The DC Marriage Knot - Equally Wedding
About This Vendor
Serving all loving couples in MD, DC, VA
Congratulations on your engagement. I'm excited that you checked out my profile. If you're looking for an officiant whom you can connect with, without feeling intimated or uncomfortable; you have found one. I have officiated more than 1500 ceremonies with raving reviews. Therefore, I understands the needs of the couples I serve. Creating ceremonies that reflect their vision, is what I love to do. I am always honored to share my expertise and experiences in hopes of eliminating any frustrations or surprises on the wedding day. My company provides secular, spiritual, and religious ceremonies to all. We also provide marriage license processing by proxy for our DC couples and photography sessions (through our sister company) for our eloping couples. If you're ready to book, lets talk.
Details
Business Attributes
Black-owned Business, Woman-owned Business
Ceremony Types
Civil Union, Commitment Ceremony, Elopement, Interfaith Ceremony, Non-Religious Ceremony, Religious Ceremony, Second Wedding , Vow Renewal Ceremony
Religious Affiliations
Buddhist, Christian, Protestant, Quaker, Interfaith, Muslim, Pagan, Secular, Spiritual, Unitarian, Wiccan
Wedding Activities
Premarital Counseling, Wedding, Ceremony
Awards and Affiliations
Pricing for The DC Marriage Knot - Equally Wedding
Browse The DC Marriage Knot - Equally Wedding's pricing PDF for sample services and estimates.
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The DC Marriage Knot - Equally Wedding Reviews
4.9 out of 5.0
95 reviews
5 Star
96%
4 Star
3%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
1%
A great experience from start to finish. Rev. Burns is a wise and wonderful person. We had a great counseling session with her, the planning sessions were effortless, and she gave us many options to personalize our ceremony. I highly recom...
mend her!
Starlene was amazing! She was so responsive, we felt comfortable with her right away. After a few minutes it felt like she was a friend we'd known for years, she really understood what we wanted to include in our ceremony and what she wrote for...
us was perfect. She even made some suggestions that we hadn't thought about, but really made the day extra special. Her personality and energy really made the ceremony more than we were hoping for and special for all the family members that attended. Thank you Rev. Burns for giving us lifelong happy memories of our wedding ceremony!
Response from the Vendor on 05/28/2022
Hi Christine, Thanks for the wonderful review. I will always remember you and Aric. BTW, I had good luck after your wedding. Hoping it does not stop.
Rev. Burns was our officiant for our wedding in August 2021. She was absolutely amazing. She confirmed her attire with us and made sure it coordinated with our theme/colors. She provided us with preparation documents and was truly thoughtful wi...
th her words for the ceremony. We had a few virtual meetings with her before the wedding and her personality just shined! The “day of”we had a lot of equipment overheating due to the rising temperatures; unfortunately, Rev Burns’ ipad was one of the casualties, but due to her professionalism and preparation, she completed the ceremony from memory without any issue at all! We felt she was genuinely happy for us and would highly recommend her as anyone’s officiant.
Any questions?
Where do I start? Rev. Starlene Joyner-Burns was a perfect fit from the very beginning. My wife was the one who found her and she was our first choice. We promptly sent a request for an initial consult which was scheduled efficiently and ver...
y conveniently. After the first meeting virtually, we booked her! She helped us in acquiring our license in a timely manner with updates and reminders throughout the process. As the process went on,she volunteered to come to our rehearsal dinner to help facilitate the activities which was a LIFESAVER. Also asked which attire she should wear to match our decor! We were so impressed and definitely recommend her for ANYONE getting married! She was professional, friendly, helpful and proud to be a part of our wedding! We are so thankful for her!
Working with Starlene was amazing: easy, breezy and fabulous! My husband and I met with her to get to know each other and she took all of it and drafted a sweet and simple ceremony. On June 1, 2021 we had our zoom wedding. It was just perfect, ...
Starlene made sure our children were included and engaged. Thank you, Starlene! We appreciate you so much!
Reverend Joyner was very easy to work with and is really personable!
She was exceptionally wonderful, she was more than on time, she was patient, very nice overall she a people person
We had a TERRIBLE experience with DC Marriage Knot. We paid $500 for the White Ribbon Ceremony Package and none of our expectations, per our contract, were met. Her communication was terrible, I frequently had to follow up and re-send emails t...
o get a response, and her responses were always short and curt which made me feel like a nuisance. Not once did she offer to meet with us or even video chat (which we were entitled to per contract) despite my request for an in-person meeting which was ignored. She made absolutely no effort to get to know anything about us as a couple and I'm certain that she did not know who I was every time I contacted her. She sent a questionnaire that we meticulously filled out but it was evident that she did not read it. Once I sent her our ceremony selections, she sent us back a ceremony draft that did not have a SINGLE one of our selections in, it was a disaster. When it was finally corrected, I emailed her about an error that I had made in one of the selections. I do not how many times I told her that we were doing a non-religious ceremony and the vow selection was all about God. She responded saying she couldn't understand why the whole ceremony was secular but "God took center stage in the vows." Why on earth she wouldn’t have just asked me about it is beyond me. We lost all confidence in the DC Marriage Knot and are extremely disappointed with how our ceremony was handled. We ended up pushing our wedding to a new date on which she was not available, so we were able to terminate the contract and I’M SO GLAD we were able to have someone else officiate because the experience with her was so negative and did not want her there.
