About 2000 Lovingly Officiated Weddings by Judie L. Guild. NY Registration #77862. JudieGuild@outlook.com.
Judie Guild is an experienced, professional wedding officiant in New York. She also enjoys reading and learning about plants.
A+D committed to each other many years ago. They made it through college and countless other joys and difficulties of daily life. The graces of luck even gifted them with two beautiful daughters. And, with their family and friends finally gathered together on a not-so-hot morning, they exchanged poignant personal vows.
MoreSince you met in the West Village, you have become inseparable. The striking independence prized by each is not an obstacle; it enriches your bond. Because both love to explore the world, opportunities for growth and joy have doubled as a result of your companionship. Big and small adventures have transformed ordinary days into wonderfully […]
MoreReading from their wedding: “Roads Go Ever Ever On” from The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Roads go ever ever on, Over rock and under tree, By caves where never sun has shone, By streams that never find the sea; Over snow by winter sown, And through the merry flowers of June, Over grass and over […]
MoreQuinn and Nora met in a whimsical way a few years ago in Terminal 4 at JFK airport. Nora’s beauty captured Quinn’s gaze immediately: with his heart racing, he walked over to her at a Hudson News’ store. He felt as if he had known her all his life. These words by Rumi express their […]
MoreJudie, we can’t thank you enough!! Our ceremony was so beautiful, more than we could have even wished! Everyone was raving all night about how perfect your words were, and how beautifully you delivered them. Again, thank you so much for helping us begin the new chapter of our life together. All our best, Carly […]
MoreFrom their ceremony: Kristina, Andrew “loves your passion. You are the most scrupulously honest person he has ever met. He loves your tenacity and stubbornness. He loves that you can’t watch the commercial with the shelter animals because it is too much for you to see an animal abandoned or unloved. He loves that you […]
MoreI ought not to have favorites, and I rarely do. The wedding yesterday, however, was as blazingly meaningful and memorable as the summer sun shining….By now, readers must know that I only become that sugary when feeling extra romantic, dreamy, and in love with my life. Back in May 2009, I married Charles and Lauren […]
MoreAny day I am asked to recite poetry by e. e. cummings is a glorious day! the great advantage of being alive (instead of undying) is not so much that mind no more can disprove than prove what heart may feel and soul may touch –the great(my darling)happens to be that love are in we,that […]
MoreI am so glad to have met this fantastic couple who planned their NYC wedding from abroad in the U.K. Smart, relaxed, and –I know this seems commonplace, but it’s true– downright pleasant, this pair made a beautiful couple. As an added bonus, they married in the lovely Shakespeare Garden before heading to the Ramble […]
MorePresiding over ceremonies in very cool lofts is certainly a perk of this job. The Manhattan Penthouse at Fifth Avenue and 14th Street is no exception. The view is nice, but the simple elegance and location sets the space apart from others. Here is the prelude to my couple’s ceremony last night: This pair met […]
MoreA family emergency challenged J+A’s plans to wed in the Roosevelt Hotel, where I was initially going to marry them. But, in the end, the place does not matter. I don’t know any couple that ponders where they are standing (or sitting) while reciting vows to their betrothed. They came to me –North Forest Park […]
MoreI really hope one of my couple requests this one someday. (Don’t worry about length: the spoken word is faster than the appearances of the written word.) “Evolution” by Langdon Smith When you were a tadpole and I was a fish–In the Paleozoic time, And side by side on the ebbing tide–We sprawled through the […]
MoreElla Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919) …..How doth Love speak? In the proud spirit suddenly grown meek -The haughty heart grown humble; in the tender and unnamed light that floods the world with splendour, in the resemblance which the fond eyes trace; in all things to one beloved face; in the shy touch of hands that thrill […]
MoreDeciding to marry in New York was easy. Making sure all the adult children could come on short-notice proved a slight challenge. In the end, though, all were present for a mini family wedding vacation.
