Mandeville Officiants + Premarital Counseling

Ceremonies By Kristi and Associates

Personal Ceremonies by Professional Officiants

$50 starting price

See details

Louisiana, Mississippi, will travel

Service area

Melanie Russell

OFFICIANT

Recently, I was asked, "Kristi, what is the greatest compliment you have ever received as a wedding officiant?" I would have to say that it was a time when a guest walked up to the bride and me after the ceremony and asked, "How many years have you 2 been friends?" I had just met the bride a month before when she hired me as her officiant. We always try to answer inquiries quickly. We do not use auto-replies or chat-bots. If you have taken the time to research and contact us, you deserve a personal reply. Likewise, we do not run our service in a "one size fits all" fashion. We pride ourselves on providing personalized services that reflect your unique relationship. If it takes a day or 2 to respond, know we WILL get back to you. For immediate service, text Kristi: 1-317-627-0702 or Sherri: 1-985-888-9218. Ceremonies by Kristi is a diverse wedding officiant service based in Mandeville, LA, offering bespoke ceremonies for each newlywed-to-be. With Kristi at the helm, this group of eight ordained officiants will bring dignity, respect, and grace to your service. Kristi invites you to choose your ideal officiant & offers as much input as you like, for your all-important ceremony. All couples deserve to celebrate their precious love with full authenticity and transparency. Kristi and her team will ensure you receive a ceremony to cherish for years to come. We also offer Wedding Planning, Day of Wedding Coordination, flowers & decorations that can be rented at very reasonable prices. We have a beautiful wedding arch we can decorate to your specifications. Everyone is welcome. We are LGBTQIA+ friendly. We serve all religions, faiths, and spiritualities, as well as secular clients. Founder Kristi Jarett is an ordained minister and a happily retired RN with 25 years of experience. An avid traveler, Kristi has observed and participated in rituals across the globe. Becoming an archaeologist/anthropologist and museum expert later in life, Kristi’s love for her fellow beings is palpable. Her deep wisdom and incredible worldview inspire her daily work. Alongside her team of highly skilled Universalist/Humanist Officiants, each bringing a unique specialty, Kristi strives to bring people together as seamlessly and joyously as possible. Mostly serving Louisiana and Mississippi, with credentials to officiate in all fifty states, Ceremonies by Kristi provides flexible, personal services. Kristi and her team are dedicated to bringing your enchanting personality center stage with custom scripts inspired entirely by you. You are welcome to have as much input into the creative process as you desire. Traditional scripts are also available. The team offers an array of rituals, including handfasting with Kristi’s own handmade ties, sand ceremonies, unity candles, Native American rituals & more. Ceremonies by Kristi also has a strict backup plan in place. You can rest easy knowing the start of your happily ever after is in safe hands

Woman-owned Business

+6 years in business

Speaks English, Spanish, French, German

10 team members

Prices & packages

Details

Ceremony Types

Civil Union

Commitment Ceremony

Elopement

Interfaith Ceremony

Non-Religious Ceremony

Religious Ceremony

Second Wedding

Vow Renewal Ceremony

Planning

Se Habla Español

Religious Affiliations

Baha'i Faith

Buddhist

Christian

Catholic

Mormon

Orthodox

Protestant

Quaker

Hindu

Interfaith

Jewish

Conservative

Orthodox

Reform

Muslim

Pagan

Secular

Sikh

Spiritual

Unitarian

Wiccan

Wedding Activities

After The Wedding

Newlywed Life

Getting Engaged

Premarital Counseling

Wedding

Ceremony

Any questions?