Response from the Vendor on 08/17/2020
Hi Amy,
Thanks for your feedback. Unfortunately, Covid19 played a part in many weddings this year being rescheduled more than once. Even though, I did not serve as your officiant, your experience is still very important to me.
I do kee...
p all email communications. Looking back; you never got back with me regarding your virtual meeting request. And I never questioned it. I also never questioned you about your ceremony selections. I did bring to your attention that your vow choices did not match your civil ceremony.
I regret reading that our communitication was terrible. Therefore, I will admit, that I use a management system to keep my thoughts organized. And I refer to a couple's electronic file when I receive an extemporaneous phone call. This helps me to recall our past dialogue.
I am happy that you found someone who made your day wonderful. To avoid a future bride or groom ever feeling the way you do, can you share what I can do to improve my business.
Honest feedback is acted on immediately.
Sincerely
Reverend Burns was a delight to work with. We had decided on a last-minute intimate ceremony with just our parents in attendance. We didn't know much about what to expect on our special day, but Reverend Burns helped us pull it all together....
We wanted to jump the broom but realized we had waited too long to order our own. Gratefully, she was able to lend her personal broom to us - and it was gorgeous! Our intimate ceremony was divine thanks to her. I would highly recommend Reverend Burns if you appreciate working with someone experienced in officiating all types of ceremonies. She provides the type of guidance one needs when planning a meaningful event like a marriage, even when you don't have much time to plan.
We made the right decision getting Rev. Starlene as our officiant. From the beginning, she was so kind and understanding especially on our wants. She took time to get to know us as a couple before sending us a draft of the ceremony. She also m...
ailed us a copy of her workbook that contains all the information we need along with a guide on how to create personalized vows. My husband and I however decided to just go with one of her pre-made vows since it resonated with us. On the day itself, the ceremony started on time. She conducted the ceremony in such a heart-felt way that even the guests felt it. Most of them approached me during the reception to say that the officiant was so good. She also stayed even after the ceremony and interacted with our guests. I find this to be a nice gesture and also, she didn't make us feel rushed. The marriage license was mailed right away as well. Over-all, such a wonderful experience! I suggest you call her right away and you'll feel the warmness in her voice throughout the conversation.
So perfect! Rev. Starlene was exactly what we were looking for. She was great to work with and would highly recommend her to anyone looking to have a custom wedding from a great officiant.
So glad Starlene officiated our vows. We eloped, and she was a tremendous help. Loved having her guidance. Starlene was wonderful. She made our Wedding Day just what we wanted. Highly recommend. 💗
My partner and I were looking for premarital counseling and an officiant for our wedding. We found Rev. Burns online and when I tell you that was one of the best decisions we made. She did an amazing job listening and giving us the tools we nee...
d to have a successful marriage. She delivered a wonderful message at our wedding our guest loved her delivery as much as we did. We plan to keep her close for along time.
Rev Starlene was very professional and helpful in the planning of our ceremony. She made us feel very comfortable with sharing the story that led us down the aisle. She obviously loves what she does and takes pride in doing a great job. I would...
definitely recommend her!
Rev. Starlene Joyner Burns, what can I say...she was GREAT. She was punctual and efficient with handling our civil ceremony. Our ceremony was very brief, but her positive energy and uplifting attitude made us cherish the moment even more.
Reverend Starlene Joyner Burns was amazing to work with from the pre-wedding consultations all the way to our special wedding day! She was always available to answer any questions that we had about our ceremony and communication on the day of (...
she had two weddings to officiate) was perfect. She provided everything we needed to plan our ceremony with several options to chose from and allowed us to customize some sections as well. Rev. Burns was extremely professional but also very fun to be around and kept us relaxed throughout the process. I would highly recommend her for anyone looking to have a memorable wedding ceremony!
My husband and I were married on 3/16/2019, and we both loved working with Rev. Burns. We had actually scheduled with her a few months prior, but decided to hold off for a while. When we were finally ready, we provided a short week-of notice fo...
r our wedding date, then had to change the date again because we wanted to include photography and needed a date that it would not rain. Rev. Burns was friendly and professional even with our last minute adjustments. I still do not know why my husband was so anxious to be married so soon, but in any case, Rev. Burns worked with us as we let her know what we envisioned for our private elopement at Union Station, and she provided suggestions for a couple of props that would look amazing in our photos.
Working with Rev. Burns on the day of was actually a really fun experience. She is a real, down-to-earth person and is very easy to talk to. She made us feel at ease every step of the day, from our ceremony to our photography session. She made us laugh and smile often with her personality, which was a huge plus. Our ceremony was beautiful, and the photos she took were beyond what I would have ever expected. Although we chose a private elopement ceremony with just the two of us and Rev. Burns, we wanted it to be memorable and special for us, and we had given her a general vision of what our larger wedding would have looked like when we were planning that. She understood our vision and ran with it, and we are still so glad that we chose to do it this way. The privacy and intimacy of the day is part of what made it even more special to us. It was just perfect. We could not have chosen a better officiant for our day.
Starlene was great during the whole process!. Communication was very quick, through email and text and we even talked a couple of times on the phone. She made sure she pronounced correctly both of our names, asked us about the type of ceremony ...
that we wanted and incorporated our few suggestions without any issue. She got to the place where the ceremony took place with plenty of time, explained us in detail what to do if we ever needed a copy of the certificate and the ceremony was beautiful and sweet. I’m so glad we chose her to be our officiant, an absolute professional. Thanks Starlene!