MoreThanks to Goethe, among others, we may re-think the parable of Adam and Eve. Goethe wrote: “A wife is a gift bestowed upon man to reconcile him to the loss of paradise.” Maybe the loss of innocence derives from the origins of society: when even just two come together, a few frustrations will ensue as […]
MoreM+T committed to one another officially thirty years after they first met abroad. When M came home from her travels, she told folks that she met “the one.” Then life interfered. The internet fostered their reunion. They planned a celebration in late May, yet life again accosted them. Fortunately, finally, nothing assailed their plans on […]
MoreThis is the reading they selected: “I Will Be Here” by Steven Curtis Chapman: If in the morning when you wake, if the sun does not appear–I will be here. If in the dark we lose sight of love, hold my hand and have no fear–I will be here. I will be here when you […]
MorePretty-pretty-pretty. That word resounded in my thoughts as I married this couple and now when I view their photos. I have so many couples that want a “quintessential urban wedding” that I sigh with expansive relief when a couple selects a quiet, classy, and gorgeous site for their wedding ceremony, such as the Rose Garden […]
MoreAs a marriage celebrant, I enjoy the best view of the couple during their ceremony and stellar landscape views. The Sunset Terrace overlooks the Hudson River at Pier 61 of the Chelsea Piers. Unlike other lofts (such as RamScale or the Glasshouses), Sunset Terrace not only sits right next to the Hudson; one could take […]
MoreWe just want to let you know once again that we were so happy that you were able to perform our private cermony between my husband and myself. The words that moved me to tears becuase it has been a long time coming. You joined our family into one and hope when we perform within […]
MoreBaby photos are too cute not to share, which I why I hope readers will pardon this entry. Liam and I visited my family in upstate New York a few weeks ago. Below are some images from the trip feature our niece and new nephew. Obviously, Liam took all the pictures, except for the ones […]
MoreI normally find it hard to choose photos to feature. I try to balance images that I like with images I think other couples might enjoy. And I do add in a few clearly showcasing the site to give future couples ideas. But this slide-show was really difficult to put together: laughter abounds.
MoreThe couple below “got it.” M+S specifically requested our OBB package and understood that it covers a few photos and a simple (non-customized) ceremony. But, for some reason, two couples recently assumed that my services automatically include photography. This is not true. First, Liam works solely on elopements and intimate weddings. Conversely, I officiate at […]
MoreThis note is to clarify my services for elopements and intimate weddings. I’ve done my best to tailor my wedding minister services to hold true to the spirit of elopements. Indeed, of the 240-300 weddings over which I officiate each year, at least a third are genuine civil ceremonies for elopements. When contrasted to other […]
MoreI LOVE Fort Tryon Park. I love lots of places for particular kinds of weddings and elopements. But when I officiate at Tryon, I feel at home. When eloping couples request site recommendations that do not require a permit, Tryon is always on the short list of favorites. In the past, I’ve also commented about […]
MoreJ+J are wise. They wanted a true elopement: in fact, when the bride saw someone she knew in Grand Central, she darted back up the stairs until the groom conveyed to their friend with a little white lie and the friend left. (Yes, “for real.”) Grand Central was a natural choice: they danced for the […]
MoreSeriously, the temperature is so high that couples really do need to remember the sunscreen! And water. And flip flops in addition to the heels. And a handkerchief. And do consider alternatives to heavy suits for grooms. The groom featured below wanted to end the photo session with Liam because the heat was too much. […]
MoreThose planning a destination wedding might want to start watching “White Collar.” I am rather critical when it comes to television shows –an inevitable byproduct from years of learning and teaching cultural studies’ courses. It’s mindless entertainment, yet a few steps up from realty t.v. (Wow–what a sad measuring stick!) However, since I lack cable, […]
MoreI fall a little in love with couples, such as C+P. An almost born new baby and a move abroad to London made their wedding plans extra exciting and intense. As I read the passage below by Leo Marks before they exchanged their vows, they glowed. “The life that I have is all that I […]
More“Love sought is good, but given unsought is better.” “O it is excellent to have a giant’s strength; but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.” “The quality of mercy is not strained; it droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath: it is twice blessed; it blesseth him that […]
