Judie L. Guild. NY Registration #77862. NewYorkOfficiant@gmail.com.
A small wedding need not be held at home or in a public park. Some couples, like Danielle and Lee, dream of a small wedding in a beautiful location. Since their ceremony highlighted the virtues and joys of friendship, it was most appropriate that their most cherished friends and family celebrated with them. In fact, […]
MoreI know that many of my couples read this blog not only to review my work. They also review ideas. Here is one: rather than a park, garden, or formal hotel affair, consider a “dinner party” wedding! Actually, many of couples who are more mature in years select this route. Kevin and Nina married at […]
MoreA playful, outgoing, and adventurous couple, Antonio and Sandra are both originally from Columbia, although they grew up in the States. After they met in 2007, both went separate ways to complete degrees — Antonio to finish his residency and Sandra to finish a degree in Journalism. While apart, they set up dates to cook […]
MoreI actually wrote this tiny article for the Humanist Ethical Society of Spirituality’s main site a few months ago. It’s based on accumulated knowledge gained by reading random bits of the web , articles, and such books as Public Vows, It’s Our Day, and Here Comes the Bride. But I thought my new couples might […]
MoreOne of my sweetest couples ever had a baby! Leigh Ann and Brandon eloped over the winter in Central Park. Leigh Ann recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and fortunately shared a few photos with me. (By the way, Liam is my spouse.) Dear Judie and Liam, Its Brandon and Leigh Ann from […]
MoreThe Cop Cot is an adorable rustic shelter easily accessible from Central Park South and 5th Avenue. It’s been a few months since I married a couple near here — the last was actually at a PETA protest in the Fall. Fortunately, Katie and Ben fell in love with the spot while searching for a […]
MoreHave I mentioned lately how much I love weddings and elopements in community gardens? If not, please allow me to recommend them once more. Community gardens are ideal because…they feel like a real backyard — not a meticulous, formal garden, but a comfortable space in which to convene; they are private; and they juxtapose the […]
MoreWith only a week to spare, Jessica and Brian contacted me. Originally, these Oklahoma natives planned to marry in the Clerk’s Office. But they came across an Off Beat Bride post that described my services, contacted me about a Justice of the Peace style elopement, and even left the decision about where to marry largely […]
MoreIn true Justice of the Peace style, I married a sweet, young couple a few weeks ago. Wishing to avoid the Clerk’s office line and thirty second ceremony, they contacted me with less than two weeks to spare. They planned to marry on the mini boardwalk overlooking the Lake in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. While […]
MoreCindy and James contacted me in the winter. I was – am – thrilled they soon enlisted my services for their wedding. (Note to future couples: some dates are exceptionally popular for weddings: for June 5th, I received seven firm requests and had to decline all but one other couple who requested me as their […]
MoreFor those who are not from the NYC region, summer temperatures have arrived! The humidity is not very comfortable. But it’s great beach weather! I’m also happy that I’ll be able to consistently loose the sweater I’ve used so often in the past months for park weddings. Ladies (and Gents), this means that you can […]
MoreI love writing because I love words. For some, piecing together a paragraph direclty originates in the general idea expressed. For me, this is true too. Yet I also believe that a word reflects an idea, and it is possible to play with words themselves to uncover themes and concepts. Like writing for students in […]
MoreOne never knows where testimonials from couples will pop up digitally. By accident, I came across this note with words of appreciation from one of my couples, Larry and Laurel, who celebrated their love in September 2008 at one of the East Village Community Gardens. Laurel and Larry’s Wedding New York | September, […]
MoreWell-educated and kind-hearted Karen and Terry flew out from the Mid-West to elope in Central Park. Like many of my eloping couples, they planned their wedding. But I would not quite categorize such affairs as “destination weddings.” A notable distinction exists between those planning a low-key wedding and those who plan to invite more than […]
MoreCourtney and Jeff originally planned to elope in California. They grew frustrated quickly when vendors were non-responsive to their elopement plans and their budget mushroomed. Then they noticed the photos on our site from one of weddings in August 2009 at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center — also known as the Staten Island Botanical Gardens. […]
MoreI adore Fort Tryon Park. It is an oasis that involves all facets of NYC. Located near a cultural institution (the Cloisters), it contains a small garden area, lots of greenery, a hidden structure that looks like church ruins, a cozy, acclaimed restaurant, and fabulous views of both the Hudson River and the urban skyline. […]
MoreAlaska native Allie and New Jersey native Vilas married on Sunday, May 23, 2010 only a few minutes before the sun cast brilliantly colorful rays across the Tribecca Rooftop and throughout the loft area where about 150 guests relaxed and mingled after the ceremony. Like many intercultural couples today, so-called cultural barriers are essentially non-existent […]
More20 WEEKS TO A BETTER BOND designed by me This “twenty week program” is meant to help couples center themselves and prepare for marriage or strengthen an existing marriage /relationship. Couples may also wish to condense the program to twenty days. This is not mandatory for any of my couples; it is only suggested […]
MoreA very warm, friendly couple, Mary and Eduardo were all set to move to the Mid-West from New York. But first they wished to get married here. On May Day, the weather was ideal for their small wedding in a truly charming, very natural-looking little clearing near Mayfair Road and Park Lane South in North […]
MoreBonita and Joe married in Central Park’s Shakespeare Garden, which is one of my favorite sites for wedding ceremonies. Other great niches are the Ladies Pavilion, Ramble, Cherry Hill, Wagner’s Cove, Belvedere Castle Plaza (not inside the castle, though), Harlem Meer, Cop Cot, Bethesda Terrace, Gapstow Bridge area, and the Wisteria Pergola. Do keep in […]
MoreIn addition to the cards posted on the “About” page, here are some more notes sent by a few of my couples… Hi Judie, Thanks very much for this. And thank you so much for our wonderful ceremony. It was such a lovely day, I wish I could go back and do it all again! […]
MoreAccording to legend, if it rains on your wedding day, abundance — and fertility — will fill your future. For most couples, though, rain is frustrating. For these two couples, Kate + Aaron and Tracey + Greg, rain was not bothersome. After all, Spring showers can yield excellent metaphors for natural growth. Furthermore, cuddling while […]
MoreHere are some scans of photos from some of my weddings and elopements in early 2010. The count so far this year is already 35! Susannah & Steven’s elegant, traditional civil ceremony at the New York Palace Aruni and Mike’s Sri Lankan + Jewish intercultural ceremony at Bargemusic Lila and Jake’s whimsical “Dr. Seuss” Central […]
MoreTo get married in New York, celebrate your commitment, or renew your wedding vows, you need little more than a New York registered civil wedding officiant. To this end, I promise to give you a meaningful, memorable ceremony without the stressful dramas or limitations that accompany traditional, stoic ministers. Instead, I offer unique packages to […]
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