About Me

I'm a proud Winnipegger with deep family roots in the city. I have been a marriage commissioner in the Province of Manitoba for the past 10 years having performed over 200 ceremonies in that time. I started officiating when I was asked to perform the wedding ceremony for a friend. Since then I have had the honor to perform ceremonies both big and small, in all types of venues in all parts of Manitoba.

I've been married to my lovely wife since 2002 so it would appear I'm doing something right. My fulltime job is with the railway coming up on 25 years having worked in a variety of positions.

I'm a self-confessed nerd with a bias towards two of my favorite franchises - Star Wars and Ghostbusters. When I'm not working on the railroad or making memories with people you can find me cosplaying with the Winnipeg Ghostbusters raising money for the Children's Hospital of Manitoba. During the Halloween season you can find me decorating my front yard and working with Siloam Mission to collect items for Winnipeg's less fortunate.

200+

10

Years of experience

Happy clients

So Why Should You Work With Me?

The reason I remained a Marriage Commissioner after marrying my friends is I like marrying people and making them happy. I don't do this to get rich or become the best Commissioner in Manitoba, instead I do this because of the positivity and joy that accompany a wedding. Because I'm doing this because I enjoy it I don't book 100's of weddings throughout the year and the weddings I am fortunate enough to be involved in are extra special to me. Because I don't book a ton of weddings one major benefit is I'm usually available to do smaller ceremonies on short notice (providing you have the marriage license), and other weddings that might be passed on by others. Still not convinced? Here are some other reasons why I might be the right person for the Job:

I'm Cool Under Pressure

There is no wedding on earth that's going to go off without a hitch. It's how you react and roll with the punches to pivot the issue into a memory. Here are some examples of issues turned memories that I've encountered:

• Couple forgot the rings at the hotel an hour away. I told jokes and had the kids also come up and tell some too to pass time.

• Couple forgot the paperwork (license). We proceeded with the ceremony and I ad-libbed some stories and included some readings I sometimes use to fill time while someone got the paperwork.

• Groom was late to wedding because he got pulled over. It was +30C out and everyone was already seated. I calmed the bride down and then I proceeded to hand out bottles of water to everyone

I Make Sure Everyone has Fun

I love having fun during the ceremony and I've been known to go "off the cuff" during the ceremony if needed. I know that this may be frowned on and I always stick to the ceremony as agreed upon, but understanding the couple, and having the ability to sense tension or pressure and inject humor into the ceremony to alleviate the stress ensures that everyone has fun and enjoys the ceremony

I'm Detail Oriented and I Go Beyond Just Reading the Ceremony

I work with you to make sure your day is exactly how you want it. If you want a basic ceremony to make your union legal that's easy and straight forward and doesn't really involve a lot of planning. If you are having a sit down ceremony with guests, a DJ, photographer and a bridal party you are going to need to plan things out. If you've never been married before there are 100 little details that can creep up on you, things that you probably didn't even think of and that's where I come in. If you choose to have me attend a rehearsal (for a nominal fee) I will assist you with planning your ceremony including:

• Providing suggestions about seating for family members during the ceremony

• Finding the perfect positioning for the couple during the ceremony so each person in attendance can watch. This also includes ensuring the photographer has perfect sight lines without obstruction.

• Positioning the bridal party to be symmetrical and posed the same.

• Working on timing for the entrance of the bridal party, and the couple. This includes working on musical cues, and on physical cues that each person can use to walk at a similar pace.

• Planning the brides entrance with parent (if applicable) and the groom escorting them to the front.

• Determining how the ring exchange will happen (if applicable)

• On day of wedding, working with photographer to ensure the perfect pictures happen. Also reviewing with DJ or person responsible for music the program and their cues.

This and much more as needed. I work with you and we will run the rehearsal as many times as you need until you are comfortable.