Rev. Starlene Joyner Burns was considerate and assisted us in deciding the type of wedding that would work for us. She took time to ask pertinent questions that made our ceremony feel as though she knew us for years. That special touch made a...
ll the difference. She made all of us feel at ease. Rev. Starlene handled the marriage license and literally everything went off without a hitch! (Well, we were now hitched, but wasn't that the goal!?) Thank you for a perfect wedding!
Response from the Vendor on 04/27/2019
Such a great review. Thank you.
Reverend Starlene Burns was absolutely amazing! Due to extenuating circumstances, my (now) wife and myself found ourselves in need of an officiant to conduct our very last minute wedding ceremony. Rev. Burns graciously accepted to conduct our ...
ceremony on only three days notice, working with both of us to craft a personalized ceremony at a local outdoor venue special to us. We really appreciated having the opportunity to personalize our wedding, despite the tight time constraints, as we were able to have our ceremony in our favorite location, during our favorite time of year, and with our favorite people (with several joining us via FaceTime). Rev. Burns officiated our ceremony with grace and class, and we would happily recommend her wedding services to anyone in need of them.
When we decided to get married only 4 months after our engagement, I had all these decisions to make but when I came across Reverend Starlene Jones, she put my mind at ease. Her great personality, and professionalism, was a blessing to work wit...
h. She designed a perfect ceremony for us and made our day one we will never forget! We gave her a "Best Wedding Officiant Ever" mug and this truly depicts our experience. Thank you.
Response from the Vendor on 01/27/2019
Thank you. I love my cup!
Rev. Burns was the perfect officiant for my wedding. She has a lot of experience and advice to help make your day special. She did a wonderful job and everything went seamless on our wedding day. I highly recommend Rev. Burns to help make your...
big day complete and worry free.
Rev. Burns officiated our simple civil ceremony on September 7, 2018 at the DC War Memorial. She provided a script ahead of time that we were encouraged to edit as desired. She incorporated our edits without question and suggested the placement...
of two poems that we wished to be read during the ceremony. I spoke with Rev. Burns one time and we met her as a couple the week before the ceremony. She was punctual to our meeting and to the ceremony. She has a great sense of humor and style! The ceremony turned out just as we had planned and it was just what we had intended. Rev. Burns took care of all the official paperwork afterwords. I would highly recommend Rev. Burns.
WEDDING 9/6/18 RENEE & LATOYA MELVIN
It really took me a while to write this review only, because I truly wanted to be able to say all the right words to truly express my gratitude and appreciation to Rev Starlene Joyner-Burns. I decided to ju...
st speak from my heart...
My Wife and I met with Rev Joyner-Burns and completely connected with her, she really took the time to get to know us a couple and individually. So much that I called her one night really late, a couple weeks before the wedding in tears about an issue and she talked with me and truly took the time to comfort and give me helpful information of how to get through what I was going through with compassion. Our ceremony was so beautiful the words, prayers that was spoken over my wife and I lives and union, I use that prayer every night. The ceremony was one of the best moments of my wedding. Our love for each other was truly embraced. Rev Joyner -Burns was such a joy and we were truly grateful that God director us to her and she was able to bless our blessing. She embraces love because that what she is.
Response from the Vendor on 09/26/2018
Thank you. This review means a lot to me.
Starlene Joyner Burns was amazing at developing the ceremony for our quaint wedding. We had an out of the way location and she was very flexible. Her creation of our ceremony was beautiful. I have since framed the ceremony to help us remembe...
r the beautiful words and vows that we (under God) entered into. Thanks again for everything!
We lived in Nashville, and we always wanted to get married to DC and Starlene made everything so easy to plan and process. Thank you so much! You made our DIY wedding experience amazing!!!
-Dione & Chris
My husband and I had a New Year's Eve (12/31/2017) ceremony at a friends studio. She came highly recommended for this event and I am very thankful for the recommendation. She provided a questionnaire for us to complete and her website answere...
d a lot of my questions ahead of time. We exchanged texts a few times and we also could have Skyped, met in person or talked over the phone, if needed. She provided the ceremony details ahead of time and my family felt the words were exactly meant for us. The delivery of the wedding was superb.
Had a fantastic experience with Rev. Burns. She was supper supportive and accommodating to our needs and services. The ceremony prepared by her ha beautiful and simple. Highly recommended!
So, I found Rev. Starlene by doing a google search. Not sure what I put in but it was something about having someone come to you to perform the ceremony. A few other options came up, but Rev. Starlene's page stood out from the rest and after ...
perusing her website, I knew she would be perfect. And she was. She was personable and knowledgeable and flexible and reassuring.
She was able to craft the ceremony to exactly what my now-husband and I were looking for. She had such a good vibe about her and though we met for the first time the day of the ceremony, I felt like I knew her and she knew us.
Whether you have a wedding with a huge bridal party or you're like me and have a small ceremony without all the bells and whistles, she can deliver. I would recommend her ten times over.
Rev. Burns is truly sincere in the services she offers. She worked with us and made suggestions during our planning. On the day, she was patient and very calming! Couldn’t ask for a better officiant for our ceremony and the photo session afterw...
ards. Thank you sincerely from both of us!
Reverend Burns was absolutely amazing. Not only did she help us to craft a beautiful ceremony, but she was phenomenal to work with and the guests even commented on how great she was afterwards. You can't go wrong with her. Highly recommended!
