About this vendor
Congratulations on your engagement! And thank you for considering Harborlight Weddings to provide you with attentive, creative, professional ceremony planning and officiant services.
With over a dozen years of experience uniting happy, diverse couples, Harborlight's professional officiant, Kurt M Denk, has the perspective and expertise to do the listening and legwork it takes to craft a unique ceremony that celebrates who you are as individuals, and who you hope to be as a married couple. Whether you desire a simple elopement, a tasteful secular ceremony, or a signature event composed of personally meaningful cultural, spiritual, or religious traditions, you'll benefit from Kurt's attentive focus on you, your story, and the message you want your wedding to communicate to those gathered in celebration of your love.
All ceremonies are personalized, and no two Harborlight Weddings ceremonies are alike. Reach out to explore ideas, discuss flexible ceremony format options, and get answers to your questions. Couples of all backgrounds and beliefs are welcome and respected, and I am happy to co-officiate for those planning eclectic or interfaith ceremonies. Whatever your vision, it will be a privilege to work with you to create a beautiful, joyful ceremony that hits all the right notes!
Details
Business Attributes
- LGBTQ+-owned Business
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Planning
- Se Habla Español
Religious Affiliations
- Christian
- Interfaith
- Secular
- Spiritual
Wedding Activities
- After The Wedding
- Newlywed Life
- Getting Engaged
- Premarital Counseling
- Wedding
- Ceremony
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
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5
out of 5.046 reviews
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We started our officiant search late, but it worked out for the best because we were introduced to Kurt, and we couldn't imagine anyone else officiating our wedding! It was so great to work with Kurt - he listened to the different aspects we wanted to incorporate in our ceremony and prepared a truly thoughtful and welcoming event for us and our guests. From our first meeting Kurt guided us through the different components of the ceremony, helping us tailor each one and provided guidance when we were unsure. It was a really wonderful experience and we absolutely recommend working with Kurt!
Kurt was recommended to us by a close friend when our original officiant (family member) wasn't able to perform our ceremony last minute. As you can imagine, it was a stressful time! When we connected with Kurt the week of our wedding we were immediately put at ease and are SO thankful that he was available to help us out and officiate our wedding ceremony! Even though we were in a time crunch, Kurt put a beautiful and thoughtful ceremony together for us and brought many unique ideas to the table that we hadn't considered. Kurt is the absolute best and if we could do it all over again we would have avoided the drama and hired him in the first place!
Choosing Kurt to Officiate my Wedding was the BEST decisions I made.
Kurt was attentive, caring, loving, personable, and made the wedding process run smoothly. I can honestly say that he became a good friend and was able to truly connect with me and my husband.
I would TOTALLY recommend Kurt to any couple wishing to get married. Kurt was an amazing addition to my WEDDING.
We cannot recommend Kurt highly enough! From day one, Kurt worked with us to plan the perfect ceremony -- no easy task during Covid -- and truly got to know us in the process. From recommending a blend of modern and traditional rituals, to being a calm, steady presence on the day -- we cannot imagine anyone else officiating our wedding. Our ceremony felt incredibly special and personal, and that is all thanks to Kurt's thoughtfulness and kindness. Thank you, Kurt!
We were amazed at what Kurt could do; he has a true gift! In only a few virtual meetings, Kurt was able to write the ceremony we envisioned. He personalized it down to the tiny details and made us feel unique. Kurt has a calm and delightful personality that will make you feel less nervous and more comfortable. He can even write a great joke or two that will make the ceremony even more memorable. We were thrilled to have Kurt officiate our wedding and all of our guests agreed he was wonderful!
I cannot say enough nice things about Kurt!
Working with Harbor Light Weddings was a dream, we were lucky enough to work with Kurt Twice, because we had a small covid wedding and then a big ceremony with all of our friends and family this past May!
Kurt was one of the big highlights of our wedding day, all of our guests were engaged and we couldn't have asked for a better officiant.
Before we were postponed Kurt took the time to really get to know us individually and as a couple, so his officiant reflection of us was perfect!
