Testimonials From My Amazing Couples!
“We had no idea what to expect when we chose to not have a traditional church wedding. From our initial zoom consultation with Aretha, we knew we had made the right decision, her demeanor is very warm and inviting and the conversation just flowed so naturally like talking to a good friend. She explained to us how to write our marriage vows and this made it less stressful. The day of our marriage her voice put us both at ease and removed any anxiety we had. Aretha provided us with a copy of our vows which was something we did not expect.
After the ceremony we retreated to our lounge to sign the marriage license, Aretha was there interacting and engaging in conversation with our family like she was family. She is an absolute professional and a pleasure to work with. Aretha, we thank you for everything that you did for us and we pray that you continue to be a blessing to other couples.
— Lazette & Eric
As soon as my husband and I started looking into wedding logistics, we knew we wanted Aretha to officiate our wedding. From the multiple videos online, she seemed highly poised and her readings were clever and personally customized. After our initial consultation, she blew it out of the water and was decidedly the only officiant we met with. Given the COVID restrictions at the time, our interactions were solely over zoom, but her abilities were not tarnished one bit!
During our first Zoom call, Aretha was very friendly and provided a ton of information. She was very professional and responded to all emails and inquiries within a timely manner. The day of our rehearsal was the first time we actually met in person, but it felt as if we were already familiar with each other. She provided highly detailed instructions and advice, and although I was nervous about our big day, she was able to reassure me that everything would be fine. Our walkthrough went through seamlessly!
Our ceremony reading was amazing! Aretha was able to convey our love story exactly as pictured. She provided so much joy to our friends and family that day. I would definitely recommend Aretha to anyone looking for an officiant capable of making a lasting memory!
— Amelia & Allan
Originally, we were only in the process of looking for an officiant to host our wedding ceremony. We were using platforms such as thumbtack and the knot. We wanted an officiant who can deliver an outstanding ceremony. Finally, we stumbled across Aretha’s Instagram page and knew she was the perfect person. Upon our first meeting via Zoom, we were 100% all in with Aretha. She asked the right questions, she was organized, and she gave us the confidence to fully trust her with our wedding. Our special day! She even gave us a bunch of things to think about regarding our wedding. In fact, after our first meeting, we also hired Aretha as our wedding day of coordinator.
Leading up to the day, there were a few minor hiccups that we missed. Aretha was not only there to catch them but also to have solutions already in place. Our wedding day was beautiful. One of the best days of our lives. I can honestly say, choosing Aretha was one of the best decisions we’ve made for our wedding! 100/10!
— Stephanie & Ricky
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided I was going to plan my own wedding. Finding Aretha as my Day-of Coordinator was exactly what I needed to assure that my vision came to life. During the planning process she gave helpful suggestions from her experience doing weddings. I immediately felt like I could trust her to make sure I was headed in the right direction when it came to all the small details that I was quite unfamiliar with when planning. She took the time to get to know my husband and I; to understand our likes and dislikes. She asked me questions that I hadn’t even thought of! All of the questions helped me hone in on things like, what vendors I needed to hire and what exactly I wanted from each of them. As the wedding date got closer, Aretha really took a load off of my shoulders by contacting all of my vendors and creating a wedding timeline. It was the organization I needed.
When the day of the wedding finally arrived, every detail of the wedding was thought out. Every minute of my wedding day was accounted for. Aretha knew what we wanted our wedding to be like and truly made it happen. It was magical. Everything fell into its perfect place. All my vendors arrived on time. My bridesmaids were all ready on time. My ceremony started on time. My décor was just how I envisioned. I mean, perfection!! I honestly am still in awe. I have no complaints and no regrets; that’s how a bride wants to feel when looking back on her wedding day! Thank you Aretha! I truly couldn’t have done it without you.
The icing on the cake is, Aretha also officiated our wedding ceremony. Just as she took the time to fully understand our wedding vision, she took the time to get to know us as a couple and our ceremony reflected that. Our ceremony was personalized to us and nothing short of amazing! Aretha is professional, dependable, honest, easy to talk to, attentive, experienced, and who you need on your team!!! Thank you Aretha!!