Rev. Burns was absolutely amazing. She was such a pleasure to work with leading up to the wedding and surpassed all expectations for the ceremony itself! She worked with us to make it “our ceremony”. Her presence is both confident and caring an...
d put us both at ease. So many of our guests came up to us during the reception and since the wedding asking about her and commenting on her wonderful ceremony. I would highly recommend her to anyone.
Rev. Starlene, We are very grateful of the all service, you provide to us the happiest day of our live .
You are amazing thank you again for all you did for us.
God Bless you
The first time I talked to Rev. Burns I knew in my heart I had to have her. She's super sweet and very professional. I felt very comfortable talking with her like talking to and old friend. Rev. Burns wanted to know all the details and even sug...
gested some really good ideas. The workbook she gave us really helped us put out wedding ceremony together. Rev. Burns is always available to talk morning,noon or night. She kept us informed with all of her details. I really enjoyed working with Rev. Burns and I recommend her you will not be disappointed. I have no complaints my ceremony was beautiful. Thanks Rev. Burns you are the best!!!!
Rev Burns was fantastic. She delivered exactly the ceremony we wanted, she was so easy to work with and very professional. We would highly recommend her. All our guests had compliments about her as well!
Rev. Starlene was just amazing, very professional, attentive and a joy to work with. Her ceremony was wonderful and our guests loved her. She is an absolute must hire!
Rev. Starlene Burns was an awesome officiant and an amazing photographer! My husband and I had previously been looking elsewhere but the costs were extremely high, and none of the packages fit what we desired. We found her work (skeptical from ...
the very good reviews we read) and decided to give her a try; best decision we've made thus far! She was super kind and patient with us, and she made us feel very comfortable during the process. Her welcoming spirit allowed us to fully enjoy our moment the way traditional couples enjoy theirs. Would definitely (and already have!) recommend her services. Rev. Starlene Burns made our day a very special one!
From the moment that I first contacted Reverend Burns, my experience was phenomenal. After our first conversation I felt like she had our best interest in mind, and was able to offer suggestions to fit our needs. Her Knowledge of the D.C. area...
allowed us to find the perfect location to be private, but still near the beautiful Cherry Blossoms. The weeks prior to the wedding Reverend Burns was in contact with us regularly through Phone calls, email, and text. Her flexibility in communication made it so that we never missed any information and were always up to date. I could not recommend her more highly, and I hope that anyone considering working with Reverend Burns will take the opportunity to give her a call as soon as possible.
Reverend Burns provided great service. She is organized and professional. She knew what was needed and was highly responsive and attentive. Her expertise made us feel comfortable and reassured. She was flexible and generous in spirit. A great p...
erson to have at such a critical part of life's journey!!!
I am so glad I found Rev. Starlene Burns!!!!
She made my dream wedding come true, it was one of my memorable and best days of my life. I was browsing the internet looking for someone to marry us and venues and I found Starlene Burns webpage, I ...
loved everthing I was reading, all what she was offering and reading and looking at her page gave me feel good vibes, secured to finally have found her for my wedding.
Rev. Starlene Burns is very nice, professional, chill, cool and caring person.
All my family and guests loved her, me and my husband loved her too, she is amazing and wonderful, helped us in everything, answered us fast and always made us feel happy and secured. Rev. Starlene Burns has a kind heart, she is a good person, and I wish her all the good luck. We highly recommend her, it was a great experience having you in our wedding. Thank you very much for everything Rev. Starlene Burns!!
We met with Reverend Burns more than one year before our wedding, and given our blending of faiths between families, she was the perfect choice. She was patient with us as we created the ceremony from her workbook as well as making our own adj...
ustments, and was timely and fun to work with on both our rehearsal and wedding day.
Reverend Burns was wonderful. She met with me and my fiance twice before the wedding via Skype, talked us through options for the ceremony and gave us very good advice, and then was particularly helpful during the rehearsal with her warm, calm ...
manner. So glad we found her!
Amazing! She was very helpful. Provided professional, amazing and fast service. Maked my day even more special.
We had a simple ceremony and Rev.Burns was fantastic! She put together the perfect ceremony for what we wanted. We highly recommend Rev. Burns if you are getting married in the DC area!
She's a very sweet person and easy to deal with and can even go the extra mile ,I enjoyed and would like doing business with her in the near future .
Rev. Burns was always available to answer questions and extremely flexible (when we kept changing the date). We appreciate all of her help. I would not hesitate to recommend her.
My husband and I were recently married by Rev. Starlene Joyner Burns, and we were very impressed with her quick, easy and reliable service. She is a very wonderful and professional person. Rev Burns is perfect!!
Rev. Burns happens to be one of the most pleasant people I've ever experienced. She was considerably accommodating and professional. I would definitely refer friends room her in the future.
Rev. Burns helped us to make our special day very special and we deeply appreciate her very kind attention.
From start to finish our experience with Rev.Burns was the best! She was so helpful, and kind. It took the stress out of finding an officiant as soon as we spoke. The day of the ceremony she arrived with the best presence and attitude to keep e...
verything during the ceremony running smoothly. It all went off without a hitch and we couldn't be happier that we found her! Thank you a million times, Rev. Burns!!
