Rev. Chris was phenomenal! He is so organized and helpful. He also has an amazing speaking voice and really brings so much energy to the ceremony. He is also very flexible to the type of ceremony you want. No matter your beliefs, he is there for you and supportive. We couldn't have picked a better officiant.
Devyn R.
5.0
Having Father Yaw officiate my husband and I’s wedding is one of the best decisions we have ever made. Our ceremony was seriously the best wedding ceremony I’d ever been to. I know I’m biased since it was our wedding, but everyone came up after raving about how fantastic the ceremony was and was convinced we had known father yaw for years! He is a fantastic speaker and an amazing preacher. We spent many afternoons prior to the wedding getting to know father yaw and we were so impressed by him and knew he would be fantastic. We are honored that he married us and feel so blessed to have crossed paths with him. If you are looking for an officiant whose ceremonies are personal, intentional, funny, and memorable, look no further. He is the best of the best! We will surely be going to mass at his church as we were so moved by him!
Kaitlyn C.
5.0
About this vendor
Fr. Chris Yaw
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (4X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
One of the greatest determiners of your happiness in life is the person you chose to marry. This magical, spiritual and love-filled choice of forever partner should be reflected in your wedding ceremony.
This means, that the special individual who conducts your wedding, who sets the tone, who provides caring oversight to the cadence of the flow, who officiates your ceremony is of prime importance.
After all, weddings are not simply a chance to celebrate the union of two lovers, but to give honor and thanks to the One who brought you together. Marriage is a deeply spiritual experience, and one that needs to be valued as such in ways that are comfortable, open and inclusive for your guests in celebration of what God has done in making two lives, one.
My name is Reverend Chris Yaw, ThM, MDiv. And my passion is bringing couples together in Christian marriage. In my 20 years of ordained ministry I’ve celebrated dozens of weddings domestically and internationally. I find few things as satisfying as bringing peace and calm to an admittedly stressful day, and allowing the light and joy of Christ to shine through two lovely people, enjoyed and celebrated.
I am happy to orchestrate themed weddings, same-gender weddings, and destination weddings. My services also include pre-marital counseling which helps deepen your relationship and offers the precious opportunity to create a bespoke ceremony weaving in your relationship story, family history, faith, and future dreams.
I truly love getting to know the couples that I have the privilege of marrying. Do not be surprised if we become longtime friends. This is more than a job for me, it is a vocation, a sacred calling to witness and to bless one of life's most sacred moments.
Please review my website for additional details, reviews, and rates. And if you sense that we are a good match, drop me a line, I would love to meet you and help you in your journey.
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Hall of Fame
Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.
Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding
Meet the team
Fr. Chris Yaw
Owner
Weddings are a celebration of life's greatest relationships. If you want a joyful celebration where a couple is affirmed and blessed - by God, me, and all your guests - then you might like a wedding that I officiate. Before being ordained as an Episcopal priest some 20 years ago, I worked as a journalist. I have two Masters degrees in theology and enjoy telling the 'good news' of God through the love of newlyweds. I am married to the world's greatest wife, have 3 children, and am grateful our cat allows me to live under the same roof.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.0
33 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Reviewers rave that the officiant is warm, charismatic, and personable, delivering heartfelt, highly personalized ceremonies that guests still praise. He offers thoughtful premarital counseling and rehearsals, blends faith traditions smoothly, and remains calm handling last‑minute challenges. Couples highly recommend him.
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
Devyn R
5.0
Rev. Chris was phenomenal! He is so organized and helpful. He also has an amazing speaking voice and really brings so much energy to the ceremony. He is also very flexible to the t...
ype of ceremony you want. No matter your beliefs, he is there for you and supportive. We couldn't have picked a better officiant.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Devyn! You are so kind - it was such a treat to work with you and John. I am so looking fo...
rward to remaining in touch over the years as your journey continues!
Kaitlyn C
5.0
Having Father Yaw officiate my husband and I’s wedding is one of the best decisions we have ever made. Our ceremony was seriously the best wedding ceremony I’d ever been to. I know...
I’m biased since it was our wedding, but everyone came up after raving about how fantastic the ceremony was and was convinced we had known father yaw for years! He is a fantastic speaker and an amazing preacher. We spent many afternoons prior to the wedding getting to know father yaw and we were so impressed by him and knew he would be fantastic. We are honored that he married us and feel so blessed to have crossed paths with him. If you are looking for an officiant whose ceremonies are personal, intentional, funny, and memorable, look no further. He is the best of the best! We will surely be going to mass at his church as we were so moved by him!
