent on 06/24/2022

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Amazing Human + Wedding Officiant

Hiring Chris to be our wedding officiant was the easiest and overall best decision Harry and I made during our wedding process. From our first conversation to gauge what an officiant even does to post-wedding check-ins, Chris has been an absolute joy to work with and just know as a person.
In hindsight, I have learned that a wedding is essentially a big show that you put on for your loved ones. And our ceremony was the first act of our show. Chris wrote a beautiful ceremony that encapsulated Harry and I's story. He made the ceremony funny, sentimental, serious, and romantic. Family members came up to me after and shared that our ceremony was the best they have been to because of Chris' bright personality and charm and just the way that he "got" us. There were teary moments, and slap-your-thigh moments, and it was just perfect.
I really had no idea how our ceremony would go walking into the wedding planning process and Chris helped our not-vision become a vision and become one of the greatest moments of our lives, so far. We highly recommend having Chris be part of your wedding day and bring smiles and tears to your faces as he did for us.

Gina Sent on 04/14/2022

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Personal, engaging ceremony!

I’m not sure who loved Christopher more - me and my husband, or our guests! Christopher brought so much joy and laughter to our ceremony - our cheeks literally hurt from smiling so much. It was amazing to hear the collective laughs and cheers from our families and friends as we were getting married. Our ceremony was uniquely “us”, to the point that many guests assumed Christopher was an old friend of ours! It was very special.

Christopher is a true professional, and really enhanced our wedding day! I highly recommend hiring him if you’re looking for a bespoke, meaningful ceremony. Thank you, Christopher!

Kristine Sent on 11/19/2021

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WOW! Incredible attention, composition, and delivery.

Stop shopping. Chris is your guy. Seriously, just call him right now.
Christopher Shelley is an intelligent, fun, thoughtful, friendly, professional, incredible person. My wife and I were struggling to find an officiant for our wedding in NYC last month because we felt it should be someone we knew and trusted who was also well qualified. Chris married a couple of friends of ours, so we met him for drinks, and we could tell right away that he shared our values and understood our vision. Even though we had never met him before, he felt like a warm relative who had known us all our lives. His process involves sending a questionnaire form for the couple to fill out, which turned out to be really fun and evocative. In the end, the ceremony he wrote for us was absolutely BEAUTIFUL. Per our requests, it was relatively short, sweet, funny, touching; and he even included a poem we requested. We laughed and cried and so did the guests. Literally every guest I spoke to mentioned how amazing he was. We could not endorse him more highly!

Sreya Sent on 11/10/2021

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A ceremony to remember

Chris was a highlight of our wedding, and I'm so happy we chose him to officiate our wedding and marry us! Throughout the whole process, Chris was great to work with. From writing our ceremony (and nailing it, minimal revisions!!), to helping us structure our vows, to the actual day of, Chris was amazing. We got so many compliments on our ceremony and people actually enjoyed it! Chris was the perfect mixture of funny, entertaining, and sentimental. I'd highly recommend Chris to any & everyone!

Angelica Sent on 11/07/2021

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The Highlight of Our Day

Chris was truly one of the highlights of our big day and our guests have raved about him since our ceremony. Chris wrote us a fully personalized ceremony that made everyone both laugh & cry, and was always prompt with his responses. He is an amazing speaker and writer whom we clicked with immediately after speaking with him and highly recommend to anyone looking for an officiant.

Hayley Sent on 08/22/2021

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A special, intimate ceremony

We were married by Chris in Central Park as a small wedding ahead of our originally scheduled one. Chris made our ceremony feel special and personal - going above and beyond what we expected. Our guests really enjoyed Chris and he kept everyone laughing despite the 90+ degree heat. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a meaningful ceremony, big or small.

Erin Sent on 11/11/2019

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A Perfect Storyteller

The entire process of working with Chris was PERFECT and seamless. You have to take the time to fill out your couple questionnaire so he can make your ceremony that much more perfect. We aren't a religious couple, so we wanted a wonderful storyteller. And that's what Chris is: wonderful. He's thoughtful and engaging. He helped a stressed, control freak bride seamlessly coordinate with the venue and the DJ without lifting a finger.

I had SO many people comment to us afterwards how great the ceremony was and how great Chris was. I even had one guest say, "At a wedding ceremony, you usually want it to end quickly. But I didn't want him to stop talking!" If you're thinking about using Chris: pull the trigger and just do it. You will NOT regret it.

Photography by Sherri Barber

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Kristen Sent on 08/26/2019

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Best ceremony ever!

Chris Shelley is amazing! Our ceremony was my favorite part of the day because of the way in which he personalized it just for us. He is the perfect balance between funny/light and heartfelt. The environment he created made us feel as if we in an intimate setting even though we were in front of 200 people - he brought everyone in so the room felt small and close. Exactly what we wanted! People could not stop talking about him and the ceremony following. Thank you Chris for working with us leading up to the day and making our ceremony perfect. We are so gratetful! Highly highly recommend Chris!

Erin Sent on 06/07/2019

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10/10 Would Get Married Again Just to Have Chris Officiate It

Chris was absolutely fantastic. He worked with us through several drafts of the ceremony and offered quite a few suggestions to really make it pop. During the actual ceremony we had some weather difficulties, but Chris was able to improv on the fly and delivered a wonderful show. He’s witty, funny, and easy to work with. We are still receiving comments from our wedding guests about how much they loved him. Could not recommend him enough.

Cristina Sent on 03/02/2019

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Hire him - don't look anywhere else!