We had a wonderful experience with Rev. Burns. Not only did she respond to our email immediately but she was able to meet with us the same day. When my husband and I met her, we knew we were going to have a great experience. She was very warm a...
nd personable and we could tell that she was going to capture 'us' during our ceremony. She was very accommodating to our needs and gave wonderful advice for our ceremony. With our wedding being a few weeks away, we were on a tight schedule and Rev. Burns was efficient and timely. She lit up our ceremony and all of our guests commented on how great she was. If you want an unforgettable experience you should definitely have Rev. Burns as your officiant!
I am so glad we decided to go with Rev. Burns for our ceremony (8/5/16). I initially contacted Rev. Starlene Burns back in February shortly after proposing to my now wife. I read wonderful reviews on Yelp and decided to request a quote. Rev. Bu...
rns replied within an hour. Starlene explained that she is available via Skype, email, telephone, and in person. She was very professional and friendly. She answered all of our questions and even provided recommendations. She explained the importance of parking at the venue (downtown) due to baseball games and traffic jams- things that never crossed our mind. We placed our wedding plans on hold for some time.
Fast forward to June- we contacted Rev. Burns and explained that we would like to move forward with her. We immediately picked up where we left off- no questions asked. Rev. Burns sent us a useful questionnaire inquiring about our love story, individual preferences, and specific wedding details. Starlene provided a helpful link to her website, which answered many of our questions. It also set the expectations for the days leading up to and wedding day.
Let’s fast forward to wedding day on 8/5/16. My bride was getting dressed in the bridal suite when I entered the venue. Rev. Burns greeted me with a warm welcome and hug. This set the tone for the evening. I explained that I had no idea what to do and how everything should go due to my nervousness. She kindly told me step-by- step what should take place and reassured me that everything would be fine. Although Rev. Burns had emailed a copy of the ceremony draft- that draft did NO JUSTICE to how she spoke to our AND our guest’s hearts. Not just the words, but also the tone(s) she used. She spoke with so much passion. Our ceremony was truly amazing and we cannot thank Rev. Burns enough. Our guests are still saying how wonderful Rev. Burns was and they want her at their wedding. Starlene held the key to make our fairytale a reality. If you are looking for a compassionate, friendly, funny, down to earth, and knowledgeable officiant- Look no further and contact Rev. Burns RIGHT NOW :-)
Response from the Vendor on 01/10/2017
Wow! That was a wonderful review. Thank you so much for sharing.
I loved having Rev. Burns as our officiant. I felt at ease about using her services the first time we spoke over the phone. I love how she took the time to find out the story behind me and my (now) husband’s relationship and incorporated that i...
nto the ceremony. She gave great advice and tips regarding the ceremony, provided us with a customized ceremony script which we could read over beforehand and alter if necessary. She also helped us tremendously during our rehearsal. She performed an intimate and moving ceremony. I had family members come up to me, telling me how great she was and that they loved and agreed with every word that was said during the ceremony. I highly recommend using Rev. Burns as your officiant. Thank you Rev. Burns!
Rev. Burns is fantastic! I can't recommend her highly enough. I came up with this harebrained idea to fly to DC to get married and she was on board. Moreover, I wanted to sneak into the garden at the Cathedral and she gave great advice on we...
might best do that (mid week, after they closed, etc.) and everything went off perfectly. We emailed several times to get an idea about what we wanted said in our ceremony and why type of ceremony to have. She is also able to get your certificate for you which I recommend. I happened to be in town and picked it up but it would have been so much easier to have Rev. Burns do it for us! Sweet, sweet woman!
Rev Burns is awesome!!!! I was sweating bullets as my new husband started me down at the alter and Rev Burns did a phenomenal job at relaxing me and making the event fun for me. Rev Burns also went over and beyond during a time where my fiancé ...
and I where struggling and was about to throw in the towel. She is truly Godsent and had it not been for her me and my husband wouldn't be married today!!! Much love to Rev Burns from Kenneth Taylor-Sutton
Rev. Burns was an absolute joy to have as our wedding officiant! She was kind, friendly, and flexible throughout our planning process and wedding. All our meetings were great; she is so personable and really tries to get to know the two of you ...
as a couple. She guided us through our ceremony script and custom tailored it to what made us comfortable. She was also easy to reach, whether it was by phone, email, or Skype, and went with the flow on our wedding day. She is an amazing speaker and I couldn't have asked for a better ceremony! Simply by talking to her in one conversation you would know that she is highly experienced and completely professional -- I would highly recommend her to all brides and grooms.
My wife and I needed to schedule a wedding in DC on short notice from San Diego. We found Rev. Burns through the internet and she was able to help us, providing suggestions and working with us to prepare a great wedding. A short, moving ceremon...
y in a lovely location. I would recommend her for anyone wanting to get married around DC area.
Rev. Burns was amazing. She took the time to get to know my husband and I, and I feel like she really nailed it with the ceremony. It fit perfectly with what we were looking for, and she definitely went above and beyond. We felt so comfortable ...
working with us, and was very patient with us through the entire planning process. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Rev. Starlene Joyner Burns was incredibly nice and enthusiastic. She made us feel very comfortable and laughed along with us which made us feel like she really enjoyed being their with us for our special moment. She was very prompt and professi...
onal beginning to end. She was extremely efficient with all the paper work. I would recommend her to everyone!
Due to last minute changes my appointment at the courthouse was cancelled. Found Rev. Burns online and she was very professional and courteous. She was able to save my weekend and perform the ceremony for me at the last minute. She communicated...
with me and made sure that my ceremony was one to remember. Thank you so much Rev. Burns
I had a short wedding at the last minute due to craving everything at the laSt minute. May I just say wow! Rev. Burns knows what she's doing. I just loved it. Very nice and willing to work with you. Thanks so much again!!:)
Response from the Vendor on 04/06/2016
Thank you so much.
