Joyful Unions Reviews
173 Reviews
Rated
5.0
out of 5.0
Recommended by 100% of couples
Awards
50 User photos
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Featured
![Jenni]()
Jenni Married on 02/11/2022A beautiful and memorable ceremony by Liz!
We found Liz on another wedding website while searching for officiants that specialize in non-religious ceremonies. We found Joyful Unions and based on the great reviews, we reached out! Liz was quick to respond and not soon after that, we met with her and instantly connected! Liz is so personable and easy to talk to, that we knew we wanted her as our officiant. She took the time to learn our story, understand what was important to us, and did an incredible job weaving everything into the ceremony. Our families and friends loved hearing our story be told and about the love that we share. Liz also engaged the audience! It was such a memorable experience and one that we will remember forever. Thank you Liz.
Photography by Rachael KoscicaJoyful Unions's reply:
It was a genuine treat to learn and share your love story with Nic, Jenni. I love it that big weddings are back! You two clearly are loved by a lot of people. What fun to be with all of you on that beautiful day at Villa Siena. Always, Liz -
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![Jennifer]()
Jennifer G. Getting married on 09/03/2022Great from first call to the ceremony!
Liz really gets to know you as a couple. With her emails and calls (we did Facetime) she learned about our relationship history, our story, what things are meaningful to us as a couple and individually.
She then takes all this knowledge and crafts a very personalized ceremony. So many family members came up to me after and said how she really brought up the joy and the true commitment a marriage takes.
During this time of Covid and having a small ceremony, I think choosing the right officiant really matters because the ceremony and the marriage is really highlighted at this time.
She is also great with any follow up and the ceremony script after as a keepsake is great! -
![Rebecca]()
Rebecca F. Getting married on 06/09/2022Highly Recommend Liz and Joyful Unions
Liz was an outstanding officiant. The ceremony was the highlight of our wedding day. From the moment we first spoke, through the entire process, Liz made us feel comfortable and special. She gave our wedding the perfect personalized touch. Our friends and family are still talking about the ceremony. Thank you Liz for making our wedding day so spectacular!Joyful Unions's reply:
It was easy to connect with you from the start, Rebecca. Thanks again for inviting me to be part of your sunflower-y wedding day. And that sunset sure cooperated. Enjoy life with that handsome husband of yours! -
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Melissa Married on 05/06/2022
Your search for an officiant can end here!
I can not possibly say enough great things about Liz and the huge part she played in making our day so special. From the initial inquiry to the ceremony, Liz was beyond kind and accommodating. Although we never met in person before the wedding, our ceremony was completely unique to us and our relationship. Throughout the entire evening we had guests commenting on what a beautiful job Liz had done and even had one guest ask if we were related to Liz because of how well she knew our story. Between the dedication she has to understanding your story perfectly and the kindness and warmth Liz radiates, there is absolutely no way you could go wrong in choosing her to be your officiant. We will be forever thankful that we found her to officiate our big day!Joyful Unions's reply:
I so appreciate your kind and generous words, Melissa. I was charmed by your fully serendipitous 'how we met' story and it was my pleasure to share it with your community. I'm glad they listened! All my best to you and your handsome husband. Love each other well! -
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Natasha F. Married on 05/06/2022Natasha & Jimmy Wedding
I knew I wanted to have Liz share our special day the moment I heard her voice on the initial call! Her voice is so soothing and calm. She made our ceremony SO personalized. She took the time to learn about our love story, how we met and the details so much that I had guests asking if she knew us! I had so many compliments on how amazing she was!!!!! If you want to take your special day to an even higher level, please use her!!!!!Joyful Unions's reply:
Thank you so much for your spirited review, Natasha! You and Jimmy were so ready for your wedding day. It was my pleasure to be part of it. Love each other well! -
![Olivia]()
Olivia B. Married on 03/12/2022Amazing wedding officiant !
We found Liz through The Knot and from our initial FaceTime call to the actual ceremony, she was amazing. She made sure to tell our story and incorporate things we had talked about. She also sent us a script of the ceremony, which will be a lovely keepsake to cherish for years ahead. My husband is also atheist and he was very comfortable with the verbiage throughout the ceremony. Thank you so much Liz, it was magical!Joyful Unions's reply:
It was my true pleasure joining you and your community on your wedding day, Olivia. You and James are clearly crazy about each other, and I just LOVED your sense of style! Thank you for the kind words, and you are welcome! Make the most of your marriage you two beautiful people! Kindly, Liz -
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![Brooke]()
Brooke T. Married on 03/10/2022Exceptional Ceremony, Thank you Liz!