Where to begin?! My husband and I are so thrilled that we went with Christopher. We did the option where we gave him information and he wrote a unique ceremony for us. It was a wonderful experience. We answered several questions separately and then some together that Chris sent along (it was actually really fun to look back on memories & reminisce), and then Chris went on to formulate a wonderful speech and ceremony like a play. There were some unique things we wanted to do during the ceremony as well and he was very open to it. We told him we wanted it to be slightly funny/entertaining but heartfelt at the same time (while not being too long) and that's EXACTLY WHAT HE DID. HE HIT IT RIGHT ON THE HEAD. We pretty much told him what we wanted and he delivered extremely well. It couldn't have been more perfect. All of our guests kept telling us how much they enjoyed the ceremony, it was crazy.

There was a point in time I was worried about it and he was willing to meet us in the city a few days before the ceremony to make sure all was in order, make us feel comfortable, and he gave us helpful advice and suggestions. It was just a wonderful magical ceremony and experience all around. Wouldn't change one thing.

Piece of advice to brides + grooms - do the ceremony that YOU want, not what your family wants.

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Juztina Sent on 01/24/2019

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Best ceremony ever

First, we want to say HUGE thank you to Chris because honestly our wedding wouldn’t have been as perfect if he wasn’t there to officiate, so THANK YOU CHRIS!

Honestly, we are endlessly grateful for how amazing before and during the wedding Chris was. When we met him, it was like meeting up with an old friend. We hit it off, were making jokes and just knew he was perfect for our wedding. Chris’ questionnaire was fun and interesting to fill out, and even more fun to go over together as a couple after we each individually filled it out. We also appreciated Chris for helping us out with our vows, he was able to seemingly help us make sure both of our vows were both perfection. And even though we read our ceremony through together before, Chris presented it in such a throughout, fun manner that we still laughed and cried like we heard it for the first time. We knew from the beginning how amazing Chris was, but seriously BEST CEREMONY EVER! Not only do we think that, but all of our guests thought so as well. People even came up and said if they could do their wedding over again, they would do like ours...aka having Chris. We would recommend Chris ten times over. Trust us if you want the best ceremony ever look no further.

Erin Sent on 01/15/2019

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Guests said, "That was the best ceremony I've ever been to!"

We had the absolute BEST experience having Chris as our wedding celebrant. The wedding ceremony he created for us was amazing, we had so many guests come up to us after the ceremony to rave about how amazing he was, and say that it was truly one of the best wedding ceremonies they had attended. Chris not only took the time to get to know us as a couple, but he ensured that our ceremony had all the components we were looking, creating a perfect interfaith ceremony that really spoke to our personal love story. I can't say enough positives, Chris is just the best!

Annie Sent on 01/03/2019

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Hire him now - perfect ceremony

I have nothing but good things to say about Chris and his work. I was so hesitant to book a stranger off the internet to perform in such an intimate part of our lives. However, after meeting Chris and seeing the first draft of our ceremony all my worries went away! He knocked it out of the park! I first found Chris here on the Knot and then did a youtube search of him -where there is a whole ceremony he performed - I fell in love! It's like he knew that couple! Our ceremony was so personable and so us. We opted to write our own vows and Chris helped edit them- he didn't change anything we wanted to say but instead helped with grammar. At the rehearsal I even told Chris I wasn't quite sure my vows were complete and he emailed me later that day willing to help and even found me before I walked down the aisle to make sure I was happy with my vows (I was - those dang nerves got the best of me)! At the reception, our guests kept coming up to us telling us it was the best ceremony they have ever been to. At the end of the night I looked at my husband and said, uh we totally forgot to give Chris the marriage license to sign- when we went to our day of coordinator she told us Chris signed it and took it with him to send out so we didn't have to worry about it. The very next day he even text us to let us know he sent it. I cannot say enough good things about Chris and his work! THANK YOU FOR MAKING OUR WEDDING ONE TO REMEMBER.

Amanda Sent on 10/25/2018

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Best Ceremony Ever is true!

From our very first conversation I knew Chris was my guy. He was thoughtful and funny about the answers we gave to his questionnaire, changed things around when I asked for a few changes, and worked to combine the traditional elements my husband wanted with the non traditional elements I hoped for, including the priest's marriage speech from The Princess Bride, complete with lisp and everything! He took the time to make me laugh and ease my nerves when I was freaking out. He was patient when I was late getting updates to him. He was just all around exactly what I needed from an officiant. I never worried about how the ceremony would turn out because I knew it was in the right hands. I wanted a funny, heartwarming, and personal ceremony and that's exactly what Chris gave me. Every single person at my wedding commented about how funny Chris was, how awesome it was for everything to be so specific to me and my husband's personalities and quirks, and how much they genuinely enjoyed the whole experience. I 100% understand why Chris' book is called Best Ceremony Ever because that's exactly what he delivered for me and my husband, the very best ceremony ever. 12/10, without hesitation I recommend Chris as an officiant and all around good guy!

Marisa Sent on 07/08/2018

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Chris came highly recommended to us as someone that would bring a non-traditional approach to the wedding ceremony. His style is one of celebration and fun, and he did an excellent job of weaving our personal story into that unique approach. He worked very closely with us throughout the process to make sure everyone was on the same page. He helped us to plan some fun twists, and on the day of the ceremony he made sure to arrive extra early so that he could help coordinate with the readers and the string quartet. No detail was left to chance and our guests were laughing and crying throughout the ceremony. We lost track of how many guests commented afterwards that it was the best wedding ceremony they’ve ever seen, and we will be forever grateful to Chris for making that happen.

Elease Sent on 05/12/2018

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OH MY GOD! Where do I even begin? Chris made our wedding ceremony into one of the most memorable experiences of my life. OuR guests have RAVED that this was their favorite ceremony they have ever been to. Chris is simply hilarious, articulate, and clever!

Prior to the wedding, he asked me and my husband to fill out a questionnaire. Based on that, he composed the funniest and sweetest ceremony that includes telling your guests your “love story”. Our guests really enjoyed that. He knew when to be Funny and when to be serious, and he was the perfect balance. Countless friends have asked me for his information!

YOU HAVE TO BOOK HIM!