— Taylor & Henzly
Choosing Aretha as our Officiant and Day-of Coordinator was the best decision we could have made when planning our wedding! She was truly a pleasure to work with and light to be around. After our first interview with her we knew quickly that we wanted to move forward with having her officiate our big day. We appreciated how quick and responsive she was and recognized her high level of professionalism and organizational skills right away. After a few weeks of being in contact we decided to hire her as our Day-of Coordinator as well. And again, best decision we could have made! Aretha made sure she stayed on top of us and our vendors leading up to the wedding day, and no matter the time of day when we had a question she was just a quick call, email or text away. The minute our families met her at the rehearsal they all fell in love with her! She meshed so well with our bridal party and families and did everything she could to make sure we had what we needed. So when the wedding day came we felt relieved to know she would be the one not only be speaking life and love over our marriage during our ceremony but also handling things behind the scenes for us.
We can't thank you enough for all you did for us Aretha, our wedding day was hands down the best day of our lives and we can confidently say it would've been the same without you! You are AMAZING at what you do and we will forever be grateful for the care and attention you provided to us during our wedding season!
— Shanniel & Adrian
I don’t know where to even BEGIN with my praise for this godsend of a woman. If you have any hesitation whatsoever with booking her – DONT! My husband and I booked Aretha for her Officiant and Day-of Coordination services and she was worth every penny and then some! Personally, in this whole wedding process, Aretha was more than just a hired vendor, and working with her was a true pleasure. She clicks instantly with brides and makes you feel comfortable from the very beginning. The entire process of working with her is detailed and so on point it’s amazing! I always looked forward to our calls because after business, we would always spend an equal amount of just time chatting and catching up! Aretha always made herself available when we needed anything. The day of our wedding, not only did Aretha prepare the most beautiful ceremony that I could have ever imagined, she truly served as my right hand and made sure that our wedding vision was brought to life (even when we thought the weather wouldn’t cooperate, she still worked her magic and made things happen!). As someone who needs to manage major events, when it came to our wedding, Aretha IS the number one choice when you need a trustworthy and dependable person to execute things the way you would have done. I 1000% recommend Aretha to all future brides – YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!
— Giavonni & Lenwood
We don’t even know where to begin. Aretha was truly a blessing throughout this entire process. When we set up a consultation with Aretha in July 2021, we had a big wedding planned for October 2023. After a Zoom consultation, we quickly knew that Aretha was the perfect person to marry us. Aretha helped us to make sure we were prepared for what type of ceremony we wanted and was just as excited for our special day. Fast forward to August 2022, we called Aretha and let her know that we had experienced A LOT over the past year and that we had cancelled our big day and decided that we wanted to elope on our actual anniversary this year! We were nervous about that this meant for Aretha’s availability to officiate our elopement. But we had nothing to worry about. Aretha was with us every step of the way and guiding us through the process, providing EVERY referral, and truly taking into account our vision for the day. She encouraged us to make the day as special as possible despite the change in plans. Aretha was so supportive and MORE than accommodating. She has a keen ability to connect with her couples in a way that is so genuine, heartfelt, and sincere. We truly felt loved by Aretha throughout the process. She took the time to get to know us and the love that we share together. Knowing all that we have gone through the past year, Aretha spoke life over us during our ceremony and made us laugh, smile, and cry. We cannot thank you enough for the calls, love and attention, and expertise that you brought to this process. We are forever grateful for you and you will always be a special person in our lives. We love you!
— Jaide & Amiaya
My partner and I were married in October of 2021 and we hired Aretha as our officiant. Working with Aretha was an absolute dream! We were both incredibly nervous about crafting a custom ceremony and had no idea where to even begin. After two calls with Aretha not only were we no longer nervous about our ceremony, but we had crafted something unique and personal to us that we were excited to share with our guests.
Our ceremony was filled with joy and laughter and Aretha did an incredible job guiding us along as we wrote our vows and proudly shared them with our loved ones. Aretha is extremely professional while still being kind and thoughtful. She is extremely prompt and was there for us every step of the way. And as an added bonus, she shows up looking like an actual supermodel (we asked her to wear a red dress, and she looked incredible!) - I would absolutely recommend Aretha to anyone looking for an absolute pro officiant who is sure to make your special moment unique and unforgettable.