Any questions?
Jacqueline J
5.0
Father Yaw was truly phenomenal and we feel so lucky that he was the one who married us! From the very beginning, he made us feel comfortable, supported, and completely at ease. Ou...
r ceremony was beautiful, personal, heartfelt, and full of warmth.
He has such a special presence and a wonderful way of connecting with people. Both of our families absolutely loved him and continued talking about how amazing he was after the wedding. He made one of the most important moments of our lives feel even more meaningful, and we will always be grateful to him.
We cannot recommend Father Yaw highly enough. Any couple would be incredibly lucky to have him officiate their wedding!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
What a joy to officiate for Jackie and Chase - they're a great couple and I look forward t...
o seeing you again soon - and keeping in touch as your marriage grows from strength to strength!
Karen G
5.0
Thank you Father Yaw for making Jack and Kaitlyn's wedding ceremony so extraordinary! Although we were faced with many obstacles that day...massive storm, smoke from wildfires, los...
s of electricity at the venue..your comforting presence helped us through it all with warmth and humor. This was truly the best wedding ceremony I've ever been to and our guests agreed! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping to make this day so memorable and special.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
OMG! What kind words! I couldn't have asked for a better bride, groom, parents, relatives,...
friends, etc. You all were amazing and I will cherish this time with you all, always! Thank you for being so wonderful.
delbert M
5.0
Extraordinary ! We felt Father Yaw was a part of our family. His warmth, humor and readings embraced us with feelings of God`s blessing. He made a once in a life time experience ...
one to last a life time memory
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
What a wonderful couple you are! It was a complete delight and honor to preside over your ...
nuptials. At 81 and... close to 81 you two are the poster children for resilience, joy, and steadfast devotion. Here's to the next 81!
Jordan W
5.0
We had an absolutely wonderful experience working with Chris as our wedding officiant. His premarital counseling was thoughtful, sincere, and truly impactful—he guided us with wisd...
om, warmth, and genuine care that helped strengthen our relationship and prepare us for marriage. We are incredibly grateful for everything he did for us and would wholeheartedly recommend Chris to any couple looking for an officiant who is kind, attentive, and truly devoted to making your day special.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
You are too kind - and you guys are so wonderful - I wish you lived closer, I'd love to se...
e you more often! I am looking forward to many anniversaries for you guys!
Alexandra J
5.0
We are so fortunate to have had our paths cross with Father Chris. He officiated our Wedding at Meadow Brook Hall on 9/6/25. From our very first meeting with him and throughout the...
marriage prep classes he made us feel at ease and took the time to really get to know us as a couple. He guided us through the process with warmth, patience, and so much kindness, making everything feel meaningful. Father Chris is extremely intentional and intellectual when it comes to navigating both marriage and faith.
The ceremony itself was beautiful and was personalized to reflect our love and values. His words were so thoughtful and many of our guest told us afterwards how touched they were by his messages. He made us and our guest feels so present and grounded in the moment. We couldn't have asked for a better officiant and are looking forward in continuing to attend Father Chris' church services at St. David's in the future.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
What a fantastic time we enjoyed! You guys are an amazing couple and I am so blessed to ha...
ve been able to do this work with you - thank you!
Gyonyi N
5.0
Father Chris was a wonderful Godly man to marry us. He was kind, patient, and truly enjoyable to speak to. Communication was prompt and easy. Father Chris was a blessing to us on o...
ur wedding day.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Gyoni! Thank you so much for the kind words. Working with you and Phil was simply magic - ...
I can't wait to see what's ahead for you two.
Hannah L
5.0
Fr. Yaw is wonderful, amazing, funny, smart, charismatic and hands down the best choice for officiant! We did a small chapel ceremony, and from the very start Fr. Yaw made us feel ...
incredibly comfortable and at ease. From the pre-ceremony sessions to the ceremony itself, he was so supportive and walked us through all of the details. Honestly, he stole the show at the ceremony- our guests could not stop talking about how great he was! We even overheard, "I would go to church every day just to listen to him." His ceremony felt so personalized to us, had beautiful messages, and we could not have appreciated it more. Highly, HIGHLY recommend Fr. Yaw!!!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Thank you so much Hannah - you and Andrew are simply the best - and I am looking forward t...
o keeping in touch. It was an honor and privilege to spend time with you and your amazing supporters!