Claire Sent on 03/17/2018

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Christopher is extraordinary! We didn't really know what we wanted in an officiant but from our first phone call we knew he would set the perfect tone for our wedding day...and he did not disappoint! His questionnaire allowed us to tell our story in our own voices and really take some time to reflect on how special the wedding experience really is. The ease of the whole process was a treat in an otherwise pretty stressful period leading up to the wedding.
Christopher has an amazing ability to connect with everyone in the room. Countless guests told me how much they loved our ceremony: "Best ceremony ever!" "He was so funny and so thoughtful!" "Really special and personal".
We would absolutely recommend Christopher!

Danielle Sent on 01/06/2018

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Where do I even begin? Chris was fantastic in every way possible. He was professional, fun to work with, flexible and AMAZING at writing and officiating the ceremony. He captured our love story PERFECTLY and delivered it flawlessly...and had everyone laughing, smiling and crying tears of joy and sentiment along the way. So many of our wedding guests told us that our wedding ceremony was "the best wedding ceremony they have ever attended." And a huge reason for that was Chris. If you like everything you see and hear about Chris...look no further and don't hesitate. I highly, highly, highly recommend Chris Shelley of Illuminating Ceremonies.

Cathy Sent on 10/31/2017

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We were referred to Christopher by another Officiant that was already booked. WE LOVED Christopher. He customized the ceremony based on worksheets the bride and groom completed. He then has conversations with them. The ceremony was hilarious and you could tell he put a lot of work into it. So many people came up after and said he was the best officiant they had ever heard. We were in Cop Cot in central park and people were stopping to listen. I was thankful for the humor since it kept me from crying at my daughter's ceremony. I would highly recommend Christopher!

Kayla Sent on 10/17/2017

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I was left without an officiant after ours backed out at the very last minute (12 days until our wedding)... and they went above and beyond to help us find someone else, and also to arrange their schedule to try to themselves.

What amazing people!

Theresa Sent on 09/01/2017

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This review is by far the easiest to write because hiring Chris to officiate our wedding made it so special. Our ceremony was totally personalized just for us. Chris shared our story with our family and friends (a nice touch since our wedding included family members I hadn't seen in years) and filled it with a sense of humor that my husband and I both share. Working with Chris was easy too - we met with him way in advance of our wedding, but he was readily accessible and met with us again closer to the date. Our family and friends all commented on how much fun the ceremony was but I think my dad phrased it best: the ceremony kicked off our celebration on a great note!

Kendra Sent on 08/17/2017

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Working with Chris Shelley was an absolute dream & SO MUCH FUN. We cannot imagine having worked with anyone else because Chris was a HUGE part in making our special day (and the months leading up) everything we hoped for and more. His process is totally clear, professional, and thorough from the start. Best of all he is just too funny and a really nice guy! Everything is just so smooth and fun that you don't even realize you are working your way through "bureaucratic formality" where in the end the officiant marries you and people sign a paper to make it official. What we had in the end was the MOST MAGICAL, MOST MEMORABLE, MOST SPECIAL ceremony that gave us and all our guests all the good feels...and 100% reflected who we are as a couple. We all laughed, cried, ugly cried, ugly laughed...we would not change a thing and really thank Chris for this. It's really touching to still hear weeks later that our guests enjoyed the ceremony as much as we did and that we had "the best officiant ever." Even before our wedding day, we really enjoyed the planning: Chris will set up an intro call and/or meet-up so everyone can get comfortable with each other and with next steps toward planning the ceremony; he will set deadlines for a really fascinating questionnaire process that prompts all sorts of funny memories and conversations with your partner and really good questions around family dynamics, cultural sensitivities, nuances to be aware of, etc. So important. We would do it all over again & change nothing. We were in such good hands and honestly just had a blast with Chris all throughout!

Corine Sent on 08/16/2017

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Chris was amazing, patient, funny and understanding. From the moment, we talked to him, we felt like he was the one! We did not want a religious ceremony and Chris was able to customize our wedding down to every little detail. He was a pleasure to work with and even calmed my fears before the ceremony. After the ceremony, everyone raved on what a great officiant we had and were jealous they didn't think of him for their wedding! The ceremony will always be one of my most treasured memories.

Allison Sent on 07/17/2017

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Chris was great! He really personalized our ceremony and it was the perfect mix of humor and emotion. All of our guests commented on how unique and great he was!

Sunny Sent on 07/16/2017

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Christopher is professional, intuitive, genuine and very funny! We loved the personal story he wrote about us. Our guests loved him too. He is a great officiant with unique gifts. I highly recommend him.

Katie Sent on 07/13/2017

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We first had an hour phone conversation with Chris, and then decided it was best to meet him in person. After meeting with with Chris, we knew he was the one we wanted to marry us. Chris was very personal, professional and extremely easy to work with. He asked us to fill out a questionnaire about a month or so before our wedding. He then gave us a draft of our ceremony- which was so perfect and fitting we barely had to make any changes. Our guests were truly floored by Chris- they loved our ceremony, and really loved Chris. Thank you for making our wedding ceremony so perfectly about us. Do yourself the favor, stop looking and hire him now for your wedding! :)

Matthew Sent on 07/10/2017

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Chris was great. We talked with him on the phone to kick off the process. The back and forth between drafts of the ceremony script went smoothly. His humor was great when we were at the alter to take some of the edge off. I would highly recommend him

Mia Sent on 06/28/2017

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Preparing for the ceremony was my favorite (and most meaningful) part of wedding planning. Mostly, this is because Chris was incredible. He helped create a meaningful, fun ceremony that everyone in attendance enjoyed (and believe me, we had a mixed crowd!). Chris's personality, filled with warmth, charm, humor, and depth, makes him a perfect officiant for any occasion. He took the time to get to know us and created a customized ceremony that was poignant and touching at an unbeatable price. Chris loves what he does, which is why his work was truly unforgettable. I cannot recommend this man enough!