Meet the team

Melanie Russell
Officiant
After spending years performing on stage professionally in New York City, Melanie has returned to Louisiana, We are lucky enough to have this gifted lady on our team. One thing Melanie never has? Stage fright. She is cool, calm, and can even handle minor incidents (which sometimes happen during ceremonies) as if they are part of the ceremony. Her grace and charm are obvious from the moment you meet her. Her calm yet confident demeanor will instantly put you at ease. Melanie is a multi-talented woman and will put you at ease instantly. She genuinely CARES about her clients and wants nothing more than to give every couple she works with the best experience possible. All of her clients rave about herl She is comfortable with a diverse array of ceremonies.
Sherri Calamia
Officiant and Manager of Wedding Planning/Coordinating Services
Sherri is one of those people who can wear many hats....and look great in every one (in other words, she is multi-talented). Sherri has been officiating weddings of all types for several years. Recently, she became certified in "Day of Wedding Coordination." She is very resourceful and efficient in this role....at the same time, Sherri is warm and comforting. Her style? When you are with Sherri, you feel like anything could happen and she would handle it with calm reassurance. She is very flexible and will always adapt to the client's needs.
Katherine Prats
Officiant, Weddding Planner and Coordinator
My favorite "thing" about Katherine? It is impossible to feel angry, anxious, or sad when Katherine flashes her smile. Her laugh is also infectious!Katherine's superpower? She is an EXCELLENT listener and communicator. She goes over every detail multiple times to ensure that the services she provides are EXACTLY what the client wants. After their wedding is complete and things have calmed down, we hear from many of Katherine's clients who say that Katherine went above and beyond! They had not anticipated an officiant with such AMAZING attention to detail.Clients who want to actively be a part of the script writing process praise Katherine for her EXCELLENT communication skills. Clients who do not want to be involved in this process are always impressed by Katherine's ability to write and deliver ceremonies that so accurately reflect each couples unique relationship; after a few phone calls, maybe a meet up or two, and some emails. Katherine's ability to listen and pick up on the tiniest detail, as well as her talent for calming anxious couples are legendary.Katherine is an engineer by trade and spent decades working in the corporate world. She travelled extensively, providing education, demonstrations, and anwering questions from employees.Katherine grew up on her family's blueberry farm in Covington that has been in their family since the beginning. When she received world that her ageing parents were finding it difficult to take care of themselves and the farm, Katherine retired and returned home to Covington. Currently, she is the primary caregiver for her parents. She also cares for the farm and works to ensure that the families who come every year to pick fresh blueberries will continue to do so for a very long time.
Nicolina
Officiant, Owner of The Emerald Door NOLA
Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Nicolina is a "transplant" to New Orleans. She is a co-owner of a beautiful venue in NOLA and we frequently work with them to offer discounted packages to our clients. Nicolina also officiates for us and her clients ADORE her!! She has a very warm, relaxed style and delivers beautiful, personal ceremonies to her clients.
Marc Leunissen
Officiant Extraordinare!
We discovered Marc officiating weddings on Mandeville's Lakefront for free to couples struggling with finances. He retired from the corporate world and answered the call to officiate weddings. Everyone LOVES Marc! One of his recent clients described him PERFECTLY: "Marc turned out to be the perfect officiant for us. On the surface, we thought we wanted different qualities. Once we started looking, we realized we didn't know WHAT we were looking for. Kristi recommended Marc and he went so far over our highest expectations. He seemed to know what we wanted and needed instinctively." Marc is very professional, with a sense of humor, an infectious laugh, and a great smile. He is easygoing and relaxed....especially perfect for very anxious couples.
Jenn Diaz
Officiant, Bilingual English & Spanish
Jenn is one of our Bilingual officiants who lives just outside of New Orleans. She also performs ceremonies for English-only clients. She has an upbeat, personable, youthful vibe and enjoys strong bonds with local Hispanic communities. Jenn is a professional multi-tasker! When the whole COVID-19 mess started, Jenn was one of the primary response coordinators. She is cool and confident in any situation! In addition to officiating, Jenn is learning the ropes to create flower arrangements and she hopes to be a certified Coordinator in the near future.
Kristi Jarrett
Founder, Officiant, Planner, Coordinator, Crafter
Hello, I'm Kristi! You probably read a bit about me on our Storefront. When a couple wants a truly unique, non-traditional ceremony, I can't wait to get started! A few of my favorite weddings? There was one where we were surrounded by alligators (literally). I've often officiated dressed up in elaborate costumes. During another, I was speaking Highland Scots. I've performed many weddings in some legendary cemeteries (respectfully, of course!) I even performed an Interfaith wedding in DEEP south Lousiana: for a couple where one was Catholic, the other Pagan....and all of the guests were Catholic! It was received better than I could've ever imagined! And that still makes my heart happy. I have travelled the globe, absorbing diverse people and cultures. I use that knowledge and those resources to help continue our organization's ethos of treating ALL people with respect and dignity. We celebrate diversity! But don't worry....I can still be seen at large, formal weddings wearing a floor length gown, delivering ceremonies largely considered "traditional" in the USA. I currently spend much of the year in Scotland. I collect and create items that can be used for unity ceremonies, making gifts for wedding parties & guests, and so much more! If you want to honor your roots, culture, ancestry or any other deeply personal aspect, I will be your companion in that journey.

4.5

out of 5.0

10 reviews

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Taylor S

Highlighted review

6/15/2024

We are from out of town and decided to get married in New Orleans. Kristi and her staff were amazing! Communication was excellent. At first, we were a little scared, trying to plan our wedding from several states away. Kristi was very knowledgeable of the area and gave us information that was very thorough and helpful. It was so nice, just being able to show up and get married because Kristi and her team made the process so easy. Our ceremony was beautiful and everything was perfect! Thank you to everyone with this group who made our dream wedding reality and then some!