Rev Burns was amazing. She gave a warm, personal ceremony all while being funny and engaging. She made our day incredibly special.
Response from the Vendor on 11/10/2015
Thanks Janice, I enjoyed my trip to wine country VA. The view of seeing an old town, cattle, horses, and the old country store setting for antique shoppers, was amazing. I hope you photographer was able to capture images of the town as well a...
s you.
Rev. Burns was very delightful to work with. My wife found her on the Internet and I called and upon talking to her I was really comfortable. I had many questions as we travelled from AL to have our service in DC. She gave precise details an...
d kept in contact with me as time came closer. On our wedding day she made us feel comfortable and made our day perfect. We also had her as our photographer and the portraits that she took were great. She is a very kind open hearted individual and I would recommend her services to anyone. Thank you for making our wedding day as seamless as possible.
Response from the Vendor on 11/10/2015
Thank you, you were the first couple who actually talked about my photography services. It took a lot of training and monetary investments to call myself a professional photog. And I appreciate you recognizing that skill. I enjoyed working w...
ith you and your wife, and I love the photos.
Just in case you were doubting about the many positive reviews here, let me add that Rev Burns is amazing. My husband and I wanted to privately wed on April 1st. After countless hours of searching, I came across Rev Burns. At the time of the pl...
anning, I lived in MD while my husband lived in IL. Rev Burns was more than happy to assist us. She is everything one could ask for in an officiant. We communicated via phone and email. On our special day, we eloped outside the DC Courthouse. The sky was crisp and clear. She even took a few photos using my phone. We couldn't have asked for a better day. Thanks Rev Burns!
Response from the Vendor on 11/10/2015
Oh My God, I love this review. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and feelings.
It was my first time ever going to a wedding ceremony and it so happen to be my wedding. Rev. Burns was very professional through out the process and very helpful. She made a beautiful ceremony for me and my husband, and did her best to meet ou...
r wishes. I would tell anyone to use her services, especially LGBT community. I truly felt my money was well spent. Thank you again Rev. Burns.
Very Respectful,
James Hearn-Benson
Response from the Vendor on 11/10/2015
It takes a lot to get a review, and reading this one touches my heart, because I love serving all loving couples. And I love our LGBT people.
We came from Georgia to DC to get married. Rev Burns was exceptional. She was professional, courteous and efficient. I was extremely nervous about our elopement but she made us feel comfortable. The pictures she took came out beautiful
Response from the Vendor on 11/10/2015
This is another one of those reviews that touches my work on many levels. Thank you so much for taking the time out to share your sentiments with others. I look forward to being the best photographer/officiant out there.
Reverend Burns,
Was a pleasure to work with and provided my Husband and I a personal and intimate ceremony with a high level of professionalism. She made out day more special.
Thanks Reverend Burns
The D&L Mujiheed
Response from the Vendor on 11/10/2015
Love it. Thanks so much for allowing me into your live. Please keep in touch.
My husband and I wanted a low key ceremony. We needed an official who could deliver that and more. Rev Burns far exceeded our expectations. I was impressed by her knowledge and attention to details. She made our wedding day very special. I w...
ould Recommend her services to anyone getting married gay or straight. Mike&Panya
Response from the Vendor on 11/10/2015
Mike & Panya,
You made my life special too. Each couple I work with brings something into my life and business. Thank you for leaving such a wonderful review.
ev Burns was awesome and perfect for us. She was able to make us feel at ease and take over when our coordinator fell short.. She did a great job of incorporating subtle humor into the ceremony and helping us enjoy our day wholeheartedly. We ha...
d many of our friends getting married ask us about her services. We thought our service was very unique. It truly was perfect. It was really nice to be able to add our own touch to the ceremony and it was great having the opportunity to meet with Rev Burns a number of times before our wedding to go over details and build the perfect ceremony. She was very patient with us. Thank you so much for being so professional and making our day perfect.
Response from the Vendor on 09/16/2015
Wow! That review really touched my heart. I had to hold back a tear reading it. Thanks you for allowing me to be part of your day. You had a beautiful wedding. It was the only one I attended that had a waiting list.
We traveled to Washington DC to be married before it was legal in our state. Reverend Burns was able to help plan our ceremony via email. She was very knowledgeable about the laws and was very helpful in working closely with my husband to plan ...
a beautiful interfaith ceremony. I am so glad she was able to officiate our wedding. I can't imagine anyone else working as hard as she did for our happiness.
Response from the Vendor on 09/16/2015
Thanks for the wonderful review. I enjoyed serving you and your husband. And I'm glad we keep in touch through FB.
Rev. Burns is absolutely the best choice we made for our wedding. She is caring, attentive and strives to make it the best day of your life. Our wedding was just that. Thanks a million times over Rev. Burns. If your considering marriage definit...
ely consider contacting her, you won't regret it.
Response from the Vendor on 09/16/2015
It's hard to remember every couple whose ceremony I officiate, but I remember you. Thanks you for taking the time to leave this heartfelt review.
Reverend Burns was there for me when I knew he was "the one" and remained with me through the proposal, through a year of planning and she and I have remained friends after the wedding.