— Matthew & Corey
Choosing an officiant for our wedding ceremony was a top priority for us. The officiant sets the tone for the ceremony, and we wanted our ceremony to be meaningful, impeccable, and timeless. Meeting Aretha for the first time, we knew she would be a phenomenal officiant. We learned more about the ceremony process and the importance of hiring a highly competent and professional officiant to ensure that the ceremony flowed well and would be immaculate. Aretha has a fantastic process while getting to know the couple and a detailed questionnaire that made the journey seamless. Our ceremony speech by Aretha was perfect and intimate. Aretha conveyed all aspects of our relationship, values, and love. Her acknowledgment of our families at the start was warm and calming. Choosing Aretha to officiate our wedding was the best decision; our wedding ceremony was truly magical.
— Justine & Steven
From our very first meeting, Aretha was organized, kind, and inspiring. She will thoughtfully and promptly outline what to expect from her officiant services and is extremely easy to communicate with, but her presence at your wedding is what will make working with her so special—the moment that truly matters! Aretha has a calming presence and true talent for captivating a crowd while simultaneously making the couple feel like they're the only two people in the room. The words she crafted for our ceremony were beyond beautiful. We felt absolutely present during our ceremony and wanted to take in everything she said. Planning a wedding becomes so much about little details that one day you may or may not remember—a welcome sign, a place card, your earrings—but when it comes to choosing the one person that will guide you into the next chapter of your life together, simply choose Aretha and take comfort in knowing you've prioritized the most cherished part of your big day.
— Robyn & Sajid
Finding an officiant was so hard for us because we wanted someone genuine and refreshing but still spiritually in touch. We both grew up in Catholic homes so that’s all we knew but we also knew that we did not walk that path. On our journey to find the perfect person to marry us we just wanted someone that could convey, captivate and speak our love to our audience and that is exactly what Aretha did! Aretha was so warm, calming and blended in with all ages within our guests she gave us a magical moment for our special day. We still have guests raving about her and for that we will always keep her in our family traditions. Choosing Aretha was probably one of our best decisions for our wedding.
— Ashley & Kelvin
I found Aretha on Instagram. I reached out to her and another Officiant, but Aretha got back to me RIGHT AWAY. I was detailed in my initial inquiry (sharing the time, date, location) and she replied congratulating me on my upcoming nuptials, confirmed her availability, submitted her pricelist, and proposed a consultation. From our initial conversation, my fiancé and I felt comfortable and at ease with her. As you know with wedding planning, that says a lot! We were impressed and excited to book her. Aretha sends a long questionnaire to us to fill out separately, she wants to know EVERYTHING! It made her officiating seem that much more personal on our wedding day. She came across like a friend of the family and not a random person we booked for hire.
When she officiates for you, she’s reading from a binder personalized with you and your spouse-to-be’s love story. All typed up. All about you, ceremony crafted to your liking. Important to note, the day of our wedding she came DRESSED. Make sure you and your spouse-to-be do not look frumpy, because Aretha comes with makeup and hair DONE dressed beautifully! That is how you want someone officiating your wedding to look in your wedding pictures!!! Finally, she was always looking out for our best interest. She pulled me to the side at one point to see if I was okay when she noticed I was stressed because things weren’t going as planned with other wedding details. A family member even informed me that she alerted a few of them that I could use assistance with something, even though I didn’t voice my needs as I was trying to do everything myself. I really appreciate that she picked up on my needs. I am so happy that Aretha officiated our special day. I can not imagine anyone else as our Officiant. Aretha, Thank you!
— O’Lana & Julian
From the moment she came on board as our wedding officiant, Aretha was a pleasure to work with. She was always easy to reach and quick to respond. Any time we had questions or needed assistance she would set up a Zoom or phone call and allowed us as much time as we needed. She really took the time to get to know us and understand who we are as a couple. This made the ceremony feel so much more intimate and authentic, like we were getting married by someone who genuinely cared about us. We chose to live stream it for the guests who couldn't attend and she made sure to address them on Zoom which was a nice touch and made them feel included. She took great care to incorporate the things that were important to us, and steer clear of things we didn’t want. Our ceremony was everything we could have imagined and more, filled with tears, laughter, and huge smiles from us and our guests, just like we wanted. Everything was absolutely beautiful and we are still getting compliments on it weeks later. She took care of filing our paperwork which was one less thing for us to stress over.
Due to COVID, wedding planning was often overwhelming and not a very fun experience but every time we spoke to Aretha I felt excited and optimistic. She helped me get organized and gave me great peace of mind that our day would be nothing short of amazing and she delivered on that! She was wonderful and we were thrilled with our decision to have her as our wedding officiant. I highly recommend Aretha and would jump at the opportunity to work with her again.