Vendor response 06/15/2024

Tyler, It was a pleasure to work with you, your fiancé, friends and family! We are so gla...

d that we were able to make your day extra special! Best, Kristi

Amy T

2/01/2025

If you are in a pinch for an officiant or you want the most stream-line process of booking one, Kristi and her team are absolutely AMAZING. We originally had officiant issues with a different vendor (a month before the wedding) and Kristi and her team saved our wedding. We had some complications getting our license (weather problems) and when I mentioned it to them, not only did they offer options, but at no additional charge. I loved our straight-forward ceremony we had and how easy the "legal aspects" ended up being, even with the once in the blue moon weather conditions we had the week before the wedding. Thank you so much Kristi and Katherine and the entire team for making our wedding so memorable and easy both through the ceremony and the after dealing with legal things. 10/10 highly recommend.

Any questions?

Kristi G

10/31/2023

I was excited to book Ceremonies by Kristi since I wanted to write very personal, customized vows and get to know our officiant so it didn’t feel like we were being married by a total stranger. They advertise that this is their specialty and so it seemed like a perfect fit. The officiant I was originally assigned apparently became “too busy” with other weddings to be able to meet and so I was told I would be assigned another officiant. Then I didn’t hear from them until a week before the wedding when I had to be the one to reach out. The new officiant asked all the same questions from my questionnaire because she hadn’t even looked at it yet. I tried to have some patience because sometimes people get busy, but I ended up having to write our own vows and edit the officiant’s script to my liking who I finally heard from TWO days before the wedding day. On the wedding day, several guests told me our officiant looked pretty miserable to be there or was on her phone and agitated. After signing our license, she said she would file it for us the next day. I never received a copy in the mail even after returning from our honeymoon. I called to ask the status with our parish clerk of court and I was told they never received it! I frantically called Kristi, texted, emailed, everything but send a carrier pigeon and got no response. I’m really disappointed that none of my expectations were met. I understand that people get busy, but if your main selling point is providing personal service, overbooking your officiants seems to be pretty detriment to that goal.

Vendor response 12/22/2023

Hi Kristi, I am so very sorry that we did not live up to the high bar we set for ourselves...

. It breaks my heart that we disappointed you. We actually were not overbooked...although I understand how you would believe that was the case. I kept this quiet, but around the date of your wedding, my first grandbaby was born 2 months early and had serious complications. That consumed me for some time.....I'm happy to say he's doing better. I am not trying to make excuses, but I feel that I owe you an explanation as to why you did not receive the attention you deserve. I have to say that I am shocked to hear about your officiant at your wedding....our entire team LOVES what we do and it almost always shows. As professionals, we train ourselves to leave any problems OUTSIDE, and enter into each ceremony with a positive energy. If an officiant is unable to do this when they are scheduled for a ceremony, they should let us know so that we can arrange a replacement. When we hold our next meeting, I will make sure to bring this up and reinforce steps we can take to avoid bringing any personal problems or issues into any ceremony. That never should have happened. As for your script, many of our clients choose to be very involved in writing the script....it's very common for couples to write their own vows and edit the officiant's draft. Obviously, this was not what you wanted and you felt that you had no other choice but to contribute. I hope that you said something to the officiant....but I understand you probably did not know WHAT to say. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will need to make some changes, to ensure that every clients' wishes, as far as involvement in the script writing process, are clear and respected. About your marriage certificate....if you still have not received it, would you text or call me at your earliest convenience... 1-317-627-0702. I will take care of it for you. Your wedding was during the height of wedding season.....sometimes, from September through November and then in the spring, the Clerk of Court's office gets very backed up. It would not surprise me if it took 2 months to get your marriage certificate. On average, I'd say that most couples receive their official marriage certificate around 2-4 weeks after the wedding. If the client hand delivers the completed marriage license to the Clerk's office, often, they can file it and give you a copy immediately. They will not allow officiants to do the same. Most Clerks offices in Louisiana want officiants to mail the completed license to them, regular snail mail. Sometimes, if the officiant lives close to the courthouse you used, they may try to drop them off at the office....and many of the Clerks don't like that. I'm not sure why your messages did not get through to me...I did not see any texts or emails and did not have any voicemails from you. Of course, I believe you....we all know that technology can give us headaches. If you were trying to reach me as I was flying from Europe to the US, I would not have received anything. I'm wondering if that is what happened. Perhaps we need to do a better job explaining the entire process to our clients. I am currently working on a brochure to give to our clients, packed with information...like the marriage license/certificate, etc. When I write that section, I will have the frustration you experienced in the forefront of my mind, and will think about ways we could have avoided it. Part of our job is to support and calm our clients....and just the opposite happened with you. Thank you for bringing all of these issues to my attention. Your constructive criticism will make us better, so down the road, other couples will not experience the frustration you endured. If you could please get in touch with me, 1-317-627-0702, I would like to offer at least a partial refund....and I would like to know the status of your marriage certificate so that I can step in, if necessary. Warmest Regards, Kristi

Hunter D

4/24/2023

Highly recommend. We really appreciated how inclusive and extensive the planning survey was. It really allowed us to plan the ceremony that we envisioned. Mark was our officiant, he did a great job and was super easy to work with. We are very happy with how the ceremony went.