Marie Sent on 03/19/2017

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We would recommend Chris to anyone! The ceremony he wrote was personalized, heartwarming and funny. He worked closely with us for several months to make sure it was everything we wanted. You don't hear of many weddings where guests remember the ceremony at all, let alone compliment the bride and groom on it all night long.

Jeffrey Sent on 02/05/2017

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Creative, patient, reassuring and all around amazing! Christopher was a complete pleasure to work with!

Our wedding was a surprise ceremony that was organized from a distance, another country to be exact. Christopher was very helpful and present throughout the whole process. He managed to script a service that included my partner and guests without having access to them. It was funny, original and all around entertaining. After the ceremony, every single guest asked me the same question, ‘Where did you find this amazing guy?’… He, beyond any doubt, made our simple ceremony a success.

Extra points for his patience since the event was delayed because of a few hiccups with the venue that we had booked!

Matthew Sent on 01/07/2017

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Chris was everything we could have wished for. The ceremony he prepared was funny, unique, loving and emotional.
Ourselves and our guests loved the ceremony. He brought so much energy to the room, made every one laugh and told our love story so well.
We highly recommend Chris, book him you won’t regret it!

Stephanie Sent on 12/14/2016

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Christopher came highly recommended from a fellow vendor - and we're so glad we found him! Within the first few minutes of our meeting Chris came off as extremely warm and friendly, and someone who genuinely enjoys his job. We were confident that he could give us the type of ceremony we were looking for: personal, sentimental and fun. And he delivered! Our ceremony was the perfect reflection of who we are. Our families and guests loved it. It was the perfect start to an incredible evening, setting the tone for a warm, loving and fun evening.

Sarah Sent on 11/29/2016

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We hired Christopher Shelley to be the officiant for our wedding, on October 29, 2016, at Bryant Park Grill. After the ceremony, as we were making our rounds to each guest during dinner, the most common question we heard was, "How do you know your wedding officiant? He was great!"

We joked that he was Uncle Ned's kid and then fessed up: he was the best-rated officiant we found in New York City. We are from different religious backgrounds, and our wish was to have a non-denominational ceremony with certain flourishes from each faith. Chris worked with us from the beginning to make sure that our wishes came true. He first met with us to get a sense of who we were as a couple. He then emailed us a thorough questionnaire for us to fill out individually so he could use personal details about us and our relationship to write a first draft of our ceremony. His draft was touching and funny and really felt like it was extremely personalized for us. We then worked with him to make additions, subtractions, and edits to finalize the ceremony a few weeks before the wedding day. It was an extremely smooth and fun process!

In addition to writing our ceremony, Chris also handled the marriage license procedure. We sat with him on the day of the wedding and signed the marriage license in front of him and our witnesses. He then took care of mailing it off to the City Clerk while we were on our honeymoon. It was a relief to come home to the finalized paperwork!

We would highly recommend Chris to be your wedding officiant. He is funny, positive, and truly cares about making your wedding day memorable and special. He is also very pleasant to work with in the stressful months leading up to your big day.

Sarah & Matt

Ivy Sent on 09/11/2016

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Chris was great and delivered an amazing ceremony. Our wedding guests had made comments about the potential to cry or tear up during our ceremony, but as soon as Chris started to speak, that all changed. The ceremony was full of laughs and everyone loved it! We even had some guests tell us that was the funniest ceremony they listened to.

Chris was easy to work with. We were not in love with the first draft of the ceremony so he rewrote it until we were 100% satisfied. Chris immediately processed our marriage licence - the Monday after our wedding.

Chelsea Sent on 08/28/2016

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The hardest vendor to find and choose was our wedding officiant. Once we spoke to Chris, we knew he was our guy. Chris is super experienced and guides you through the process seamlessly. He's a true talent in his ability to capture your story, fill it with hilarious comedy (which I needed not to ball my eyes out through the entire ceremony), and heartfelt commentary that would have even the driest eyes in the audience crying. He is a ceremony artist. He brings to life everything you dreamt your ceremony would be as if he was a long time friend. Our guests couldn't stop talking about how beautiful the ceremony was, and how amazing our officiant was.

Nishi Sent on 07/09/2016

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I cannot recommend Chris enough. Planning a wedding, no matter how large or small, can get stressful and somehow the ceremony always feels like the spiritual heart of the whole exercise. We knew from the outset that we wanted a special ceremony that combined humor with emotion, with a little New York flair, while keeping our guests entertained. In addition, since my now husband's family is French and do not speak a word of English, we asked Chris if he could indulge us and deliver our ceremony entirely in French. He was such a great sport about it and rose to the occasion - our Central Park ceremony was personalized, charming, literary, funny and entirely what we wanted. To all the couples out there searching fruitlessly for a bilingual ceremony or one entirely in French, you've found your guy! Our French family members were completely blown away. MERCI MILLE FOIS!

User2678815 Sent on 07/08/2016

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Chris Shelley knocked our ceremony out of the park! He made our guests laugh and cry in a single sentence. Our life expressed through his words was amazing and our guests continue to compliment his work from our special day. It was so much fun and very different from your normal wedding ceremonies (which are normally very boring)! We cannot wait for our video so we can hear it all over again. Thank for making our day that much more special.

User2600866 Sent on 05/08/2016

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We needed an officiant quickly, so we did a handful of telephone interviews of prospective candidates. There was something special about Chris. He got us and what we wanted immediately. We invited him to our home, and he asked just the right questions to find out who we are, what we wanted, and what we needed for our ceremony. He guided us individually on preparing our vows, and the celebration he created for us was exactly right. He incorporated all the things we wanted to include, and delivered an insightful and moving ceremony. I can't recommend him highly enough. He was the perfect person for our special day. You will absolutely love him.