— Jennifer & Mike
Aretha was thorough from beginning to end. When we first met her, we instantly hit it off. She asked the right questions, followed through, and got to know us rather quickly. She always made us feel like we were her only client (that's important), that she was only a phone call away, and super considerate. Our ceremony was perfectly customized to fit us and we loved it! Thank you for your attention to detail and amazing delivery. All in attendance and virtually raved about the ceremony! We will always jump to refer Aretha if we know anyone looking for a Wedding Officiant. Thanks so much for delivering beyond our expectations!
— Elan & Rob
The idea of having a wedding during Covid felt very daunting. I was worried it wouldn't feel "normal". After an internet search for local officiants, I came across Aretha's website and immediately felt a connection. Something about her felt different compared to other options I came across in my search. So I excitedly showed her site to my fiance and made a virtual consultation.
During our consultation, I was relieved to find out she is as genuine and lovely as she appears on her site. She walked us through the process of planning our ceremony and politely asked about other plans we had for the day. When we asked if she had any recommendations for a photographer, she connected us with someone right away.
Leading up to the ceremony, Aretha helped to keep us organized with our planning by giving little tips here and there. Her little tips made a big difference!
Our ceremony was absolutely beautiful. Aretha led the ceremony with so much poise. Although nearly all of our family and friends joined us virtually, she was able to connect everyone with her words and made it feel as if we were all physically together.
— Jennifer & Abe
With one week to plan our wedding, I endeavored to find an Officiant who would help me express the joy I feel in committing to the love of my life forever. I knew it would be a challenge, but with the help of hashtags, I met Aretha on Instagram, and the connection was instant. There began the fantastic journey of collaboration and support that culminated in the most beautiful day of my life. From the very first message I sent Aretha, to which she promptly responded, to our ongoing, almost daily conversations, she used her encyclopedic knowledge of the wedding process to help us pull off this amazing day in such a short time. Finding out that we are both from Guyana was the icing on the cake. The day we choose for our wedding day is a very special day for us, and we desperately wanted to get married on our special day. However, COVID-19 presented significant challenges as I traveled from the Caribbean to New York City in the hopes of getting our marriage license on time. We shared our challenges and frustration with Aretha, who was always available to us, advised us, supported us, and cheered us on as we overcame the obstacles and were able to get our marriage license in time. With our marriage license secured, Aretha went into full organizing mode. She took charge, going above and beyond her duties to ensure perfection for our day. From makeup artists, photographers, and even the florist for my bouquet, Aretha thought of everything to ease my anxiety and help make our day pure perfection. We got married on a beautiful Fall day in October, and our wedding day was PERFECT! Aretha proved that she heard everything we communicated to her about our love story because with heartfelt kindness, warmth, and love, she brought our story to life so that all in attendance felt the love we feel for each other. I highly recommend Aretha’s services (both the officiating and planning) for your wedding, no matter how big or small. She listens to you and personalizes your ceremony so that it reflects your love in the way you want. My husband and I are so grateful to Aretha for this experience. She has quickly become like family to us.
— Rodlyn & Sean
Aretha Gaskin made our ceremony feel so personal to us, and handled everything with compassion and humor, during a time in our lives when we had good reason to be nervous about more than just the wedding (ahem, COVID.) From the very beginning, meeting with her allowed us to feel like everything was going to work out perfectly. Her step by step approach enabled us to stay in the moment and avoid getting carried away by the stress of planning our wedding. As for the ceremony itself, having her calm, steady energy at the altar was crucial to our wedding day, since we both came in a little hot. As a couple with a lot of energy and enthusiasm (sometimes a little too much,) she reminded us both to breathe, to look at one another, to really be present in our marriage ceremony; and I hope to carry the message she gave us into our everyday lives as a married couple. Looking back at our wedding, we both can honestly say that the ceremony was our favorite part. Standing there surrounded by our friends and family (at a safe social distance), standing under the historical arch at Washington Square Park, Aretha somehow made the whole thing feel like it was just about us. We’ll always remember it as one of the most beautiful moments of our lives. Thank you Aretha, from the bottom of our hearts, for making that possible.
