Illuminating Ceremonies
Pricing
Prices start at $800
About Illuminating Ceremonies
Chris Shelley
I am your guests' favorite thing about your wedding. Since 2011, I've been writing and performing personal, meaningful and refreshingly engaging ceremonies for couples just like you and couples who are nothing like you. Couples work with me with an easy, collaborative process during which I become your favorite part of wedding planning. I take guest experience and your wishes very seriously. Your families will thank you for getting somebody who makes the ceremony light while still making clear how beautiful it is that you found each other. I officiate all over the US.
I am the funniest wedding officiant in the country. I know! Such chutzpah! But my goal is to be the best, to find that perfect balance of humor and dignity that makes a wedding ceremony a wedding ceremony. My experience as an actor, a writer, a workaholic and a spouse to a very smart wife have led me to be someone whom couples can trust with their ceremony. I've lived a lot, I've actually been married since 2002, so I know a thing or two about having a happy marriage. I'm a professional who can get along with your parents and grandparents as well as your friends. I've done ceremonies all over the country and on TV. I love my work!
In three words: Collaborative, Confident, Fun
Services
Ceremony types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Legal License Signing
- Multicultural Weddings
- Non-religious Ceremony
- Other
- Vow Renewal Ceremony
Religious affiliations
- Catholic
- Christian
- Interfaith
- Jewish
- Other
- Secular
- Spiritual
Reviews
Write a review5.0 out of 5
39 reviews
Sara N
We had an NYC garden ceremony in Greenwich Village, and Chris was absolutely incredible! From the very beginning, he was so seamless to work with and responded so quickly. He brought such fun, energy, and warmth to the day. His personality lit up the space and made the ceremony feel so personal and joyful — exactly what we envisioned for a relaxed, intimate city celebration. He struck the perfect balance between heartfelt and lighthearted, keeping everyone smiling (and even tearing up a little!). Beyond being an amazing officiant, he’s just a genuinely wonderful person who clearly loves what he does! We can’t imagine our day without him and would recommend him a thousand times over.
Response from vendor•Nov 12, 2025Thank you Sara! Good luck with your Italian wedding next year!Broadbent
We cannot recommend Chris enough! He set the tone for our wedding in the most amazing way and truly set us up to have the best day of our lives. Chris was thoughtful, detailed and funny beyond belief. Even a month after our wedding we still have people telling us that it was the funniest and most beautiful ceremony that they have ever been to. If you want your wedding to be perfect, you NEED to hire Chris.
Response from vendor•Nov 6, 2025Thank you, Tad! Everyone who was at your wedding knows how different, lively and fun that was. What an incredible event! Thank you again for letting me be a part of your big day.Best Officiant Ever!
Best decision we made was hiring Chris to be our officiant! Our ceremony was filled with so much laughter, and he made sure everyone was entertained the entire time while also still describing our love story. I kid you not after our ceremony, we had countless guests come up to us not only saying that was the best ceremony they've been to but also asking us how we were related to Chris. The way he delivered our ceremony was as if he was a close family friend / relative. Truly a spectacular officiant and can't recommend him enough!
Response from vendor•Oct 24, 2025Thank you, Ashley! I appreciate this so much. Your wedding was a total joy.The perfect touch to our special day
Chris was an absolute pleasure to work with for our special day. He was recommended to us by our wedding planner who has worked with him many times in the past before. From the very first call, he was incredibly open, responsive, and thoughtful in his communication. He took the time to really understand our story and made sure every detail was accounted for. On the day of, the ceremony was fun and personalized, and we received so many compliments from our guests on how special it felt. Despite both of us being nervous, Chris made us feel calm and helped us stay in the moment. His attention to detail and honest, transparent approach gave us complete confidence that he would deliver a memorable experience - and he exceeded our expectations. We couldn't have asked for a better partner to help make our wedding day so meaningful and joyful. We will be forever thinking back on this day with our happy memories thanks to Chris.
Response from vendor•Sep 8, 2025Thank you Eda!!! It was an honor.
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