User2497466 Sent on 01/11/2016

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When we were searching for a wedding officiant for our ceremony at Battery Gardens, we decided to meet with Chris after reading the overwhelmingly positive and heartfelt reviews on WeddingWire. After meeting with him the first time, we knew exactly what everyone was talking about. Chris is very easy to work with, on top of everything and will walk you through his plan/process very thoroughly. Besides all that great stuff, Chris is hilarious and had us cracking up every time we spoke with him. He had us complete a questionnaire which helped him put together an amazing speech for our ceremony. We had several guests tell us the night of and after the wedding just how funny and on the mark Chris was. He was also a huge help with our vows and with running through a rehearsal of the ceremony the day of. He even took care of getting our marriage license finalized and mailed out. Overall, just a huge pleasure to work with. If you're looking for someone who will make your ceremony memorable, emotional, and full of laughs, we highly recommend working with Chris.

Felix Sent on 11/25/2015

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After a fairly exhaustive search we selected Chris to be our wedding officiant. We connected with him right away. He was very easy to work with and very responsive. Even though we had obviously not met before, after spending some time getting to know us, Chris put together a very personalized ceremony that made us feel like he had known us for years! It was just the right mix of intimate, interesting, heartfelt, and funny. On the day of the wedding he expertly walked us and our wedding party through everything we all had to do. And then of course delivered an amazing service. We couldn't be happier with our choice!

Antoinette Sent on 11/22/2015

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Chris was perfect! His questionnaire, although scary at first was the perfect tool to get to know us before the wedding. He asked questions that no one else had asked and it made us feel comfortable knowing that our ceremony was in good hands. He was ready to help us with picking vows that would work for us, when we just couldn't find the words to convey our emotions. From start to finish, Chris was truly a pleasure to have marry us and he made everything during our ceremony come together. I (the bride) definitely had a hard time fighting back the tears that day and I wouldn't change it for the world.
THANKS AGAIN CHRISTOPHER! YOU ARE TRULY AN AMAZING SOUL!

User2386380 Sent on 10/23/2015

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We chose Christopher Shelley to officiate our wedding and we were not disappointed. The minute we met him, he was easy to get along with and fun! He worked with my husband and I on our vows separately and on the day of, people raved about how personal our ceremony was. People felt that he knew us so well!!

I also have to give him credit for gathering our wedding party for the rehearsal! Its not easy to gather 13 people together and getting us to pay attention.

Jade Sent on 10/04/2015

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Usually at a wedding everyone is talking about the bride and the groom. At ours, Chris was definitely among the guest's conversations! Even our vendors were raving about him and the ceremony he officiated! Chris met with my husband and I to get a feel for us and what sort of wedding ceremony would suit our relationship, and boy did he nail it! We are very fun, playful people and Chris was able to capture that for us - making our guests laugh often. At the same time, he honed in on the importance of the ceremony and definitely made people cry too. One of our vendors said he feels like he knows us so well now because Chris really painted our picture. He worked with us to write our own vows and also offered us options to add unity ceremonies. If you are looking for an officiant who is really going to make your ceremony special, Chris is the way to go!

Tracy Sent on 06/26/2015

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Chris was exactly what I was looking for when trying to find an officiant for our casual, simple, secular ceremony. We signed him up right after meeting him. He is very friendly, funny, personable and well spoken. He showed us his draft speeches and accommodated my suggestions for them. People laughed during the ceremony and he even ad-libbed when my mom interrupted his speech. It made for a great atmosphere. But he was also sentimental at some points, so it was a perfect combination. Everyone said he was great and we think so too.

Debra Sent on 06/21/2015

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Chris is an exceptional officiant who greatly exceeded our expectations. From our first conversation with Chris, we knew that he would be the perfect officiant for our ceremony because he knows how to balance the traditional elements of a wedding ceremony with modern elements to create a highly personal and authentic approach. Prior to the ceremony, Chris worked with us to capture key insights about each of us individuals and together as a couple. I was blown away by how he took all of our inputs to write an amazing love story that felt incredibly authentic, personal and touching. His delivery on the day of our ceremony was equally compelling. Everyone at our wedding complimented us on Chris - in fact, he was one of our guests' most favorite/memorable moments of the entire event. Chris set a positive, upbeat and thoughtful tone for our entire day. We are so grateful for his artistry, thoughtfulness, sense of humor and overall professionalism.

Ken Sent on 06/13/2015

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Christopher Frost Shelley was amazing. He made our wedding happen in just the way we wanted and brought our memorable day to life. Chris was prepared to not only take on the challenge of our 'unusual' request but he also worked with us to devise the best and most interesting way to conduct our wedding ceremony. Our wedding day was a magic day and Chris' involvement made it the best day we could have hoped for! We particularly enjoyed the way in which Chris incorporated into the ceremony the information about ourselves that we had provided through his questionnaire. I would definitely recommend Illuminating Ceremonies!

Mary Sent on 05/27/2015

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Chris was incredible to work with! He created the perfect ceremony for us balancing love, romance, compassion, and lots of humor. It was important to us that our wedding be different than most traditional ceremonies and he came through 100%. The survey he provided was very thorough but so much fun to fill out. He was quick to respond with notes and edits, and he let us make any changes we wanted, although there were very few because he is so good at this. Many of our guests approached us after the ceremony complimenting Chris for being so entertaining (let's be real, weddings can be boring!) and telling us how beautiful and moving our ceremony was. Couldn't have asked for more!

Rachael Sent on 05/18/2015

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Christopher Shelley was so professional and great at what he does. We got married on the Rachael Ray show and he made our special day even better. He made us feel at ease and was so flexible, easy to talk to and most of all; PATIENT!!! I would highly recommend him to anyone getting married:)

Jessica Sent on 11/26/2014

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Chris was amazinggggg!!!! Our ceremony was so personal, funny, and touching all at the same time. His questioner really made our ceremony so original and not at all boring. Everyone said he was one of the best parts of our wedding! He even traveled all the way to Staten Island to make our day special. I highly recommend him for any wedding especially since ours was interfaith and not the easier to write for!