— Rosebud & Andy
Our first encounter with Aretha was via Zoom. We connected with her right away; her energy was glowing through the screen, and we felt comfortable sharing our love story with her. Aretha made us feel so at ease and welcomed, it was as if we were talking with an old friend. She was always available to us via Zoom, phone or emails and was always prompt in her replies. We know she runs a business and must be dealing with other couples, however she has this gift of making you feel that you are the only one and the most important people right now, and no one else matters. She is very knowledgeable about her craft and her organization is above and beyond. We simply followed all her suggestions which made this wedding process more fun and beautiful for us, without the stress. Our wedding day was beautiful and magical, so much more than what we had envisioned. And we have Aretha to thank for that. Our experience has been great, so without hesitation we would recommend her to others or use her again if we had to do it all over again.
— Tania & Vincent
Aretha made our wedding magical. My then fiance and I had to postpone our destination wedding twice due to the coronavirus pandemic. After the reality of this fact settled, and the disappointment and weariness subsided, we humbly decided to have a very small intimate wedding. Our first task in doing this was, to find the perfect officiant. We did a Google search and we came upon, Weddings by Aretha.
I contacted Aretha, via email, with very little expectation of a response. I was pleasantly surprised to see, that within a couple of hours we received an email from her. That one email proved to us that Aretha was prompt, considerate, professional and invested in making weddings everything that they should be. After we engaged with Aretha during our Zoom consultation, we were elated. We felt excited, yet relaxed and calm. But most of all we felt that we were in good hands.
Aretha took her time and thoroughly explained the process about what we could expect prior to, during, as well as after the ceremony. She answered every question that we could think of, even the questions we felt were silly.
With less than one month away, Aretha informed us that she had availability and that she would be our officiant. At this point we felt that the dialogue and process, as well as our needs were met. Aretha then provided us with recommendations for a photographer for our special day, which we had not yet secured. YIKES
A few days prior to our special day, we received an email from Aretha asking if there was anything else that we needed that would make our special day better. Aretha was an amazing officiant. Her eloquence and heartfelt vows captured our love completely and thoroughly. She was confident, as well as attentive for our ceremony. Aretha seemed genuinely happy for us, and it showed. Aretha's demeanor, as well as her impeccable and appropriate attire, complemented our special day as well as her craft very well. We would recommend her to any couple who desires to have a seamless ceremony officiated by someone who is a master of her craft.
— Tevonda & Luciana
Where do I even begin?! From the minute I called Aretha for our phone consultation, to the day of our wedding she has been nothing short of excellence! Aretha has been patient, kind, professional, and very informative throughout the planning process. She walked us through the ceremony process step by step with grace and joyfulness. Aretha regularly checked in on us to see if we needed anything or just to say hello which I appreciated. When we inquired, she recommended other vendors who did an amazing job as well!
Our ceremony was everything I could imagine. Aretha truly curated a unique and intimate experience just for us. She is very detailed and thorough and is genuinely interested in making this day perfect. All of our guests commented on how beautiful the ceremony was. My husband Keith and I couldn’t have asked for a better and thoughtful Officiant. We are so honored and thankful to have her on our special day.
Don’t walk but run and book Aretha today for your special day!!
Aretha was a huge part in making our wedding day truly special. While we had to cancel our larger wedding due to the pandemic, we knew we still wanted to keep our special date and get married in a small ceremony to add some much needed hope and joy to the crazy year that is 2020. Our initial wedding plan was for the friend that introduced us to get certified and officiate our marriage, so we were very wary and upset about having to find an officiant we didn't know. After a quick Google search, we found Aretha which led to a quick check of her Instagram page, and decided to reach out. We weren't expecting to feel excited about her — not because she didn't look fantastic, but because we were so bummed about not being able to go with our initial officiant option, the friend that introduced us. But, after our first video call with her, we instantly felt so connected to her and knew we wanted to go with her, and did not meet with anyone else to be our officiant. From the planning stages, to the ceremony itself, and even after, Aretha was amazing — so thoughtful, thorough, patient, and kind. One particularly special thing Aretha did was honor my mother who passed away when I was a child. I mentioned I wanted some kind of acknowledgement of her to be included in the ceremony, and that was it -- I didn't provide any extra detail or review what she was going to say. What she included in the ceremony for her was more than I could have asked for, and it really all made us feel her presence that day. I can not recommend Aretha enough, and I selfishly hope that even though we plan to stay married forever, we can still somehow stay in contact with her, lol! :) Thank you so much, Aretha!