I also want to point out how responsive and accessible Kurt was as a vendor. His professionalism made our experience seamless.
Highly recommend.
My husband and I found Kurt through the wedding planners at A Central Park Wedding. We chose Kurt because of his sincerity, passion, background, and organization that came through on his website and during the first virtual call. Kurt was sincerely interested in our story and shared a little bit about himself throughout the process. Kurt's experience helped us customize a beautiful, secular ceremony, but most of all, Kurt's organization and patience allowed us to reschedule the ceremony and adjust our wedding party (due to the pandemic) without any hiccups. Kurt's attention to details and ceremony script made us feel very comfortable going into the big day. We are very grateful to have met Kurt and have him officiate our ceremony. We highly recommend Kurt.
We are beyond grateful to have had Kurt as our officiant. Not only is he relatable, funny, and professional but he's also an all-around awesome and genuine person to work with. He helped us navigate our ceremony with ease and was always prompt to respond when we had questions. When we weren't sure what to do, he came to the table with great ideas, and made the ceremony planning process fun and engaging - zero stress! Our family and friends loved him at our ceremony and he truly felt like part of "the gang". We couldn't have asked for anyone better and are SO fortunate to have had him officiate us. Kurt, if you read this, thank you again for all of your support. You are a champion of your work and we hope to see you around the neighborhood! - Julia & Justin
Kurt is a wonderful officiant, and a joy to work with! The script he crafted was exactly what my husband and I were looking for (traditional but also a little personalized to us as a couple). Kurt is professional and knowledgeable, and he set the perfect tone for the occasion. We were so happy with our ceremony (my family also raved about Kurt), and now there are such great memories of our wedding. Having Kurt officiate was THE best decision. Thank you for making the day absolutely enjoyable and special!
On 9-27-20 Kurt Denk married my husband and I. He was super professional and patient from start to finish, I can’t thank him enough. He made every moment of the ceremony count. His words and vision was seen way before the ceremony in only his drafts of how the wedding would look. The day of the wedding I was super impressed and emotional. It was everything. I can’t thank him enough for binding our love in such a magical and spiritual way. We are forever grateful. Book him nowwwwwww, no regrets. I found him through my wedding planner christa with Central Park weddings! FullSizeRender.jpg
Kurt was a fantastic officiant. He was very experienced in helping us write our own wedding vows and suggested some wonderful verses to make our ceremony more meaningful. We really recommend him.
Amazing experience! Thank you Kurt for your dedication and compromise. We had a meeting with Kurt few days before the wedding to organize the ceremony and work on the script together. He was very helpful with suggestions and very open to our ideas.
The ceremony was unforgettable, his words were very deep and emotional. Also, he officiated the ceremony in English and Spanish! We highly recommend Kurt. He made us feel unique and we will never forget this moment.
Gracias!
Andres & Fede
Kurt was an exceptional officiant for my wife and I when we got married on 8/22. If I could highlight a major qualities that won us over with Kurt, it would be patience. After we were in touch with Kurt to plan the initial "run of show" for the big day, we experienced the impact of the pandemic in having to drastically change our plans. He was patient in waiting to hear from us with our new adjustments to the big day, being extremely flexible with rather last minute additions as well. Also, despite our date change moving two months from June to August, Kurt still made the effort to serve as our officiant. It is a testament to his character that he had a vacation that same week and, if I recall, returned that morning and officiated the wedding that afternoon. A true gentleman. I would recommend him to anyone.
I couldn’t have been more lucky to have Kurt as our wedding official. He was very thoughtful, and professional down to every detail. I highly recommend Kurt Denk!
Irma Y
We are very thankful to have chosen Kurt as the officiant for our wedding. Our wedding ceremony and reception was originally scheduled for this April, but has been postponed due to Covid-19. We still knew we wanted to have a simple ceremony this spring/summer when it was safe to do so. Kurt was very patient, understanding and helpful during this confusing pandemic period, as we went back and forth on potential dates and trying to figure out our marriage license situation. He was quick with responding to our inquiries and made himself available in such a short notice, supportive and worry free. We finally settled on a new date. Kurt outlined a great ceremony for us to work with and let us adjust the format as needed. During our simple ceremony, Kurt’s positive and warm presence helped make our day a very special one that we’ll always remember. Thank you for making this process as smooth as possible. We could not be happier with Kurt as our officiant, he is one of the best there is.