User1922607 Sent on 11/15/2014

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Chris was awesome. Everyone that attended the wedding said that it was the best ceremony they'd ever been to. He was the perfect combination of casual, funny, and serious. He was extremely easy to work with in terms of crafting our ceremony, taking our feedback and making changes as needed. I'd highly recommend him as your officiant!

User1917500 Sent on 11/11/2014

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Chris was a hit!

We spoke with several officiants as we started our wedding planning, and Chris was the one that really stood out as being fun, professional, and totally on board to make our ceremony a special experience that worked well for what we wanted. He was easy and enjoyable to work with. And multiples guests remarked on how lively and enjoyable he made the ceremony. So, everything worked out great, and we would definitely recommend Chris.

Kim Sent on 10/31/2014

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Christopher Shelley is truly awesome. He took the time to meet with us and really get to know us, and his energy and enthusiasm is magnetic. He had our wedding guests both laughing and crying. He added an element of joy to our day that we could not have predicted and we are so grateful. I would highly recommend Chris for any couple who wants a personalized, unique and memorable ceremony.

Dara Sent on 10/14/2014

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We are forever grateful and appreciative of Chris. He is an INCREDIBLE officiant and made our wedding truly unique and special. From our first meeting we knew he was the perfect fit to marry us. He's funny, professional and kind. No one could believe how personal our ceremony was. Chris was exceptionally charismatic and personable. He designed our ceremony to perfection, really understanding our relationship and personalities. He helped us write our vows and even made a last minute adjustment to include a family member's name who had passed away days before our wedding. The ceremony had our friends and family laughing and crying. Every one of our guests commented on how great the ceremony was. A lot of them asked how long Chris has known us and thought he was a friend of ours. He is wonderful!

User1860284 Sent on 10/13/2014

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Christopher Shelley officiated our wedding at 501 Union in Brooklyn. He did a fantastic job and we couldn't be happier! The feedback from our guests was also very positive - everyone had a great time. A few of our guests even told us they wish they could have used him for their ceremonies.

Thanks again Chris!!!

Christine Sent on 10/02/2014

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Chris is really quite wonderful at what he does. Keeping our ceremony lighthearted and funny was very important to my husband and I and Chris delivered in spades. Everyone I spoke with who attended our ceremony commented how wonderful and funny our officiant was.

His process is really flexible and effective in delivering what you as a couple want out of a ceremony. First, he has a meeting with you to take some notes and get a general feel for you as a couple. Then he sends you a questionnaire about the relationship for both of the engaged to fill out and return to him. Then he really puts a great effort and thought into writing a wonderful, personalized ceremony for you. Additionally, he can provide both readings and vow suggestions if you are at a bit of a loss, so he is also a guide.

Chris is both a great writer and very insightful. He pulls bits of information from the initial meeting and both questionnaires, and makes keen observations about the couple that are both true and fun. When it's ceremony time, he's also very good at keeping calm and carrying on.

I was initially introduced to Chris at my cousin's wedding, which both my husband and I attended. We both agreed Chris' delivery of their ceremony was unique and memorable. We were so happy we went with Chris as our officiant!!

Brittney Sent on 09/10/2014

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So, after a brutal search for an officiant, we kind of felt hopeless. Everyone was either booked, too expensive, had no baby sitter, or didn't want to travel. We probably messaged 50+ officiants. I saw Chris on both TheKnot and Wedding Wire, and I figured to email him too. We messaged back and fourth for a while then soon met up to go over some details and such. We were sold. Chris is fantastic. He has the silliest sense of humor, we talked for hours about life, nonsense and everything in between. He was great so we pretty much booked him on the spot. He wrote our entire ceremony with some help from us with questions Chris provided. Fast forward to the ceremony. We had kind of a different ceremony being it was in a baseball stadium. Chris' voice aired throughout the entire ballpark, which was awesome. The ceremony was perfect. I told him from the beginning I wanted people to laugh, throw out some inside jokes and make it meaningful. It was all that and more. Everyone loved him and asked how long he knew us to write all that! I answered "oh, just about 6 or 7 months!" haha. We had such a fun, easy experience with Chris and I would recommend him 800000x to anyone. Thank you so much Chris! You're so awesome!

User1744904 Sent on 08/02/2014

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Christopher was amazing! We couldn't be happier with how he conducted the process leading up to and the execution of the ceremony. Our friends and family wouldn't stop asking about him and giving positive feedback. He made our special day even better!

Pippa Sent on 07/12/2014

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Chris was easily the best part of our wedding. From an amazingly accurate, personal and humorous wedding to all the professionalism of a confident delivery. Our guests all loved the ceremony and we are still getting comments on how great Chris was. He spent the time to get to know us and prepared a ceremony that was so personal without being cliche. From the moment I arrived at the alter I could not wipe the smile off my face because we just had so much fun up there. If you want a personal, touching, fun and joyous ceremony I cannot recommend Chris highly enough.

Lauren Sent on 07/07/2014

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Chris did an exceptional job officiating our wedding!! All of our guests including immediate family and friends said they enjoyed his ceremony thoroughly and stated that it was one of the best ceremonies they had ever attended!! I couldn't be happier with Chris and would definitely recommend him to all of my friends/family who are getting married in the future!! 5 very enthusiastic stars!! Thanks so much!!

Taryn Sent on 07/04/2014

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Chris was awesome. He came threw for us last minute and was a life saver. We had a situation where we decided it would be better if our friend didn't officiant our wedding and called on Chris 3 months out. He was quick to respond and meet with us. He gave us a detailed interview to find out about us. He was hired! I was impressed. Then he gave us a questionnaire which made me think about every reason I wanted to marry my now husband. It made me realize how wonderful our relationship is and why I love him. I also love that I'll have our answers to the questionnaires forever. It's nice to know whenever we go through a rough time I can look at this and remember why we fell in love and what is important.