— Priscilla & Jeremy
As we all hope to do this for the first and for the last time, a delivery that is ideal is essential. Aretha was instrumental in providing the service to convey this message to our guests about how we planned to move forward after our big day. Aretha prepared a ceremony tailored to our wants and needs and executed a flawless delivery. We were properly set on our path to begin our journey together.
Working with Aretha was an absolute pleasure from creating a ceremony that was beyond beautiful to her Day-of Coordination services. We were confident that she would make our day special. From our first phone call and each additional along with follow ups and check in emails, Aretha was always responsive, professional, and helpful. A heartfelt THANK YOU.
— Marsha & Victor
Aretha Gaskin made our wedding ceremony unforgettable! Wedding planning can be the most stressful and scary task to undertake. Choosing the right vendors is crucial to having the perfect day. Some people will say the officiant isn't that important of an investment in the grand scheme of your wedding day, or that choosing an officiant can wait until later in the planning stages – that couldn't be further from the truth.
Hiring Aretha as our officiant was worth every penny, and I wish we had booked from the first day we began planning. We contacted her through her website, to which she promptly responded and set up a telephone consultation. The conversation lasted over an hour because she was so personable. We hired her that same day.
From that day forward Aretha was always available to answer any questions and offer guidance not only for the ceremony, but for the entire wedding process. We eventually added Aretha’s rehearsal services; it's a must do. Aretha is so professional and meticulous. She runs a tight ship so nothing will be out of place. She was able to point out things to our venue about setup and placement that would have definitely been overlooked.
We asked for a very simple ceremony format. She delivered just that, and it was still unique and very classy. The vows she crafted for us were so beautiful and reflective of our personalities, as though we had written them ourselves, or she had known us for years. Our guests enjoyed our ceremony and raved about our vows and the sophistication of our nuptials.
Aretha's process is amazingly thorough; we had only to follow her lead and our wedding ceremony was sheer perfection. Also taking her advice for the rest of the wedding helped to make the rest of the celebration as magical and memorable as the I do's!
— Izaya & CJ
We are forever thankful to have found Aretha. She is professional, knowledgeable, and kind, but knows when to push the limits. Aretha pushed us to be more vulnerable and honest than we could have been without her. She is extremely organized and thoughtful. She does a beautiful job at analyzing what the couple's thoughts and ideas are and making suggestions for improvements, without being pushy. Above all else, Aretha was respectful of our beliefs and tailored the ceremony to our needs. She understood our views on spirituality and religion immediately and was able to write the ceremony around this. She was able to tell our love story to our friends and family in the most beautiful and respectful way. We are so thankful to Aretha and highly recommend her!
— Allison & Andrew
We are so grateful to have found Aretha! From our first phone call, we knew we found a true professional. Aretha took her time to get to know us through several conference calls and surveys and crafted the most beautiful, sentimental and unique ceremony for us. We are still receiving compliments on our ceremony, it was all our guests were talking about at the cocktail hour. Working with Aretha was an absolute pleasure and we can’t thank her enough for being such an incredible part of our big day.
— Alessandra & PJ
Wedding planning is not easy as most can imagine, whether you’re planning a 500+ guest, black-tie affair or an intimate gathering with a handful of family members and friends as ours was. I have to admit, this was a lot more than I bargained for but the only thing that gave me peace of mind on our special day was Aretha. She was everything we could ask for and more. She made the entire process so seamless, from the initial call when she spoke with me and my husband to get a sense of who we are as a couple, to follow up e-mails and calls to make sure that she catered the event to our specifications; our day couldn’t’ve been more perfect. Aretha even made suggestions on what additions we could make to the program to make the day inclusive for my mom who is of a different faith than I am and to honor my dad who wasn’t here to witness this day. Even on the day of, she coordinated with my Maid of Honor perfectly, ensuring that there would be nothing we would have to worry about on our wedding day. When we got to the alter, I couldn’t stop the tears and Aretha was very kind, reassuring me that I was still a beautiful bride despite me ruining my mascara before I even said my vows and that it was okay to be so emotional in front of our guests. What gave us some additional peace of mind was finding out that she was from our country; from then on, we approached our conversations with an air of lightheartedness, knowing that she would understand some of our more informal traditions. When planning a wedding, it is important to have someone who listens and provides guidance when necessary and Aretha did not disappoint. I am so happy we found her and I’m positive that she will also make your day truly memorable. Thank you Aretha!