Update Summer 2021:
Our wedding day finally came this past July, Kurt was amazing and spoke with the perfect tone during the ceremony. The pacing and the content of the ceremony was flawless. After the ceremony, my guests were complimenting how wonderful he was! All in all, Kurt was amazing to work with from beginning to end, especially during a pandemic that caused us to change our date twice. He certainly took the stress out of things and made the wedding process easy. Thank you Kurt!! You made it exactly the way we wanted it: relaxed, intimate and above all special!
Our original international wedding plans were cancelled due to COVID-19. I found Kurt online and he was quick to respond to our inquiries. During the video consultation Kurt was very detail oriented in his communication, always made sure that our questions were answered and the things we wanted were addressed. Kurt was also very patient in giving us time to figure out things when we were not sure what elements to include/exclude in the ceremony.
My now husband and I are pretty easygoing and knew we wanted to keep our ceremony simple. We felt connected to Kurt from the beginning and he is so kind and professional. We had to change our plans because of COVID-19, but Kurt was extremely patient, helpful, and accommodating. Because our ceremony included just immediate family, we all had the chance to chat and it was such a pleasure to have him be apart of our day. We would recommend him to anyone without any hesitation . Thank you Kurt for making everything so easy!
We are so happy that we chose Kurt Denk as our wedding officiant. Kurt was the first officiant we spoke to and when we chatted with him on the phone, we instantly knew he was the one for us!
Our wedding situation was definitely a unique one being in the midst of a global pandemic. When we decided to postpone our big wedding, Kurt was extremely supportive. We also wanted to elope in the city with our families and he was very helpful with guiding us through obtaining our marriage license online through Project Cupid and then planning our ceremony via video chat and emails.
He was also so patient with us because all our plans were up in the air for our elopement due to Covid. It was tough for us to decide on a proper outdoor location and to make sure our families felt safe and comfortable to attend. We didn’t have a concrete plan on our location and time until the week of our elopement, but the entire time Kurt was warm, kind, and extremely patient. Thank you again Kurt for bearing with us!
We cannot recommend Kurt enough! He is a true professional. Honestly, would give Harborlight Weddings 10 stars on here if I could!
We can’t wait to have Kurt do our vow-renewal exchange next year.
DEAR KURT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MAKING OUR WEDDING IN MARCH THIS YEAR WAS A WONDERFUL DAY
My wife and I were very happy we choose Kurt! He helped walk us though the ceremony and paperwork process, gave us exactly what we wanted for the ceremony, and was a wonderful officiant. After the wedding he followed up with us to confirm that the court had received our paperwork (which he mailed in for us, taking something off our to-do list). If he's available for your wedding date I'm confident he'll make you as happy as he made us.
My now husband and I were extremely happy with Kurt! Prior to our wedding ceremony, we really got to know him and he took his time out to speak with us multiple times to ensure accuracy and specificity to what we wanted for our ceremony. He was punctual and professional and we felt very comfortable with him. His personality was very easy going and he was so easy to work with. He confirmed with us prior to the ceremony and also the day before, which I really was happy with. I definitely would recommend Kurt to officiate your wedding! We have all good things to say of him!
I couldn't fit in one review all of the wonderful things Kurt Denk provided to make our wedding so special! Hundreds of accolades ran through our minds, and it all came down to this: if you're looking for a caring, extraordinary wedding, Harborlight Weddings is the ONLY sure way to go. Look no further! My family enjoyed how Kurt's personality exudes happiness - it was as if another family member was with us to enjoy and partake in the festivities. We love his free spirit and wish we could do it all again and again! Thanks for all you have done to make our wedding dreams come true. Harborlight Weddings is your ceremony officiant for trusted professionalism!
