8 Best Wedding Officiants in the DMV

Choosing the right officiant is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your wedding day. Whether you’re envisioning a heartfelt, traditional ceremony or something more modern and personalized, the right officiant will set the tone and ensure your ceremony feels meaningful, authentic, and perfectly you. Here in the DC area, there’s no shortage of talented officiants, but with so many options, how do you find the perfect person to lead your ceremony?

In this article you’ll find some of my favorite officiants from weddings I’ve photographed over the last few years. All of these folks are true professionals who will create the perfect ceremony to fit you two as a couple. I personally LOVE ceremonies with lots of laughter and natural smiles, and you can see in the photographs that these officiants are more than capable of delivering just that!

Whether you’re planning an intimate elopement in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains or a black-tie wedding in a DC ballroom, these officiants have got you covered!

All of the officiants listed on this page are inclusive and are committed to supporting diversity and the LGBTQ+ community. They work with clients of all races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

Reverend Mary Stone

Reverend Mary Stone turns weddings into truly memorable celebrations of love, joy, and connection. With a fun and heartfelt approach, she personalizes every aspect of the ceremony, reflecting the unique journey of each couple. Her quick thinking and adaptability ensure a smooth and joyous experience, allowing love to take center stage. Her warm and welcoming presence fosters an atmosphere where everyone feels seen, appreciated, and included. Your guests will find themselves smiling, laughing, and perhaps even shedding a tear or two during the ceremony.

Mary is truly inspired by the opportunity to officiate meaningful ceremonies that celebrate the rich tapestry of diversity in the DMV area. With her unique skills, she embraces spiritual, secular, lightly religious, and interfaith rituals, creating moments that reflect the beauty and unity found in our differences. Each ceremony she leads is a testament to the power of love and connection, reminding us all of the incredible journey we share together. She wholeheartedly embraces all identities and expressions of love, proudly supporting the LGBTQIA+ community.

Married by Miller

Joanna at Married by Miller is a professional wedding officiant and former theatre/speech/debate kid with decades of training in public speaking, acting, and singing. She got her start by officiating a secular family wedding in Detroit, after which the wedding planner asked if Joanna could be booked for future events! She’s been off to the races ever since, and finds true joy in making this part of your day as personal, easy, and enjoyable as possible. Joanna and her own husband had three different ceremonies when they married, so she has first hand experience with the many ways you can celebrate a union! She also maintains an ever growing library of readings and traditions for ceremonies, and loves learning about new rituals for marking the big day. Joanna believes it’s a privilege to play a role in making your marriage official, and excitedly marries all consenting adults regardless of gender, race or age, because love is love, period.

Tara Hoot

Tara Hoot is a campy and kind DC-area drag queen that brings a shot of glamour to your wedding! She'll work with you to personalize your vows and add unique touches to make your event the perfect representation of your relationship! Want to add a song to the mix? She's game! How about a round of relationship trivia? Whatever you choose, you can rest assured that Tara will bring her sense of humor and joyful exuberance. Darlings, you're gorgeous, she's gorgeous, and your event deserves to be gorgeous, too! (For Virginia or Maryland weddings, Tara can conduct ceremonies but a separate officiant would be needed for the legal part.)

Judy Peabody

In some of the most incredible Shenandoah Valley settings, Judy Peabody has been consulting, writing, and facilitating unique ceremonies since 2018. Each ceremony is professionally written by Judy as she intertwines the details of your beautiful vision and love story. As a wedding professional, she specializes in providing upbeat, organically written ceremonies which take into consideration your personal style, tradition, and beliefs as a couple, as well as your chosen guests, for a truly memorable experience to be had by all. Judy’s warm personality and professionalism shine through at every wedding! Her husband Jeff is also a part of her team, providing extra assistance and backup as he is also a court-appointed officiant.

Ceremony Officiants

Ceremony Officiants is the area's premier professional wedding officiant service specializing in personalized, professional, and heartfelt ceremonies. They've been in business for over 20 years and have performed thousands of weddings. With a team of experienced officiants across DC, Maryland, and Virginia, they offer a range of services, including fully customized ceremonies, classic scripted ceremonies, intimate elopements, and simple legal signings. Besides their experience, what sets them apart is their unique "matching" service designed to match each couple with the perfect officiant. Their dedication to making each ceremony stress-free, meaningful, and tailored to the couple’s unique love story is apparent at every wedding. Whether it's a grand celebration or a private elopement, Ceremony Officiants thrives on creating unforgettable moments for couples of all backgrounds, beliefs, and traditions. As trusted experts in the wedding industry, they make saying “I do” seamless, joyful, and exactly how each couple envisions it.

Michael Rye

If you're looking for a special flavor on your wedding day look no further than Michael Rye! Michael’s Australian accent, sense of humor, and over 30 years experience in the wedding industry will bring a smile to your guests and help ease the jitters of saying “I do”. Michael has officiated over 400 weddings and is licensed in Maryland, DC, Virginia, and West Virginia. Michael works with all types of couples who wish to make a lifetime commitment to one another. He offers simple, 15-minute ceremonies as well as longer, more customized ceremonies that will bring a tear of happiness to all those attending. Your wedding day is about you and Michael specializes in making that happen! He works with couples until your ceremony is right and uniquely yours. No cookie cutter ceremonies here as he appreciates what your big day brings - lasting memories. Michael arrives early to answer any last minute questions and enjoys hanging around during the cocktail hour to talk to guests about Australia. As a bonus, he is also a professional dance teacher and choreographs wedding dances too!

The Love Hubb

When you’re picturing your dream wedding, with a ceremony that reflects your unique love story, you can trust that The Love Hubb Officiant will make that vision come to life. With experience officiating over 150 weddings, Cathy is committed to creating memorable and personalized ceremonies for every couple that she works with.

Whether you're planning an intimate gathering or a grand celebration, she’ll work with you to weave your desired symbolism into your ceremony script. For those with a taste for adventure, she’s even officiated weddings on the Appalachian Trail! From creative and adventurous to simple and elegant, The Love Hubb Officiant is ready to craft the perfect ceremony for you and will make your special day unforgettable.

Reverend Kate Adamson

Based out of Central Virginia, Reverend Kate Adamson is an interfaith minister who has been officiating weddings since 2013. She works with couples of all religious traditions, and she especially enjoys officiating for clients who consider themselves “spiritual but not religious.” She works closely with her couples to create ceremonies that are meaningful and sacred, and often sprinkled with laughter and tears too.

An avid hiker and traveler, Reverend Kate is always up for an adventure - she has officiated weddings in hot air balloons and will happily throw on a headlamp to climb a mountain in Shenandoah National Park for a sunrise wedding!