Chris rocked the ceremony. I was super nervous (and a few cocktails in) and he handled it like a champ... He was quick, witty, and helped to make me look "cute" and "funny" instead of a complete idiot. I was complemented on my decision to use Chris all night and the following weeks. I'm still hearing how it was the "best ceremony" my friends and family have ever been to.

Chris is fun, quick, charming and super professional. If we had to do it over we would still pick Chris.

Hire this guy.

Olivia Sent on 06/27/2014

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Couldn't have asked for a better ceremony officiant!

Jules Sent on 05/31/2014

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Myself and my husband live in the UK and were married in Central park and Chris was our officiant. From the moment we started conversing with him regarding the wedding we felt we had made the right decision, he made sure to find out everything he could about us so he could make the ceremony about us even though we had never met! He made all our guests feel involved including all the people watching in the park. He was very professional and cared about what we wanted from the initial planning through to the ceremony. Our friends and family have all commented to us what a great officiant he was and how well he carried out the ceremony. We couldn't have asked for a better officiant.

User1418406 Sent on 10/27/2013

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It has been just over a week since Christopher Shelley performed the wedding ceremony for my husband and me, and we have not stopped thinking about how incredible it was. We do not practice a religion, and yet the personal connection we felt Mr. Shelley had with us by the time of our marriage was similar to what many other people feel with clergy members they have known for decades. Mr. Shelley took the time to absorb our love story and our personalities and his understanding of us really came through in the ceremony he created for us. He took time to greet our family and friends, and as the ceremony began he engaged them with laughter. But there were solemn moments too; nothing was superficial. I am really glad he was the one who married us and I will remember the experience forever. I highly recommend Mr. Shelley.

User1392792 Sent on 10/22/2013

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We live in Florida, so as a same sex couple wanting to get married, we had to have a "destination" wedding. We chose New York City. Not knowing anyone in the City to perform the ceremony, we found Chris through a "Google" search. After looking at his website and speaking by phone, we decided to use him for our wedding. It was one of the best decisions we've ever made. He was beyond fantastic. The process he uses to construct the ceremony is very interactive and allows you to really focus on why you want to marry the other person. He guides, but does not dictate, every step of the way in the writing of the ceremony. He helps find readings, but is open to any readings you want to use. By the end of the process, you have "your wedding" ceremony. He is very personable, a great public speaker and our wedding guests were unanimous in their praise of his presentation. I would recommend Chris without hesitation.

Régine Sent on 10/20/2013

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From the minute we met Chris, the rapport was instantaneous, we knew he was the one to marry us. We felt his warmth right away and loved his sense of humor. The wedding script he wrote was unsurpassed, it incorporated our sentiment to a tee. Our audience was mesmerized by his charm, wit and great story-telling ability. We would have regretted any other choice, he truly made our wedding day complete. HIRE HIM. NOW. Don't think twice, no one else can compare, our guests would readily agree. Régine & Michael

Whitney Sent on 10/16/2013

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Chris was a fantastic officiant at our wedding and or guests couldn't stop talking about how wonderful the ceremony was!

User1358721 Sent on 10/01/2013

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Christopher was simply the best wedding officiant we could have imagined. We felt so comfortable with him from the very first moment we met and he created a ceremony for us that was both personal and memorable. Every single one of our guests has since commented how much they enjoyed the ceremony. We could not recommend Christopher with any higher praise.

Jerry Sent on 09/12/2013

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Chris was so easy to work with, and made us both comfortable. We were able to visit with him before the ceremony, and he showed an interest in our lives. He was very professional, and kind. He has a true compassion for his work, and it shows. Jeremy and I could not have been more pleased with the special attention we received. I know we made the right choice. Thank you so much for making our special day a reality.

User1345383 Sent on 09/03/2013

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Christopher Shelley really made our ceremony personal and unique! I got so many compliments on our ceremony. I think people really like to hear stories about the couple, and are bored with the typical wedding ceremony that we're all familiar with. We met with Christopher once in person a few months before the wedding, and exchanged several emails and phone calls prior to our wedding. In the weeks leading up to our wedding, we talked with Christopher frequently and refined our ceremony script to make it perfect for us! Also, he showed up to the ceremony site 2 hours early to ensure everything was in place and he was familiar with the setting. It is so nice to have an extra person with you on your wedding day to make sure things go well! Definitely hire Christopher if you want a personal and intimate ceremony.

User1233308 Sent on 07/09/2013

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Chris was an amazing officiant- he was extremely responsive to our needs and had great suggestions. All of our guests loved his speech at our wedding. I highly recommend him.

Sam Sent on 06/27/2013

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My wife and I met Chris seven months before our wedding. After speaking with him for roughly an hour, we knew we had found our celebrant. Chris has such a quick wit, which worked perfectly for our personality as a couple. After asking us very detailed questions about ourselves and what we wanted in a ceremony during our initial meeting, he followed up soon afterwards with a very thoughtful and comprehensive questionnaire for us to fill out. After we submitted it, he began writing a draft of the ceremony.

A few months later, Chris gave us a terrific first draft of the ceremony. He did a magnificent job of weaving in both of our stories to make a highly entertaining and loving tale for our ceremony. It read as though it was being told by a life-long friend. We only had to make a few minor changes, and the ceremony was ready. In addition, for our own personally-written vows, Chris gave very good feedback.

We hired Chris as well for a rehearsal on the day prior to the wedding, and his charm and leadership skills shone as he guided everyone (including two four-year-old flower girls) through a quick and successful run-through of the ceremony.