Words cannot begin to describe how happy I am that I chose Kurt for our ceremony, he was truly a blessing through the whole process. I found Kurt while looking on the Knot for officiants, sent a message and received a quick response to set up a phone meeting. After speaking with him for those 15-20 minutes, my husband and I were sold that this was the person to choose. We worked closely with Kurt through the whole planning process. We had one face to face meeting with Kurt at a local coffee shop, where we discussed what we were looking for in the ceremony, our interests, and important aspects that we wanted included in the ceremony. I received the first draft not too long after this meeting and we were completely blown away. Just from the first draft we knew we definitely made the right decision. Due to my husband and I having busy work schedules, Kurt and I worked mainly through email and phone calls, sending drafts back and forth with edits until we reached our final draft. We did decide to let Kurt surprise us with part, and I highly recommend couples to do this. His words were so beautiful and added so much to the love that we were trying to capture through our ceremony. Kurt, Josh and I will forever be grateful and remember forever your beautiful words and beautiful ceremony. Thank you for truly capturing that “it’s all about love.”
We're a french couple who gets married in NYC. Kurt helps us to achieve this wonderful dream. His kindness and disponibily were great and we really enjoy this special moment with him.
Kurt with Harborlight Weddings was, by far, the most organized person in our entire wedding “team” of vendors and venue employees. He works to craft your ceremony based on what YOU want, and doesn’t try to force you into options that you don’t want (unfortunately, a lot of vendors are going to try to do this to you). Kurt’s level of preparation (along with our input) resulted in a beautiful ceremony, for which we received many compliments, that had a lot of our own “personality” in it. We had readings in English and Spanish, because my wife is Hispanic, and Kurt did some announcements and parts of the ceremony in Spanish! When we did our own vows, Kurt was a huge help, reviewing our vows through multiple edits. For the ceremony, Kurt provided a great summary speech about us as a couple. He really got to know us! Some people cried during his speech! Kurt’s knowledge of our ceremony paired with his organization came in handy too - when our maitre D was lining up our wedding party incorrectly during rehearsal, and didn’t have the proper details...Kurt had the details and took over the rehearsal , so that the rehearsal could go quickly and smoothly.
As my wife and I discuss who we would cut and who we would keep if we did it all over again, Kurt is in our top 3 “keeper” category. We really can’t recommend him enough.
Thank you, Kurt, for making our wedding the most unforgettable experience of our lives. You are an incredible person, with great charisma and professional even in the smallest details so that everything is perfect. Your command of English and Spanish made you the best of all. We congratulate you on the organization and let us participate in the choice of texts for our exchange of vows.
Kurt was absolutely amazing! He was so easy to work with, Nick and I didn’t have a clue as to how we wanted our ceremony and Kurt really broke it down step by step, was in constant communication, and made sure we got the absolutely most perfect ceremony. I couldn’t have asked for a more magical and beautifully done ceremony. Thank you so much Kurt for being a part of our amazing day!!
Kurt did a wonderful job for my husband and I. I felt connected to him since our first phone conversation. Very attentive to our wishes and a total professional. We highly recommend him.
Kurt was amazing!! He made our whole experience and wedding day the best we could of had. He was so helpful with ideas and we loved his passion to make our day the best. Thank you Kurt for going above and beyond to make our day special :)
LOVED Kurt! He was amazing, professional, and personal! We told him exactly what we wanted for our ceremony and he set the tone perfectly..and then some! He is easy to work with and is very responsive (which is important when you are dealing with multiple vendors)! We are still getting so many compliments from family and friends about how fun and "not boring" our ceremony was. Thanks for everything Kurt!!!
My wife and I felt a natural connection to Kurt during our first phone call. He carefully considered our requests while also offering us great insight on how to tailor the ceremony. In addition to Kurt's thoughtfulness, he anticipated the small details and accommodated unexpected changes—even sending a variety of tie samples to complement the bridal party's attire.
Upon our first meeting, Kurt instantly felt like an old friend. He is a natural conversationalist who holds a genuine interest in his clients' lives. One of the highlights of our day was listening to his eloquent sermon. Kurt is an articulate public speaker with perfect diction and a soothing voice; qualities we believe are paramount in officiating a marriage.
