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About

Church of Ancient Ways is a fully accredited Interfaith Church, specializing in joyful secular and religious ceremonies with multiple locations on Long Island and nationally. With over 20 years of experience in the wedding industry, founded by Pastor Marie April Gismondi, and managed by Pastor April and Rev. Joe Iadanza, we have a team of seasoned officiants performing weddings all over Long Island, New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. Known for their fresh approach, creative writing skills and original content, they provide all couples with meaningful, enjoyable, ceremonies that fit equally well as the dress will. Our website has sample civil, religious, and fusion wedding ceremonies, marriage license information, a video section, and much more. Whether you are a couple that’s planning a simple non-religious civil union, or want a traditional celebration with special rituals, The Officiants at Church of Ancient Ways offers couples a truly joyful ceremony, with the right balance of laughter and tears, to ensure that everyone is emotionally participating and enjoying this special moment in your lives. Our goal is always to together create and deliver a ceremony you will absolutely love and remember as being the best part, of the most amazing day of your lives.

Services Offered
Church of Ancient Ways provides wedding ceremonies that meet your needs. From minimalist to more elaborate, Church of Ancient Ways offers the following services:

  • Wedding Ceremonies - Secular or Religious
  • Elopements and Signature Services
  • Interfaith Ceremonies with Minister / Rabbi Team
  • Bilingual Ceremonies
  • Writing Services - Full Ceremonies or Personal Vows and Toasts
  • Signature Service/Sit and Sign for simple signing of a license
  • Micro Weddings
  • Vow Renewals
  • Commitment Ceremonies
  • Baby Blessings / Welcomings / Namings
  • Memorial Services
  • Note: Rehearsals that occur within one hour of the ceremony start time are included
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Frequently asked questions

What is the typical price for your wedding services?

$550

What is the starting price for your wedding services?

$100

Does starting price include the ceremony rehearsal?

No

What is the starting price for pre-marital counseling (per session)?

$100

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

Non-religious
Interfaith
Ceremony Rehearsal
Vow Renewal
Civil Union

What services do you provide?

Premarital Counseling
Bilingual

What religious affiliations do you serve?

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

On average, how long are wedding ceremonies you officiate?

Less than 30 mins.

In which states are you licensed?

AL
AK
AZ
AR
CA
CO
CT
DE
DC
FL
GA
HI
ID
IL
IN
IA
KS
KY
LA
ME
MD
MA
MI
MN
MS
MO
MT
NE
NV
NH
NJ
NM
NY
NC
ND
OH
OK
OR
PA
RI
SC
SD
TN
TX
UT
VT
VA
WA
WV
WI
WY

What languages do you speak?

English
Hebrew
Spanish
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Any other questions?

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5.0 out of 5 rating
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
596 Reviews
  • Quality of service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
97% Recommended by couples
J
Justin A. Sent on 03/25/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Best Ceremony ever

I heard from EVERY single person at my wedding how beautiful of a ceremony it was. And that was all because of Joe's skills as an amazing Officiant.
Would 100% recommend if you want a memorable ceremony
JL B
Jl B Sent on 03/19/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Literally the best!

First and foremost I would like to mention that REV. Joe was ABSOLUTLEY INCREDIBLE. I can not say enough how enjoyable and memorable our ceremony was. So if all you read is these first 3 sentences, great, but if you have time read below.
So I found REV. Joe by posting on the Brides of Long Island (BOLI) facebook group. About 3 people had all recommended him from the many many recommendation's I received. I took a chance and reached out and was really impressed by the quick responses I got.
We quickly set a date for our first zoom meeting and it was just to get to know each other, set expectations, etc. After we secured our date, REV. Joe set up a more thorough appointment for us to chat. He spent at least an hour or so talking to us as a couple and then individually. With that he produced an incredible ceremony, with little details about each other that really wow'd our crowd.
I cannot mention enough that so many people thought that he had known us for a very long time, or that he was a friend. THAT IS HOW GOOD HE IS! And that really is the type of person Joe is. He is endearing, funny, humble and sincere that people generally gravitate toward what he is saying.
So with that being said, do yourself the BIGGEST FAVOR you can and book REV. Joe ASAP.
Marianne
Marianne R. Sent on 02/04/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Reverand Joe Iadanza

Reverand Joe Iadanza was our officiant at our February 2nd, 2024 wedding at Swan Lake Caterers. During my wedding planning experience, I had read amazing reviews given to Rev. Joe, including his customized ceremonies and all the compliments given by guests. Well, it's definitely one of those things that you don't fully understand until you experience it for yourself. For starters, working with Rev. Joe was an absolute pleasure! He was excited to learn about our relationship and offered help in any way we needed. From our meetings, Rev. Joe took our story and created an absolutely beautiful ceremony. We received numerous compliments on how engaging the ceremony was and how our guests loved hearing about our backstory. We were told, "I haven't been to a ceremony like that in a long time, there wasn't a dry eye." It was an
amazing experience working with Rev. Joe, he made our ceremony truly exceptional!
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Awards

596
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2013 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2012 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2011 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2010 Winner

Real Weddings

Danielle & Angelo
42 photos · 01/11/2020
Antoine & Martine
27 photos · 09/16/2017

Team

April Gismondi
April Gismondi
Founder, Wedding Officiant

Pastor April has performed nearly five thousand ceremonies. As a writer, her talent for using rich and descriptive language to mirror her couple’s own thoughts, backgrounds and emotions is unparalleled. As a public speaker, she is warm and engaging; eliciting laughter and happy tears in all of the right places. Yet, it is her professionalism and vast knowledge that have made many countless couples happy; serving as the bench- mark that all of us at The Officiants at Church of Ancient Ways strive to achieve.

Joe Iadanza
Joe Iadanza
Owner, Wedding Officiant

Rev. Joe Iadanza served on the Board of Directors at the seminary where he trained and was ordained as an Interfaith Minister. Raised an Italian Catholic, he is an actual family member to Saint Padre Pio. Yet, with a focus on individual spiritual growth, music, and meditation, Rev. Joe is just as comfortable in the secular as in the spiritual. As someone with a performance background, he brings a heart-centered and joyful perspective to every ceremony while remaining detail-oriented, on-point and professional.

Aviva Sala
Aviva Sala
Reverend, Wedding Officiant

Rev. Aviva Sala was trained by Pastor April herself and has been working exclusively for The Officiants at Church of Ancient Ways for over a decade. Aviva is a great speaker who is lauded for her listening and writing skills. From traditional ceremonies to off-beat creations, she is truly at the top of her game right now. Aviva’s creativity and humor have made her a particular favorite of our non-traditional couples who seek her out for her ability to wrap their love stories around pop-culture themes; creating masterpieces that are recalled long after the final, “I do’s”.

Professional Network & Endorsements

7 Endorsements
Tricia LaPonte Photography Tricia LaPonte Photography Wedding Photographers

I LOVE working with Pastor April. She's amazing, kind, funny. Truly gets to know her couples and makes each and every ceremony unique and special.

Splash DJ Splash DJ Wedding DJs

Absolute pleasure to work with!

Jeffrey Studio Jeffrey Studio Wedding Photographers

April is amazing, every time I see her officiate a service I get excited. She talks about each couple as if she has known them their whole lives and keeps the congregation engaged throughout the entire service.

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