Vendor response 04/28/2023

Hi Hunter! Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to write this great revie...

w. Marc is wonderful....and I am so glad that he was there to make your wedding the best possible! Here's to a long, happy marriage. Best, Kristi

Sarah P

1/11/2023

Kristi was great and helped set up my destination wedding through phone calls ahead of time. However, she unfortunately got sick a few weeks ahead. She graciously handed me off to an associate, Sherri Calamia. Sherri was my Day Of help and did a fantastic job. She came to the rehearsal and spent the day of the wedding doing everything and more asked. I would highly recommend Sherri for your wedding.

Vendor response 01/16/2023

Sarah, Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a wonderful review. I was disa...

ppointed I couldn't be there, but I knew you were in EXCELLENT hands with Sherri. I'll pass this on to Sherri. I hope you are having a Happy New Year and enjoying married life! ~Kristi

Aspen D

12/03/2022

Kristi is so genuine and personable! It’s clear she does this out of love. She was so excited to hear about our hallowedding elopement, she asked if she could show up in costume, which of course we said yes! Their services and generous and affordable. Thank you Kristi for your character and patience on our wedding day!!

Vendor response 12/09/2022

Aspen, I had a blast with you and your “crew.” I am full of gratitude, that you invited m...

e to be a part of your big day! I’ve still been talking about your wedding 🥳 All the Best, Kristi

mason s

6/09/2022

I cannot thank Kristi and her team enough, Kristi was so helpful along the way! Everyone was so accommodating with all of our script requests. Katherine was our officiant for the ceremony its self and everything was kept short and sweet just how we wanted it. Thank you!!!

Vendor response 06/21/2022

Thank you so much1 It's great when we can make people happy and have fun too! ~Kristi

Barbara C

4/07/2022

Our officiant was great. She met with us before the wedding and we talked about what we would like in the ceremony. The only complaint is we were set up with one officiant only to be told a couple of weeks before that we had to be rescheduled with someone else. In the end it all worked out and we were happy.

Vendor response 04/09/2022

Hi Barbara! And thanks for your kind review! Sometimes things happen for one reason or a...

nother and we have to make changes. We try to give as much notice as possible to the client. On the bright side, that's an advantage of having multiple officiants who work together.....we always have back-up, so you need not worry about your assigned person getting sick or having a family emergency and the client being left to scramble to find another officiant 2 or 3 days before the wedding! I have been working on a pamphlet to give to new clients that explains how we choose, schedule, etc. I have started sharing with clients who request me about my biggest draw back: I'm the only officiant who can do ceremonies in other languages and for now, I'm the most qualified to handle ceremonies where there may be difficult circumstances. A few weeks ago, we started having new clients meet and communicate with some of the other officiants, so it wouldn't be a shock if there were a change I must say, however, that we are fortunate to have such a FANTASTIC group who are passionate about this work and genuinely love it! I am so glad that your wedding was memorable and that we were part of that. Congratulations. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or thoughts. Best, Kristi

Mita Z

1/17/2022

The event was decorated so beautiful my husband and I were simply blown away at how it looked. Kristy went above and beyond to make our special day wonderful. Grate communication, punctuality and she takes care of all the details to make the evens as stressless for me as possible. The price was unbelievable she deserved much more. Thanks Kristy and I will look you up for my event in June 🎉🎊

Vendor response 01/19/2022

Thank you so much! I’m glad I was able to help make your special day a little extra specia...

l. Your friends and family were so nice and helpful too!

Natoshia B

12/20/2021

I feel so blessed to have been able to find Kristi for our wedding. She was able to really personalize our ceremony and truly have our special day catered to us! We laughed, we cried, but mostly we’ll never forget the beautiful words we’re shared in front of everyone that day. Kristi and her company are dedicated and gave me one less thing on my list to stress about. I couldn’t have asked for more.

Vendor response 12/23/2021

Thank you so much Natoshia! Working with you and your wonderful hubby has been a true priv...

ilege. You 2 are such a great couple! I miss talking to you!

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(317) 627-0702

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Melanie Russell

OFFICIANT

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Ceremonies By Kristi and Associates

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