During the ceremony, Chris was an absolute gem. His sense of humor and calm grace made the event such a joy in which to participate. Our guests were enthralled by Chris, as we had multiple people mention to us how much they loved how he conducted the ceremony. His use of humor and his ability to tell a compelling narrative of love and memories made our event unforgettable.

Amelia Sent on 06/27/2013

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My now-husband and I dwelled long and hard on our perfect wedding, even before we were engaged. We had picked our perfect ceremony venue and our perfect reception hall--both places chosen because they were not only meaningful to us, but also catered specially to small, intimate weddings, such as we were planning. All we needed now was the perfect officiant, someone who could make our ceremony fun and different, sweet and personal. Christopher Frost Shelley was the first and only officiant we met with--we clicked instantly and knew he was the missing piece to our special day. Collecting our individual histories via questionnaire, he weaved them into one seamless story, just as he was binding us in matrimony. After the ceremony, all of our guests commented on how amazing Christopher was; two of our guests, engaged themselves, bemoaned that he wasn't their officiant as well. Christopher is friendly, funny, professional, personable, and bunches of fun. Any couple would be lucky to have him as their officiant!

Julie Sent on 06/26/2013

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Chris made our destination wedding so relaxing!! Knowing he was willing to travel to our hotel with our marriage license allowed us to spend time with our families by the pool instead of in line at the county offices. He was beyond helpful and very professional!!! Just talking to him on the phone was enough to ensure me he was who he represented online. He met and exceeded all of our expectations, I'd recommend him to all my family and friends!

Doug Sent on 06/18/2013

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Christopher Frost Shelley is the best officiant you’ll ever find. Seriously.

My now-wife and I planned a small, intimate wedding with our closest friends and immediate family; so we wanted a ceremony that was both intimate and unique. It was important for us to find someone who would invest the time in understanding who we are and what we wanted out of the ceremony. We wanted our wedding to be about us, but without all the extra fuss or added pressure of being in the spotlight. After receiving a prompt reply from Christopher, we met up with him and it was quickly decided he was our man. Christopher has a way of putting people instantly at ease. He’s extremely amiable, professional, and courteous. He made suggestions that we hadn’t thought of, had his own checklist of ceremony tasks (and made sure we were as prepared as he was), and was more than willing to adjust the ceremony to fit our needs in any way we saw fit. He also walked us through all the steps, sent us regular reminders regarding deadlines and where he was in the process, and gave us the opportunity to ask as many questions as we wanted. When Christopher puts on a ceremony, he puts himself entirely into it. He’s a wonderful showman: funny, intelligent, witty, and considerate. Christopher balanced putting on a heart-felt performance and engaging our guests while always keeping the spotlight on us. The script he wrote for us, which incorporated parts of our questionnaires, was honed perfectly to our personalities. It’s been a few weeks since we got married and our guests continually remark about how fantastic the ceremony was thanks to Christopher. Two of our friends said they wished they had Christopher as their officiant while others said “he was the best officiant I’ve ever seen!” Our wedding would never have been nearly as perfect had it not been for Mr. Christopher Frost Shelley. He was one of the best parts of our wedding and neither I, nor our guests, will ever forget the magic he added to it.

Ayumi Sent on 05/23/2013

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His name alone---Christopher Frost Shelley---already tells you that he'll craft beautiful prose to be recited in front of many gathered for your event. But Chris is much, much more than just a guy that'll say the words that need to be said so that everything can be legal.

When we contacted him re: our elopement ceremony, he 'met' us on skype to get an idea about what kind of couple we are. We also filled out a pretty extensive questionnaire that got at the heart of our relationship. He knew the 'ceremony' only involved the two of us, plus the photographer, but the words he prepared for our wedding was more perfect that we could've ever imagined. His words captured who we are as people, perhaps even better than we could've put it.

I am so, so glad I came across his site. I cannot thank him enough for actually taking time to understand us and translate that into words that made the little ceremony so special to us.

User1170939 Sent on 05/22/2013

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We could not be more pleased with Christopher's work. Far beyond a canned ceremony with a few personal details filling in the blanks, Mr. Shelley created a completely personalized service that felt, beginning to end, to have been written completely for us, Considering the unusual and disparate list of inclusions and requests we had made, this was no small feat. I truly believe he cares about providing something memorable and meaningful, and would heartily recommend him to anyone who wants to work with an officiant to create something beyond the ordinary.

Shalakay Sent on 03/27/2013

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Christopher Shelley ROCKS MY SOCKS! Whenever I ask my guests to tell how they enjoyed my wedding, they rave about the officiant. Christopher was amazing. I had an outdoor wedding in the park and my preferred venue was unexpectedly closed due to a snowstorm the previous night. Christopher took charge of the situation and relocated my guests. He cracked jokes. He kept the mood light. When I finally arrived (it's a brides prerogative to be late... wink), he delivered a bang up ceremony. We laughed, we loved and we were married by THE BEST CELEBRANT IN NYC!

After the wedding our marriage certificate arrived with record speed and was accurately recorded. I would eagerly recommend Christopher to anyone who wants a personalized and meaningful ceremony.

Thanks Chris!

Samantha Sent on 03/11/2013

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Chris was an absolutely amazing officiant! His personal, creative and heartwarming ceremony has had everyone talking! He has a unique gift at creating a very individual and personal ceremony for every couple. For my husband and I, we come from two different worlds... Well actually, we come from different countries, with different languages, different religions and therefore totally different experiences and expectations of what a wedding and wedding ceremony would look like. But Chris made it possible! We had everything we could have possibly hoped for and more! He made our love story the center of the ceremony and which became the mood for the entire evening! (As it should be, right?!)

I would 100% recommend Chris to anyone looking for a unique and incredibly special wedding ceremony.
He is wonderful and very talented! (Trust me, THIS IS WHO YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!)

Illuminating Ceremonies/Christopher Shelley Reviews

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Illuminating Ceremonies/Christopher Shelley