MoreI know at least two other officiants who are conducting “mass gay weddings” in NYC. I toyed with the idea. Ultimately, though, I think my focus on more relaxed weddings will prove to be wise. So I am going to insert time between weddings as usual and travel to the site chosen by the couple. […]
MoreIf you read this blog, you know my forehead crinkles in response to the concept of the catering hall wedding. Visions of dated colors and mirrored ceilings flash through my memory. I’ve encountered a few very nice reception halls, though, such as the Westbury Manor and Swan Club. But those are in Nassau County. Until […]
MoreHere are some segments from their ceremony: I am especially proud to officiate today: D+S are equally brave individuals. I admire them; their relationship inspires both to become better people. But not only do they give the gift of love to each other: they share the best of themselves with their family, friends, and community […]
MoreLocated in Long Island City, Studio Square is fast becoming the site of choice for couples planning an intimate, modern wedding ceremony. I entered in freight elevator powered by a human to a glossy loft space with a cute outdoor patio. And smiled when I saw the heart place holders decorating the table where D+C […]
MoreL+B married in the fun Manhattan loft of RamScale. They opted for a standard ceremony, but requested I integrate two quotes they liked. I wove them into a new mini prelude, which is below. Every urbanite has witnessed lovers lost in themselves on a train. They gaze adoringly and kiss without care. Delightfully unaware of […]
MoreExtraordinary! 6/23/2011 Shauna V. says: I first contacted Judie about 8 months from our wedding date. She was very patient and helpful in helping us decide/plan how to make our day special. She has an amazing gift for words, as our ceremony was beautifully written with a personal and meaningful touch. Liam has an amazing […]
MoreSo for personal, philosophical, cultural, and political reasons, I am obviously still feeling the sweeping exhilaration of New York’s Marriage Equality Bill. To honor its passing, for the first week (July 24th-31st) any LGBTQ wedding ceremonies will be $75 to $150 in most areas of NYC….Staten Island, the Bronx, Westchester, and Nassau County ceremonies will […]
MoreMy elation and support ought to be obvious on this issue. Just in case it is not, below is my official statement. Religious texts, including the Bible, are full with husbands and wives who defy one another and their contemporary conventions in admired brilliance to keep true to most virtuous ideals of life. This is […]
MoreHere is short clip from a ceremony I performed in Fall 2008 on the balcony overlooking the Shakespeare Garden. Yes, it is true: not all couples exchange rings!
MoreToday was our “six-monthiversary”, so I thought I’d venture onto your website to reminisce. I really enjoyed thinking back to that memorable (and cold!) day in Central Park. Thanks again for everything y’all did…it couldn’t have gone any better…the ceremony was fantastic, and the pictures were amazing. Thank you for being a part of one […]
MoreBetween couples looking to downsize larger scale weddings, the rising popularity of destination weddings in New York, the desire for great wedding photos, and the folks who want a low-key wedding or vow renewal or commitment ceremony, getting (re) married in Central Park seems to be evolving as “the” choice. I love Central Park, and […]
MoreWhy is the Brooklyn Bridge mostly devoid of crowds? It is not because the couple had a permit or due to rain or photoshop. D+D wisely decided to marry on a Thursday afternoon! I’d only recommend getting married on the Brooklyn Bridge on a weekday and only for true elopements. (Also, women who wear high […]
MoreIt is ethereal. Delicate. Travels easily. And, best of all, it fit this lovely bride perfectly. Dear Judie & Liam, Firstly, let me apologise for the lateness of this message; getting back to ‘everyday’ life has been a blur after such an incredible week. We would both like to thank you, Judie, for such an […]
MoreImages below were taken in the lovely “Secret Garden,” which is the English styled garden in gorgeous Conservatory Gardens. Remember that a permit is mandatory here! Convocation:A+S, you kindly invited us within your protective “bubble” to memorialize the past four years and celebrate the possibilities of your future together. This ceremony will not create your […]
MoreEXCERPT FROM THEIR CEREMONY: You have requested I read a special piece entitled “A Parable” by Maynard James Keenan, which best captures your love: “We barely remember who or what came before this precious moment. We are choosing to be here right now, hold on, stay inside this holy reality, this holy experience. Twirling round […]
MoreThank you so much for your amazing presence at our wedding on Saturday. It was so beautiful thanks to you and your kind and moving words. Liam, you were so patient and creative with your ideas, we can’t wait to see the photos! Thank you both so much for making our wedding so special. Thank […]
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Wedding Officiant in NYC and the Hudson Valley 