Although we requested a brief ceremony, we invited him to enjoy the cocktail hour as our guest; and though he had a commitment later in the evening, he gave our guests his undivided attention. Perhaps the most special moment of the evening was when Kurt renewed our grandparent's vows in an impromptu ceremony, without hesitation. This act, above all else, exemplifies who he is. Kurt values his participation in your wedding; he understands how truly special the occasion is and will do what's possible to help in celebrating your love.
If you are planning a wedding and wish to be treated like a dear friend, and not a client, we wholeheartedly recommend that Kurt officiate your marriage.
Kurt Denk amazing choice for wedding officiant. He came to our home to plan the ceremony: we look at his photos and choose his wardrobe , we went true every detail with wording and we’re very happy with results. We cannot think of better Wedding Officiant than Kurt.
Kurt was an excellent wedding officiant. He was easy to get a hold of and it was quick to get a preliminary appointment to get the ball rolling. His fees were very reasonable, he answered all of our questions, and all in all he was a pleasure to work with. He was also well dressed at the ceremony and we were happy to have him in pictures with us too. We highly recommend him!
My husband and I are glad that we worked with Kurt. From the beginning till the end, Kurt simplified the whole wedding process for us. He was always available both on phone and emails for any query or last-minute changes, that we had. He was also very sensitive about the whole wedding process, and respected different view points and accordingly gave suggestions. He is friendly, respectful, professional and responsive, all at the same time. We both are very glad to have worked with him. Thank you, Kurt!
Kurt went above and beyond our expectations for an officiant. When our plans to marry at NYC's city hall fell through, my fiance and I were left in a bind. Using The Knot, we were able to find Kurt and he was able to officiate our ceremony with only 2 hours notice! Not only did Kurt save the day, he was also personable, professional, and thorough to boot! Could not have asked for a more seamless experience. Cannot recommend Kurt enough. Thanks again!
Kurt was a true professional, but was also incredibly kind and made our day so special and personal. We are so glad we got a chance to work with Kurt and to have him be a part of our special day. Thank you so much, Kurt!
Our officiant Kurt Denk was excellent and professional. Made our wedding ceremony in Spanish language, made my family very comfortable in particular my mom who didn’t speak a lot of English as well as my husband. It was a very cold day on Pebble beach in Dumbo Park Brooklyn. He gave our ceremony a very personal touch. He accommodated and waited for us as we were running a bit late coming from Great Neck Long Island. My husband and I were very happy about this unforgettable beautiful ceremony and memory of our wedding. We would recommend Kurt any time. Thank you Kurt, blessings to you and your family. We will never forget. Sincerely Mr. and Mrs Stanleey Rodas.
So many of our friends and family members genuinely agreed that our wedding was one of the best they had ever attended. Much of the credit belongs to Kurt for the effort he devoted to making our ceremony as special as it was. The time he spent meeting with us and his guidance leading up to our big day helped us plan a wedding tailored to our wants. His commitment to creating a ceremony that was personal to us -- and his unique ideas that involved the closest members of our family -- made the day even more memorable. In the years since, we have re-watched our wedding video on several occasions, and each time are reminded of how Kurt's eloquent words and caring style captured and displayed exactly who we are as a couple and what makes our love for each other so special. It was a love-filled day for all who were present!
When we look back on our wedding day, both of our families (both sides!) recall what a perfect day it was— thanks in large part to Kurt. Kurt was always my first choice for our wedding officiant, because he is so thoughtful and sincere. At first Kurt had a conflict and gave us a few other names to potentially help us out on that day, but when none of those options worked out, Kurt came to the rescue. He moved Heaven and Earth to figure out a way to officiate our wedding, and was instrumental in orchestrating the details of a complicated affair. We had a fusion Hindu/Catholic wedding with two officiants, because both families felt strongly about having equal representation. Kurt helped us navigate some rough waters to create a beautiful, personal and meaningful ceremony that focused on unity. He steered us toward symbols and themes prevalent in both Hindu and Catholic faiths. He even made himself available in the days just before the wedding to help us clarify the details of the ceremony, including finalizing vows and tricky transitions. My husband and I will always look back fondly on that beautiful ceremony, our favorite part of our wedding, because of Kurt’s guiding hand.