— Keshia & Chad
My husband and I cannot thank Aretha enough! The vibe of our ceremony was love, laughter, smiles and happy tears and Aretha made everyone whom attended the ceremony feel the love and feel included regarding our ceremony. Aretha is a PHENOMENAL officiant and we are truly grateful to her. She kicked off our event and we were amazed. Our dream became a wonderful and magical reality! She is the best wedding officiant we have ever met.
Aretha is a bride and grooms dream come true! She is truly PERFECTION! When me and my husband were looking for someone to officiate our wedding I happen to go on Instagram first and scanned her page and then found Aretha via her website. Her website is phenomenal and explains her services. I then proceeded to look for videos regarding our venue and she happened to be officiating a wedding at the same venue. I was floored, and I knew right at that moment I found our Officiant. I told my husband and he was like wow let’s reach out to her. I reached out to her via email and she responded to me within an hour and we had a conversation with her the same day. Our conversation within the same day made me realize her true professionalism. Our various conversations made us feel like we have known her for a lifetime.
We built a relationship with Aretha for a year prior to our wedding and it was the best decision ever. Aretha walked us through the entire process and made us realize how much more we needed to be organized. Aretha is much more than simply an Officiant, she helped us with our timeline, had various phone conversations and help us tweak our day of details. The day of the wedding we knew she was going to absolutely stun our guests with her voice and delivery of our ceremony, but it was much more than we could have ever imagined. She delivered the most beautiful ceremony and we are still getting phone calls and text messages from our guests indicating they have never witnessed such a beautiful ceremony like the one we had EVER! She is truly a modern-day officiant whose words and delivery can cast a spell on the bride and groom and guests. She is AMAZING. I now see why she is so highly recommended. Aretha delivered our beautiful love story and we felt as if time stopped just for us. We are forever grateful to her!
— Tamara & Doug
We had interviewed 5 different officiants for our wedding. All were approximately half of the price of Aretha. But its true what they say, “you get what you pay for”. Aretha was on a different level. She is very structured and has outstanding communication skills.
She constantly communicated ideas or suggestions on how to make the ceremony more beautiful. And all her suggestions were cost effective because she knew we were on a tight budget. We did not hire a wedding planner because we were on such a tight budget. In my opinion, Aretha kind of filled that void for us indirectly.”
Not only did she provide a great ceremony as our officiant, but she constantly reminded us of things that we may want to consider incorporating into the wedding planning the way a wedding planner would have. She is well worth the money. Thank you Aretha.
— Jasmine & Jose
What can I say about Aretha other than the fact that she really is THE BEST! We were looking for an Officiant for about a year. Fakhree and I come from different religions, so we needed someone that was neutral. We discovered Aretha’s website and I loved everything about it. I thought in my mind that this lady is real and very professional. We read through the whole website. We even let our closest family members read through it as well. Then we saw that she was charging on the higher end. So, we looked at other pages of other Officiants. Somehow, we found ourselves going back to Aretha’s page. So, we finally sent her an email. She responds to every email in a timely manner. She is very professional. Our initial call was about an hour and half long. We enjoyed the conversation. She asked us very important questions that made us revisit why we were getting married. She really got to know us. After the call she sent us both multiple emails still trying to get to know us. She’s very detailed oriented. She is more than an Officiant – she is very caring and passionate about what she does. I feel like I have known her for years. Aretha also hosted our rehearsal which again she was very professional. She is all about perfection. She delivered the best ceremony ever! She told our love story which meant the world to both of us. Everyone keeps talking about her and the ceremony. She is definitely worth every cent plus more.
— Shareefah and Fakhree
When Brian and I first started planning our anniversary party the ceremony was the last thing we thought of. We knew we wanted to renew our vows but thought for sure that we could have a friend or parent “perform” the ceremony. Thank goodness we came to our senses. Upon speaking to Aretha, we very quickly learned how much work goes into performing a ceremony. The process in which Aretha got to know us was incredibly detailed and thoughtful. She really took the time to get to know us as a couple and individually. Our ceremony was a true representation of what we wanted to share with our family and friends. It wasn’t your typical, traditional ceremony and that was because Aretha made sure it was unique to our journey. Aretha is AMAZING at what she does, and although the night flew by.... I will never forget how I felt during our ceremony. Our guests were amazed at how personal the ceremony was to us and how Aretha shared our story in the most perfect way.