She really made not just the ceremony, but the whole e...
xperience, special. When my husband and I were anxious right before the wedding, she did a second "emergency" rehearsal in our hotel room. She went above and beyond.
Coming from Texas in 2012, I had to plan an out-of-state wedding. Reverend Burns made everything so easy, from the flowers to the music. I strongly recommend her as a minister.
Response from the Vendor on 09/16/2015
I enjoyed getting to know you and your husband during the planning of your DC wedding and now. Thanks for making me a part of your life, or this lovely review, and for including me in your list of friend.
Rev. Burns married my partner and me on April 25, 2014 at the Lincoln Memorial. Since we were traveling from Atlanta, we started making plans in November 2013.
I reviewed several Wedding Officiates in the Washington DC area. I gave my part...
ner a preferred sorted listing of Wedding Officiates to review. We do this as a practice to compare our research independently it helped us narrow to begin our calls on securing the most important date of our lives. I ask my partner who was his preferred selection, he picked Rev Burns. I also had picked Rev Burns as well because I felt a connection from her photos in the advertisement. God provides you the right resources, when need it. Rev. Burns provided all information promptly mailed us a contract so we can provide the deposit to lock in the date.
The ceremony was personal and designed for us. Rev. Burns gave us a folder that included our ceremonial vowels and the prayer of blessing for our marriage. When we meet with Rev Burns it was feeling like a reunion of best friends. To my surprise the week prior Rev. Burns married two of my friends from Birmingham.
We can’t express enough our humble heartfelt gratitude for Rev. Burns. She is divinely gifted, professional, and takes the time to understand your needs.
I encourage you to please consider Rev. Burns for your special day.
Thank you Rev. Burns for sealing our day with your blessings, love and inspiration. We will take this special day in our hearts forever.
Rev. Burns was totally awesome. We wanted a minister at the last minute and she was totally awesome. She worked with us not only on the type and location of our marriage but our limited budget as well. We could not have been more pleased (ok...
ay, we could have, our photographer had a medical emergency and bailed) but Rev. Burns was calming and great. Especially because I think we picked the hottest day on the face of the Earth to have an outside ceremony.
Thank you beyond words Rev. Burns!
Michelle & Kim
My partner and I meet Rev, Burns once and told her about us together and individually. She delivered the best and personal ceremony I have ever heard. I highly recommend her.
My fiance' and I searched for an officiant who would cater to our unique wedding and we found that service in Rev. Burns. After our initial meeting, she was able to customize our wedding to our specific needs. ( something not too preachy) She p...
rovided us with a workbook which serve as a great guide for us to plan the smallest details of the ceremony. Her dependability and promptness was a comfort during a stressful time. I highly recommend her service for a one of a kind experience.
Having planned to marry over 3000 miles from home we had to resort to the Internet to plan the fine details of our big day. Right from the start, Starlene's email responses demonstrated a caring and positive attitude to our strange requests. ...
We were very vague in terms of our location and timings etc so once we had decided to use Starlene as our celebrant, we embarked on a more detailed process of planning. From this point we had regular email contact and Starlene even volunteered a Skype meeting o enable us to chat face to face. This was a turning point as we got to see the very personal side to Starlene and the services she offers.
It was such an amazing experience planning our Central Park wedding from the UK and Starlene helped make this a very simple process.
When we finally met in person her outgoing personality and confidence in dealing with our event helped make the whole time pass very smoothly. It was an absolute pleasure to have Starlene oversee this instant moment in our life.
We would both have no problem recommending Starlene. She helped make our day very special indeed.
Response from the Vendor on 11/09/2012
James & David, I really enjoyed coming to NY to officiate your special event at Cop Cot and meeting you and your friends. I especially appreciated seeing your Scottish attire up close and learning more about the elements and meaning of your cl...
othing and culture. So thank you for taking the time to write this review and for expanding my world.
When my husband and I began to plan our small wedding at a B&B, we were looking for an officiant who would be able to create a ceremony that was meaningful. We definitely found that in Rev. Burns. She worked with us to create the perfect cere...
mony, and helped us develop every detail, even details we hadn't thought about. My husband especially appreciated Rev. Burn's straightforward approach. She was on time, well prepared and even took photos of our first dance together! Our wedding was unforgettable, thanks to Rev. Burns. We highly recommend her services. :)
Response from the Vendor on 07/14/2012
It was a pleasure working with you two. And Jonathan, I'm glad I ran into you at the 7-Eleven. Otherwise, I would have drove around in circles trying to find your venue. Thanks for the wonderful review.
We first met Reverend Burns on March 3, 2012 at the Panera Bread in Bowie. Rev. Burns was straight forward and to the point, and I appreciated her honesty. She was prepared for us to, right then, start the process, and had an official contract ...
on hand. She took notes the whole time and we had a good conversation.
After going home and thinking over everything, we decided to move forward with Rev Burns for our June 2, 2012 ceremony. I loved how she had the ceremony outlined and shared it with us for us to add our own personal touches.
The chapel we had our ceremony in had a specific time and date, given to us, for the rehearsal. The chapel would not budge the time or date when requested. We shared this with Rev Burns in our first meeting and she made a note of it. However, one cannot schedule the rehearsal date with her until a month prior. By then, Rev Burns was already booked. While that was very disappointing, no worries, she suggested a Skype date (we had a major car accident and lost our ability to travel in places not metro accessible. Otherwise, Rev Burns would have been happy to have us meet her at her home)! The Skype rehearsal went well and we discussed the ins and outs and what to expect. For the chapel rehearsal, our wedding coordinator stood in.