We found Liz via her website and after her prompt response, we knew she would be the perfect officiant. We wanted something non religious and Liz offered a wide range of ideas and helpful tips that ended up making our ceremony perfect. Even though we only chatted over email, it seemed like she was with us on our entire relationship journey. She captured our love in a beautiful way that even members of our family recognized and appreciated.
She put in a huge amount of work to prepare for the ceremony, be with us on the day, and then promptly filed our license afterward. She also mailed us a keepsake copy of her wedding script.
Thank you Liz! We cannot overstate how perfect you made our day.Joyful Unions's reply:
It was my pleasure to be with you and your community, Brooke! Thanks to you and your handsome hubs for inviting me to be with you. So glad you and your guests felt the love! Best, Liz -
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Sydney H. Married on 03/07/2022
Liz was absolutely amazing!
My husband and I found Liz through Weddingwire and had the chance to watch her perform a ceremony through a wedding video we viewed. From the moment she began speaking, we knew that she was the one for us. Liz has such a positive, loving attitude and you can feel the passion she has for this industry. Liz met my husband and I for our first meeting at a coffee shop and just wanted to chat about our relationship, our wedding plans and what we had envisioned for our big day. We left that meeting feeling totally confident and excited that she would be working with us on our special day. We met a few months before the wedding and she never failed to stay in contact with us, she sent us emails with different questions about our relationship and allowed us to pick the format we wanted for our ceremony from examples that she had previously used. This process was so effortless and easy. Unfortunately, after two years of wedding planning, our wedding fell during COVID and we had to drastically change our plans. We moved up our wedding by two weeks and cut our guest list to 10 people. We called all of our vendors to see if they would be willing to attend. Liz did not even hesitate for a second and said she would do absolutely anything to make this day perfect for us. She had our ceremony planned out and ready with two days notice and she walked us through it every step of the way. When the big day came, she was a calm and loving presence and made my husband and I feel at home. Her words were beautiful, meaningful and personal, as she had loads of details about our relationship mixed into her message. My husband and I wanted to say our own vows and she guided us with ease. During our personal vows, you could even see Liz tear up, which just goes to show how passionate she is about her job. On top of all this, she is an elegant and witty speaker and my family absolutely raved about her for months after the wedding. She is amazing, personable, loving, passionate and so much fun to work with...look no further, you have found the officiant for you. Thank you Liz for making our day so special.
Love,
Sydney and NickJoyful Unions's reply:
Life sure threw us some curve balls the Spring of 2020, didn't it? But what it couldn't interfere with was your love and desire to get married! So glad we were all able to be flexible and be there for you and Nick as you exchanged your beautiful vows. I so enjoyed being part of the day and I'm so happy to hear it was a positive experience as well for you and your families. With love back at ya! Liz -
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Ashleigh S. Married on 02/08/2022
Our day wouldn’t be the same without Liz!
From the beginning, Liz exceeded my expectations. My husband and I had a very small and last minute wedding, with about a week to plan the details. Being a first time bride and having limited time, Liz was a rock throughout and responded quickly and made me feel at ease.
The ceremony was exactly what we wanted and it was intimate and personal. Our family and friends continue to say how lovely Liz was and how much she contributed to the vibe of our ceremony.
I recommend Liz to anyone and everyone. A caring person who loves what she does and to have that energy during such a special day… I cannot express my gratitude enough.Joyful Unions's reply:
It was my pleasure to join you and your community (both those present and virtually) to see you two married. It really was a perfect Arizona day, wasn't it? So glad you and your handsome husband were happy with the ceremony, Ashleigh. My best to you both, Liz -
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Alyssa B. Married on 10/16/2021A wonderful experience!
I can’t say enough wonderful things about Liz! She made our day so special. My husband and I are not big on speaking in front of people and we were really nervous about saying vows. Liz made sure everything was easy and we were comfortable. Everything was so beautiful and she even was able to pivot and add in a last minute adjustment to honor a loved one who passed away the day before our wedding. If I could go back and do the day all over again, I would make sure to have Liz officiate. Thank you so much for all you before our day, on our day and even after!!Joyful Unions's reply:
It was such a pleasure to join you and your community at the foot of the Superstitions, Alyssa. What a beautiful day. And again, I'm glad we were able to honor Austin's grandmother. Thank you for your kind words, and enjoy the heck out of your marriage! -
![Nicole]()
Nicole W. Married on 09/26/2021The best wedding ceremony - our personal love story
Liz is WONDERFUL!! If you are looking for someone who will craft the most beautifully personal and intimate ceremony celebrating your relationship Liz is the one. She was so easy and accommodating to work with. I reached out to her last minute and she was able to work with us on a very short timeline.