Harrison O
5.0
It was such a pleasure having Father Chris for our wedding. We first started speaking to him about a year out and everything was handled with such grace and care. Our pre wedding c...
ourse with him was brilliant and I felt he really made the effort to get to know us and help us in our wedding and relationship. He did a rehearsal the day before which was super fun and got us all prepared for the day. On the day he provided so much support, and help relieve any nerves we had, so we could enjoy the ceremony. The ceremony was so fun and personal to us which really meant a lot. I would 100% recommend him to anyone getting married!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
You and Maria are an amazing couple and I will always treasure our time together. Your fam...
ilies and friends were even more warm and inviting than I had imagined. You two have such magic together and I can't wait to see how that magic multiplies!
Megan H
5.0
Fr. Chris is the BEST. We had the privilege of getting to know him for a while before wedding day and he is such a kind soul. He is relaxed, funny, charming and someone we genuinel...
y enjoyed getting to know! He really took the time to get to know us and tailor our ceremony to our story. He helped bring peace to us during the stress of planning and my husband and I truly felt even more connected after speaking with him. He also improved my connection with God - I've always been Christian but life got crazy and I felt a bit lost for a while. I needed this to really build my relationship back up with God and find comfort through this whole process. Im excited to become more involved in church going forward thanks to Fr. Chris. Thank you for everything :)
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
What a great couple you and Mike are! It was such an amazing time we had - the entire proc...
ess of getting to know one another and discovering the great, great gifts you guys have. I wish you all lived closer, but know I am keeping you close to my heart - even from afar!
Phoebe D
5.0
Fr. Chris yaw is the absolute best! We thoroughly enjoyed our pre wedding sessions we had with him. They helped my husband and I grow even closer together. Fr. Chris is very person...
able and funny! Many laughs were shared at our wedding between my husband and I along with our guests. Everyone raved about him. You are very lucky if able to have Fr. Chris officiate your wedding! Best decision we made.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Phoebe!
I so enjoyed getting to know you and Jesse! And your family is absolutely terrific...
. Thank you for allowing me into this most intimate circle of friends - and of course your ceremony. I look forward to seeing you soon!
Shawn V
5.0
Fr. Chris was absolutely amazing as our wedding officiant! He’s not only incredibly personable and easy to connect with, but he also went above and beyond to help us create a meani...
ngful, blended-faith ceremony. His thoughtfulness and consideration truly stood out as he worked closely with us, dedicating so much time to understand us as a couple and sharing wisdom about marriage in general. His guidance and warmth made the entire experience so special, and he’s someone we truly admire. We couldn’t recommend him more highly!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Shawn and Anushka - This was one of the most incredible weddings I've ever been blessed to...
be a part of! I will never forget your creativity, attention to detail - and the wondrous blending of your families! I still wear the hat your dad gave me Shawn and look forward to getting together with you guys when you come to town. You are an amazing couple
Jonah W
5.0
Fr. Yaw was a dream to work with throughout our time together. He officiated our wedding with great care and was eager to accommodate however he could to make our day as special as...
possible, I would happily hire him again!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Jonah you are too kind! You and your bride were a complete joy to be with - it was such an...
authentic ceremony and theme - I can't thank you enough for the opportunity to play this role in your lives!
Emily T
5.0
Chris was a warm, intuitive and thoughtful officiant. He understood our relationship quickly and helped us navigate our marital journey.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Thank you so much Emily. It was a delight working with you and Bob, you're a sensational c...
ouple.
Matt K
5.0
Fr. Chris Yaw was absolutely phenomenal as our wedding officiant! He was incredibly personable, making us and our guests feel warmly welcomed, and his touch of humor added just the...
right amount of lightheartedness to our ceremony. We couldn’t have asked for a more engaging and genuine presence to lead our special day!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Aw, Matt, thank's so much - you guys are an amazing couple - so talented and generous. I w...
ish you years of delight!
Carey K
5.0
Fr. Chris Yaw was truly incredible and made our ceremony really special! His 1:1 workshops with us beforehand did a great job of preparing us for our big day and married life ahead...
. He is knowledgeable, passionate, and has a great sense of humor that makes you feel like you've known him your whole life. Thanks for making our day so amazing, Fr. Chris!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Carey, what can I say - you guys are such a natural couple - and your wedding was filled w...
ith love and delight before I was ever involved - a real joy to be with you in that special place!
Madison M
5.0
Ft. Chris was everything that we imagined- relatable, trusting, wise and funny! Our wedding wouldn't have been the same without him.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Madison! Thank you so much for the kind words - you guys are a sensational couple and what...
a privilege to do this work with you. Thank YOU!