— Mae-Sue & Brian
What else can we say, except…PERFECTION. We couldn’t have asked for more in selecting Aretha to be our wedding officiant. She was kind, attentive, and most importantly original. My fiancé and I did not have a church home when we started planning our wedding, so trying to figure out who would officiate our wedding was probably the most difficult decision we had to make; until we met Aretha. Our first conversation with Aretha was about two hours long. We talked about EVERYTHING from how we met to her wedding day attire and order of the ceremony. By the end of the call, we both felt like we knew Aretha for years. There was no doubt that Aretha would be our officiant. Throughout the planning and leading up to the days before the wedding Aretha would check in with us to make sure we didn’t have any questions or concerns and that we were maintaining our sanity. The day of the wedding we had no idea what Aretha planned to say but we knew it would be great, but that too is an understatement. Her words were intuitive, modern, and classic. We could not have asked for nothing more. Our guests are still raving about our beautiful ceremony performed by Aretha and we couldn’t be more grateful.
— Jennifer & Kevin
Our wedding ceremony was absolutely beautiful and Aretha is a huge factor in bringing our vision to life. Aretha is incredibly professional and excels at her craft. She took the time to get to know us as a couple, as well as individuals, and used that background knowledge to craft a heartwarming ceremony for us. Aretha’s warm and kind hearted personality added a special touch to our ceremony. From the first conversation we had with Aretha, we just knew she had to be a part of our wedding. Aretha walked us through every step of the process and left no detail to chance. When it came to crafting our vows, she was incredibly supportive. What made working with Aretha such a pleasure for us, is that she is extremely organized and knowledgeable, she was truly able to capture the essence of our love and infuse it into our ceremony. We are eternally thankful to have worked with Aretha and recommend her with flying colors!
— Melissa & Ariel
Our search for an officiant started and ended with Aretha. From the moment we made an inquiry, she responded promptly. During our first conversation, she was informative about the ceremony process and marital license laws. She took the time to get to know us and hear our love story. She asked important questions about the type of ceremony we wanted. She gave us the opportunity to ask all the questions which she answered with professionalism and insight. Promptly, Aretha provided a ceremony template for us to tweak and adjust as needed during our wedding planning process. She was always available via email or phone to answer questions. As we got closer to our wedding date, Aretha was sure to communicate with us continuously. This eased our nerves so much. She came to our rehearsal which made not only us, but our family and friends more comfortable for the day of our wedding. On our wedding day, she arrived early and fabulously dressed--I must add. She fit right in to the attire of our wedding. Her personalized ceremony was heartfelt, detailed, sincere, and well written. During the reception, so many people complimented her and the ceremony. Many have said it was the most beautiful ceremony they've ever witnessed. Aretha is one of our favorite vendors. The ceremony is the reason behind everyone being gathered to celebrate the day. Aretha ensures that the reason is not forgotten or underwhelming. She truly is a gem. My new husband and I will recommend her services time and time again.
— Shanice & Jon-Michael
We spent a lot of time looking for an officiant. We wanted someone who could take the time to get to know us both as individuals, and as a couple. We wanted someone who would take our love story and put it on display for our guests to understand the love that brought us together. After searching online, we came across Aretha, and I must say she was worth every penny. From the day of our consultation, we knew Aretha was going to officiate our ceremony. To craft a custom ceremony is unique, and it's honestly what made our wedding. In her questionnaire, she asks questions that challenge you to truly think about yourself, the person you're marrying, and the reason why you're marrying them. We didn't want to do the usual unity rituals, so she helped us incorporate a wine box ritual that everyone enjoyed. She made sure we had our marriage license. She offered help with our vows and printed them for our wedding day so we didn't forget them. She followed up with us when we didn't send what we were supposed to send (lol). Having Aretha as a part of your big day is truly an amazing experience. From crafting our ceremony, to coordinating our rehearsal, to officiating our wedding, her attention to detail was unmatched. Our ceremony was filled with smiles, laughter, and tears of happiness. We love the ceremony she created just for us and it truly embodied our love. Fast-forward to today, we can't imagine what our ceremony would've been like without Aretha. It's been almost 2 months and people are still talking about how beautiful and warm our ceremony was. Thank you!
— Danielle & Brandon