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About

The wedding ceremony shouldn’t be the thing that you and your guests have to suffer through to get to the good part.

We promise you a meaningful, enjoyable, ceremony that everyone will remember for years to come. You deserve the moment you become married should live on in your memory as the best part… of the best day of your lives.

Whether you want it short and sweet; traditional or out-of-the-box; secular, religious, or interfaith; literary or pop-culture themed; or simply and beautifully wrapped in your personal love story… We can do all of that and more.

Our ability to write meaningful ceremonies… Our attention to detail, calming presence, humor, skill and delivery is unmatched in the industry. With literally thousands upon thousands of ceremonies crafted and performed, we are poised to bring your ceremony to life and deliver it in a way that will be remembered long after your last dance.

Founded by Pastor Marie April Gismondi in 1997, The Officiants at Church of Ancient Ways are an award-winning team of joyful, seasoned, and professional Pastors, Ministers & Rabbis, recommended by many of Long Island’s most amazing venues. All of our officiants hold Church of Ancient Ways ordinations and are 100% fully legal to perform marriage ceremonies in all jurisdictions of New York State and beyond. We primarily serve Long Island and the greater NYC Tri-State area, but destination wedding requests are welcome too!

Church of Ancient Ways was given 501c3 non-profit status by the Federal Government in 1997 as an Interfaith Religious Organization. All of our wedding officiants are 100% legally empowered to perform marriages on Long Island, in New York State and beyond. We do not employ officiants who are ordained online or through ULC.

We endeavor to embrace all Philosophies, Religions, Beliefs and Scientific Principles. Our mission is the pursuit of goodness and we are grateful to use the work we do as a vehicle for celebrating our common ground as human beings. As Pastor April used to say when the organization was just formed…

“Do the best you can all the time. If you find yourself doing less than your best, knock it off and start over.”

The Officiants at Church of Ancient Ways are a team of seasoned professionals and are spot-on when it comes to details and organization. We’re creative and well-versed in everything from ‘Short and Sweet’ to Traditional, from Fusion to Pop-Culture, Art, Literature and everything in between. More than anything else, we love telling your personal Love Story… Are you more a minimalist? We can do that too. Whatever your desire is, it’s our mission to say, “Absolutely!” instead of “Oh… I don’t know about that…” There are a myriad of themes possible for a myriad of dreams, all of which become real with that first kiss… And only one of them is yours.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the typical price for your wedding services?

$650

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

Reviews of The Officiants at Church of Ancient Ways

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
5.0 out of 5 rating
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
5.0 out of 5 rating
616 Reviews
100% recommend it
  • 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
Paige
Paige D. Sent on 09/12/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The Perfect Ceremony

Pastor April was one of our most complimented vendors from our wedding on June 15, 2024 at The Piermont! We opted for the custom ceremony and met with Pastor April twice before the wedding to work on the ceremony drafts. She is truly an amazing storyteller, and we were so excited for the ceremony. When it came to the actual ceremony, she was flawless from start to finish. She captured every detail of our relationship and the importance of our family and friends who gathered with us to witness our marriage. It is not an exaggeration that maybe 10+ people asked about her when we entered cocktail hour saying it was one of the best ceremonies they ever heard and asked if we have known her for years. We highly recommend her and will cherish these memories forever!
J
Jaime R. Sent on 09/03/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Sea Cliff Manor Wedding

Reverend Joe is simply amazing. He wrote a beautiful ceremony script that spoke so beautifully to our relationship. He was very responsive throughout the wedding process and an overall delight to work with. We received many compliments regarding our ceremony! Thank you for all your time and dedication to making our day so special.
S
Sabrina L. Sent on 08/22/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Reverend Joe is the best!

Reverend Joe made our wedding ceremony so special and memorable. He really took the time to get to know us, make us feel comfortable, and he openly communicated with us. Our ceremony was perfect- very personable, lively, and lasted an appropriate amount of time. We received such high praises from our guests about Reverend Joe. We highly recommend!

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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