Samantha G
5.0
Working with Fr. Chris was so wonderful! Not having a church in the area, we wanted to find an officiant that made us comfortable & help us take the next steps in our relationship....
Fr. Chris was so kind & helpful. Our meetings with him made us feel so positive & excited for our big day! All of our family & guests also loved his personality & his attendance as our officiant at our wedding. He truly helped make our day perfect!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
You guys are the best - what a blessed time we had at this fabulous venue - the only thing...
more beautiful was God's gift of love between you two.
Collin S
5.0
Father Chris elevated our wedding ceremony to an unforgettable experience. His warm and charismatic presence immediately put everyone at ease, creating an atmosphere of joy and lov...
e. Father Chris seamlessly blended traditional elements with personal touches, crafting a ceremony that felt uniquely tailored to us as a couple. His eloquent words and genuine enthusiasm for our marriage resonated with both us and our guests, leaving a lasting impression. We are incredibly grateful to have had Father Chris as our officiant, making our wedding day not only beautiful but also spiritually meaningful.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Collin and Savanah - Thank you for such wonderful words! You guys are an amazing couple an...
d God is using you in invaluable and irreplaceable ways - I am so thankful to have met you and be in touch! Thanks for the opportunity!
Jasmine C
5.0
Fr Yaw was personable, fun, and lively. He even helped us to think about how to approach milestones in the future while reminding us to be present. The day of the wedding he checke...
d in and made sure both of us (bride & groom) had an understanding of the ceremony.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Jasmine - what a joy to be with you! I really enjoyed getting to know you and am looking f...
orward to hearing great things about the road ahead!
Priya K
5.0
Father Chris did an amazing job with our ceremony! He really took the time to get to know us as a couple and as individuals. My husband and I were raised with two different faiths ...
and are not necessarily the most religious. Father Chris gave our ceremony the best balance of traditional and non-traditional elements and it was beautifully personalized! We still have family members talking about how much they enjoyed the ceremony over a month later! Thank you Father Chris for the perfect wedding ceremony!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Priya - thank you for entrusting me with these truly sacred moments. I learned so much bei...
ng with you and will always remember your kindness and generosity.
Brittany G
5.0
Preparing for our marriage and working with Chris to officiate our wedding was truly one of the best decisions we made throughout the wedding planning process! Fr Chris is the best...
- he's extremely knowledgable, kind, professional and helped make our wedding ceremony so special. We knew we wanted our wedding officiant to help make our marriage ceremony Christian faith-based, yet also personal and authentic to us. Chris did exactly that and more. Leading up to our wedding we met with Chris multiple times in person, even as an out-of-state couple! We met for multiple pre-marital sessions that were incredibly thought provoking, helpful and also allowed us time to all get to know eachother. Chris' homily day-of was a perfect blend of Christian teachings, personal to us and humor - exactly what we wanted. It was so special to us and we received countless compliments on our ceremony from our friends & family. I'd highly recommend working with Fr Chris to officiate your wedding!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Thanks so much Brittany! You and Connor are a delight and I look forward to staying in tou...
ch as your relationship continues to grow.
Monica & Marco C
5.0
Marco and I cannot begin to express our respect and gratitude for Fr. Chris. His gentle, fun, and wise nature made us excited and comfortable as soon as we met. His blessings over ...
us were so special because of who he is, not what he is. We enjoyed his company so much. Most importantly the most beautiful ceremony.. the one we dreamed of. Thank you Father Chris. I cannot wait to share the photos we have with you. We are blessed to have found you.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
You guys are the best! I will never forget the great conversation - and the bread! Looking...
forward to keeping in touch.
Ellen B
5.0
We are so grateful that Father Chris agreed to officiate our wedding. Father Chris was flexible and accommodating as we had a “surprise wedding” with 150 guests. The event was su...
pposed to be a Couples Shower. Father Chris, was of course, in on the trick. An hour into this party, all were gathered around for a toast & a blessing. Then boom, the big reveal, this was actually the wedding! Father Chris helped ensure the wedding went smoothly, it was a beautiful ceremony. Father Chris has a great sense of humor and kept things moving along at a nice pace. So thrilled he officiated our wedding!! Mark and Ellen Buday
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
What an amazing event this was! I've never seen such a surprise pulled off with such grace...
and elegance. You guys are the best! See you soon -
Maureen D
5.0
Father Chris was wonderful! He married us 2 years ago and has periodically reached out over the past two years to check in. He is super genuine and we appreciated the role he playe...
d in our ceremony.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
You are so kind. I really enjoyed getting to know you - and the ceremony was fantastic! Lo...
ok forward to cheering you on from the sidelines as your marriage grows!