Our families RAVED about the ceremony - it was the first non-religious wedding for many of them and they were all really moved by Liz’s words. She was able to tell our love story so perfectly. Liz also mailed us a copy of our ceremony as a keepsake and we will treasure it forever.-
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Joyful Unions's reply:
I so appreciate your sweet and detailed review, Nicole. All my best to you and Jim as you embark on more decades of love! -
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![Mathew]()
Mathew C. Married on 06/11/2021People are still talking...
Liz was the officiant at our wedding on 11/30. Having only met via email and phone prior to our special day, Liz was able to capture our spirit and connection in such a way that our guests thought we had known her for many years. She did an excellent job and would recommend her to anyone for their special day.Joyful Unions's reply:
Thank you so much for your vote of confidence, Mat. Much appreciated. It was my pleasure being with you and Phillip and your families on your colorful wedding day. With love, Liz -
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Jill B. Married on 05/22/2021
5 star review!!
Liz is beautiful inside and out. She exceeded our expectations. Our ceremony was absolutely beautiful largely due to Liz. She met with me and my NOW husband several times to learn about us and our journey together. We truly felt a connection with her. She then crafted a script to share with our guests that personalized the love we have for one another. After the ceremony I had numerous guests tell me how amazing Liz was and how they enjoyed learning things about Todd and I they didn’t know. If you are looking to personalize your wedding ceremony and make it special, Liz is your gal!!
Liz we can’t thank you enough we for exceeding our expectations and making our ceremony enjoyable for all that attended!Joyful Unions's reply:
Thank you for your generous words, Jill. I felt such an immediate connection with both you and Todd, and it was my pleasure learning and getting to share your love story. I'm so happy that you've found each other! Love each other well. Always, Liz -
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![Tori]()
Tori M. Married on 04/01/2021Perfect Ceremony
Liz was wonderful from start to finish. We knew the first time we met her that she was communicative, efficient, compassionate, professional, and very sweet, and we were beyond impressed. She wrote a beautiful and accurate love story, our ceremony was touching, and everyone in our group loved her. 5 Stars and more!! She hiked 3 miles round trip to marry us on a mountain peak, and it was great fun! Thank you Liz for making our special day more special.Joyful Unions's reply:
I felt such an immediate connection to you and Chris, Tori. Thanks so much for inviting me to be part of the wedding hiking group! What a beautiful place you chose to exchange your vows -- with seemingly all of Arizona in 360 degrees around us. Love each other well. Always, Liz -
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![Janell]()
Janell P. Married on 03/20/2021Liz is the BEST!
I could not have asked for a better officiant for my wedding. I got married on March 20, 2021 after having to push it out from October 2020 and Liz was there for me all the way. She was able to completely reschedule to my new wedding date and stayed in communication as we came closer to the wedding date. She was incredibly helpful in guiding me through what my options were for the type of ceremony we were hoping for (we chose more of a non-religious route focusing our message on love). Liz also understood that I was too nervous to read my own vows aloud in front of everyone and she knew exactly what to do to make our ceremony so special and memorable. All of our guests kept telling us how much they enjoyed Liz's message and delivery (one of my bridesmaids even thought she should start voicing for audiobooks because her voice is so soothing!) Even after the ceremony, Liz was a major help in guiding us with the next steps and what happens once she submits the marriage license to the state. I found Liz to be an absolute gem and I would highly recommend her for your wedding. She is the perfect person to invite and share in your special day.Joyful Unions's reply:
Your review made my day, Janell. Thank you so much for taking the time to post your thoughts and experience. I know how much modern couples can have on their wedding plates, and I'm happy to help out in any way I can. My best to you and your handsome hubs! Always, Liz -
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Chelsey A. Married on 03/19/2021Best Officiant ever!