Having someone like Kurt to guide us through the ceremony process was a blessing. Our wedding was a bit DIY and planned in under 8 months, so it was particularly helpful having someone reliable and experienced to support us through the most important part – the ceremony! Kurt is both organized and open. He thought through all of the little details for us, while helping us discover for ourselves the right style for our ceremony. He provided us with a template to get started. This was great because it took the heavy lifting off our shoulders while giving us inspiration to modify the language and flow to suit our personalities, preferences, and beliefs. Kurt is a natural: attentive and calming, with a confident authority that makes you realize you’re in good hands. He helped bring our ceremony to life, and we would confidently recommend him to any couple.
Kurt worked tirelessly to make sure our wedding ceremony was personalized, full of love, and inclusive of all of the people and things that matter most to us. He made us feel as though it was a collaborative process and helped us find the perfect readings and prayers to convey the message and commitment we were making to one another. Kurt is warm, funny, kind, intelligent, spiritual and has the biggest heart. He engaged our family and friends in the process and in the day to make it a truly memorable ceremony. It was the celebration we had hoped it would be thanks entirely to Kurt. Wedding guests still tell us it was the best wedding ceremony they have ever attended.
When we reflect on the elements that made our wedding ceremony so significant, Kurt's officiating is paramount. A substantial relief during our engagement and planning, he adeptly elicited the unique array of perspectives, traditions, beliefs, and logistics we represented as a couple, and with utmost wisdom, helped craft and deliver a ceremony that seamlessly reflected them all. We conducted our final planning from overseas without complication, and Kurt tightly orchestrated his personal travel to arrive in time for our rehearsal and wedding day. His wit, impeccable delivery, and calming presence on the day were immeasurable gifts to us and noted by all of our guests. We are forever grateful for his direct hand in making our wedding such a sacred, intimate, fulfilling experience -- one which we will forever cherish.
It's easy to recommend Kurt as an officiant because he made our ceremony so easy to prepare and perform! Since this was a second marriage for both of us, we knew we wanted something less traditional. With Kurt's invaluable guidance, we enjoyed exactly the marriage ceremony we wanted but could not have had without him. He provided a range of options after initially meeting with us to discuss our general ideas. He then pieced together the entire ceremony based on our input. We felt like he knew exactly what we wanted and was always willing to make adjustments as the day approached. Reliable, prompt and easygoing, Kurt was a calming influence for our wedding day jitters too! He is now a wonderful part of our memory of the day.
Happy memories of our 2011 wedding still resonate today as we recall the role that Kurt played in making our wedding ceremony so special for us. Kurt took a friendly, personal interest in our story and helped to create a unique ceremony that captured the essence of our loving relationship. Kurt is personable, warm, and focused with just the right balance of seriousness and humor. His sincerity and attention to detail were deeply appreciated and gave us confidence that all would go well during the ceremony.
We were so honored to have Kurt officiate our marriage, and cannot thank him enough for being a part of our wedding day. We asked Kurt to travel all the way to France for our destination wedding, and when he accepted we could not contain our excitement, knowing we would be in such good hands. Kurt, is very thorough, and prepared. We had no idea where to start, but he immediately put our minds at ease and navigated us through the entire process helping create the vision for our ceremony, and the message we wanted to convey. He spent hours preparing to make every element perfect, including tailoring our ceremony to have both American and Turkish traditions. On the day of the wedding his calming and patient demeanor eased our jitters so we could be present and enjoy the moment. Our family and friends walked away from the ceremony feeling an overwhelming amount of love and emotions with his beautiful portrayal of our love story! Kurt exceeded our expectations, and has created memories that will last a lifetime.
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Harborlight Weddings | Kurt Denk, NYC wedding officiant's photos