Julie C
5.0
Fr Chris is a MUST for your wedding day! He spent the time to get to know us and it came through in our ceremony!! He made sure it was a perfect day.
He not only created the ...
perfect ceremony, but he provided guidance as we prepared for our lives together! Fr Chris is a gift!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Julie - thank you so much. It was an absolute delight to work with you guys through the un...
ique dynamics at play. I can't wait to toast you guys at Sylvan Table - and look forward to keeping in touch!
Mia D
5.0
Fr. Chris was our wedding officiant for our October 2022 wedding. We originally had our wedding planned of August 2021 but COVID had other plans. Despite having to reschedule, Fr. ...
Chris was incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the whole process. He went above and beyond to make our ceremony special and personalized to reflect our personal beliefs and us as a couple. I would definitely recommend having Fr. Chris be your wedding officiant. Thank you again, Chris!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Mia! Thank you for such kind words. You and Cameron are an amazing couple and are destined...
to do great things. What a privilege to officiate in such an iconic venue with such a loving crowd. What a gift it was to your mom and family!
Meghan J
5.0
From our first meeting with his as a newly engaged couple we knew that he was the perfect person to marry us! He has a way with connecting with everyone in the room and makes every...
one feel special and involved! So many friends and family have come up to us and have told us how beautiful the ceremony was and how personal it was to us as a couple. We are so grateful for Fr. Chris! Thank you for making our wedding day so special!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Thank you so much for the kind words Meghan! You guys are such a joy to be with - I was th...
e one blessed here.
Matt M
5.0
Father Chris was awesome! Just a great guy through and through. Attentive, personable, caring, and insightful from the first day to the last. Chris worked with us extensively to en...
sure there was a personal touch to our wedding and not just a color-by-numbers, one size fits all approach. We couldn't be more grateful for the care and love that Father Chris showed us from the first time we walked through his door, to the final walk up the aisle!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Matt! What kind words. Marrying you and Julia was an unforgettable experience. The Packard...
Proving Ground reception was brilliant, but what else from such a creative couple? Looking forward to crossing paths again soon.
Christopher D
5.0
From the moment we asked Fr Chris to marry us, to the “I now pronounce you Man and Wife” moment, we were thrilled with our decision to have him officiate our wedding.
Step One ...
was counseling. We had planned on this as well and Fr Chris offered some do-at-home tasks in addition: Question and Answer games to entice deep conversations about real life situations. He made it fun and he made it meaningful. We continue learning about ourselves and each other today.
Step Two was the ceremony. Churches, temples and society all have traditional ideas of what the ceremony should be. Our ideas were different. Within those restraints, Fr Chris made our ceremony very personal and just a bit outside the box.
Step Three is follow-through. The several hours that fly by on wedding day are only a flash of what marriage is. The lessons learned prior, the inquisitive discussions later, and an always open ear make our relationship with each other a growing process. Fr Chris always shows interest in how we are doing as a couple and on our own.
I can’t say enough how thrilled we are that Fr. Chris personally took care of the spiritual, (and some of the legal) parts of our wedding.
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Chris - What amazing words here - thank you. As you know, I am such a fan of you and Ellie...
. You created such a unique and personable ceremony. I look forward to many more good times together!
Sara K
5.0
My husband and I loved having Father Yaw as our officiant. He was the perfect blend of religious and laid back. He really got to know us and made us feel special. Everyone at our w...
edding raved about how good he was
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Thank you Sara! You and David were an absolute joy to work with. I can't wait to see what ...
God has in store for your marriage.
Devin N
5.0
Fr. Chris was an incredible addition to our wedding planning process and wedding day. He went above and beyond to get to know my husband and I in the months leading up to the weddi...
ng. He was flexible, responsive, inclusive, caring, and genuine in his approach. We will remember Fr. Chris's homily for the rest of our lives - it was personalized and touching. I would wholeheartedly recommend any engaged couples work with Fr. Chris for their wedding!
Response from Fr. Chris Yaw, Wedding Officiant
Aw! Such kind words. I will always remember this beautiful wedding - not to mention the te...
nnis court rehearsal! I know the good times will go on and on for you and Teddy.