Liz was the officiant for our wedding on 3/19/2021. I actually remembered her from a friends wedding, which she had been the officiant for, because she was THAT memorable. I am so glad that we booked with her. She made our ceremony so special and all of our guest commented on the ceremony. You will not regret booking, she is AMAZING.Joyful Unions's reply:
I so appreciated the referral from your friends, and what a pleasure to be part of your wedding day as well. I love young couples in love! Thanks for your kind words, Chelsey, and say hello to that handsome hubs of yours. Love, Liz -
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Cecilia S. Married on 03/13/2021
You won’t be disappointed!
My husband and I found Liz at an open house and the moment we met her we knew we had to have her be apart of our day! Fast forward to our ceremony, and we were blown away about how great she was! All of our guests complimented on how lively and upbeat our ceremony was. Liz customized our story and made it seem like she knew us for years! Incredible experience and couldn't be more happy!!!Joyful Unions's reply:
So glad you and your guests enjoyed the ceremony. Thank you for walking up to me at that open house last year. It was my pleasure meeting you and getting you two married. All my best, Cecilia! -
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Anshul K. Married on 11/29/2020
Wedding in the Time of COVID-19
Due to COVID-19, our four-day Hindu wedding had to be postponed, but we still wanted to keep our original wedding weekend and do a short, entirely virtual civil service. We didn't exactly know how to go about it, but from the first moment, Liz was encouraging, personable, and accommodating. She spent considerable time "interviewing", helping, and coaching us over the phone and email, including calming us down when we accidentally signed our marriage license in blue, rather than black ink, as the instructions dictated - it was ok in the end. Together we put a short ceremony that was focused entirely on us and what we wanted. As a biracial couple, cultural sensitivity in bringing together two very different cultures over Zoom was paramount, but we didn't even have to explain this to Liz - she anticipated it and asked detailed and specific questions about appropriateness and cultural preferences. We were blown away by her awareness and appreciation of our unique family situation. In the end, our ceremony (with Liz on a tablet over FaceTime, and guests from 5 different countries on a laptop, over Zoom) was above and beyond what we could have imagined. The emotion Liz poured into the narrative that she told impressed and touched all our friends and family from both cultures.
Getting Liz to officiate the ceremony was the best decision. Thank you so much!!
Joyful Unions's reply:
Thank you so much for your kind and detailed words, Anshul. I'm so glad we were able to work around these unforeseen events of Spring 2020 and create something new for all of us. It was a genuine joy and pleasure to be part of your global celebration! All my best to you both. Love, Liz -
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![Kristen]()
Kristen W. Married on 11/06/2020Our “mini”mony
Liz O’Brien provided an extraordinary amount of dedication for our special day. From the meet-and-greet to the big day, you knew she was truly amazing. I found her on The Knot just a couple months before our elopement, and booked her despite her prior engagement. She managed to officiate our day with a 10 minute gap between her next wedding! Nonetheless, she made our day unforgettable. The vows that she let us customize were incredible. She felt like family. She shared our joy and our tears. It was is if she was there the day my husband and I first met....waiting to share our story. I highly recommend Liz for anybody looking to make a small part of your wedding day that much more more memorable!Joyful Unions's reply:
I'm so glad I was able to be part of your wedding day as you married that handsome man of yours in that pretty desert garden, Kristen. It was a pleasure to be with your intimate circle of family and friends, and I hope your streaming guests enjoyed the ceremony, too. My best to you and Cody! With love, Liz -
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Kenneth K. Married on 10/03/2020Unique and Heartfelt Non-Religious Officiant
Liz was fantastic to work with! We knew we wanted a non-religious ceremony and she worked with us to make our dream ceremony a reality. We wanted to make our ceremony unique and even wanted to include a couple of quotes from our favorite TV shows and she was more than accommodating! We did a destination wedding so we met her over Zoom and filled out a questionnaire beforehand. Liz patiently and thoroughly answered all of our questions throughout the process. She does keep the ceremony script itself a secret until the day of. We were a bit nervous about this, but it turned out to be such a lovely surprise on our wedding day to hear how she wove together our story as a couple. We couldn't be more happy with her services!Joyful Unions's reply:
I'm so glad you and Abby chose Arizona for your destination wedding, Kenny. Thank you again for finding me and inviting me to be part of your intimate day, and I'm pleased to know you found the ceremony to be meaningful. Love each other well! -
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Amy A. Married on 10/03/2020Excellent!
Liz from Joyful Unions helped me customize a beautiful wedding ceremony. I highly recommend her for your special day.Joyful Unions's reply:
Thank you, Amy. It was a pleasure to be with you and your families at the base of Camelback Mountain as we got you and your handsome man married. All my best to you both!