The day of the wedding, the ceremony was beautiful and Rev Burns added her personal touch. We had a wonderful day that day. Even though we had a family friend take our official pictures, Rev Burns also took pictures, which are now part of our official album.
Here were the issues:
-Rev Burns called me the morning of the wedding to ask me for the location of the wedding. She then asked me if we had a website with all the information on it, including directions, and notes on the parking situation (i.e., DC changed their parking rules a couple years back where Saturdays are still pay-the-meter days. We told everyone in advance to beware of this). One, we shared this info with Rev Burns back in March and she had it in her notes. Two, I did not appreciate being called the day of to be asked the location - it made me anxious.
-During the ceremony, Rev Burns called my now-husband the wrong name. I understand that Rev Burns does a lot of ceremonies, but with all her notes and having met with us in March and in May for the Skype rehearsal, she still called my now-husband BRIAN, not BYRON. She said it the first time and we thought she would catch herself. When she said it the second time during the ceremony, Byron turned to her to correct her. Sometimes, things can be an honest mistake, but this was our wedding day, and we hoped that, after sharing with her a number of times that his name is BYRON, that she would have it down. It's a small thing but it makes a difference to us. Rev Burns was very apologetic afterwards, of course, but it was in the moment, and some guests made mention of it as well.
I truly believe that Rev Burns has the heart for helping others and ensuring that a beautiful ceremony is affordable to all. I appreciate her for that. I think that some might mistake some of her straight-forwardness as impatience or something else. I don't believe that. I would like to thank her for everything, all the same!
Response from the Vendor on 06/30/2012
Thank you for taking the time to leave this thoroughly thought out review. Even though you received an apology from me; I believe I need to do more. I know how important it is to have ones name pronounced correctly doing the sacrament of marria...
ge. And I always rehearse intricate names for days to insure the deliverance and accuracy of them on such an auspicious occasion. Byron’s name offered me no challenges, so I did not have to practice it. However, a minor slip shows that I am human, and not an automaton. I thought my apology was accepted, but your review shows that it was not. I know how important rehearsals are as well, I have always insisted on being present at them. Rehearsals allow me the opportunity to work out any unforeseen problems including the pronunciation of names. And they allow me the opportunity to interact with the couple, the wedding party, and family on a personal level. For me there is no such thing as a Skype rehearsal. Skype puts me in the face of the couple so I can go over some of the logistics of the day. It does not afford me the opportunity to walk though movements, rituals, and the ceremony details. I was happy that you had a planner, because I knew you would be in great hands. When you shared your rehearsal desires with me at our initial meeting, you had an opportunity, after ascertaining that your rehearsal could not be booked in advance of 30 days of your wedding date (if it was held after 4:00 pm on Friday), to find someone more flexible. After all, you did not enter into a contractual agreement with me at our meeting. Regarding the notes I took, those notes had nothing to do with the logistics of your event or parking, but about your ceremony (religious, civil, spiritual, live music, DJ, photographer, videographer, ring exchange, vows, how you met story, etc.). My information sheet is what I was completing. Finally, every couple is important to me. Therefore, I make an effort to give each of them the time and attention they need to feel comfortable with me, my services, and our relationship. If I alarmed you with a phone call on your wedding day, its shows that you were never comfortable with our relationship. But the call was to ensure that your wedding day would be one that you would reflect back on with a smile. All couples who have not given me their marriage license prior to their event receive a courtesy call reminding them to bring their license. No one wants to hear “no license, no marriage.” And when I am unable to attend the rehearsal, I want to make sure that I go to the right place and not somewhere else, especially if the street address is omitted on the contract. In closing, I know your review will help someone, because it has helped me to improve on how SJB Ministries LLC does business. Early rehearsal bookings will be implemented immediately with a $150 non-refundable reservation fee (no date or time change allowed). And all names will be spelled out phonetically, even the simple ones. My old system for rehearsals (built into the fee) will remain in place, because some couples will have more flexibility on their rehearsal dates and times and might find the $150 fee excessive. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your special day, and I can only hope that one day you can truly forgive me for my unfortunate slip of the tongue.
The Rev. Starlene Joyner Burns was very helpful with suggestions on planning our small (just she and us) ceremony across from the D.C. Courthouse. The vows were short and sweet, and there was the added, and unexpected, bonus of some great photo...
s she took. She was very pleasant, punctual and in good communication with us before and after the ceremony. Highly recommended!
Response from the Vendor on 07/14/2012
Liam & Dan, thanks for taking the time out to share your experience with others. It means a lot to me. Blessings
We decided to have a last minute civil ceremony at our condo in DC after finding out that my father's health was rapidly worsening. We found Reverend Burns online and sent her an email inquiring if she could file our paperwork, bring it to our ...
home and officiate a small civil ceremony. She quickly responded and within 24 hours (beginning on the Sunday of the Thanksgiving weekend) we had received an emailed response, spoke to her on the phone, and completed all the necessary paperwork.
Reverend Burns is kind and thoughtful. She even suggested that my father walk me down the "aisle", which was the entrance to our roof deck. She kept us up to date with emails and she was prompt the day of the ceremony.
However, that is not what made her fabulous; my fiance told her our engagement story and she incorporated the tearing of a paper towel as part of the ceremony at the very last minute. It brought me to tears and the entire ceremony was perfect!
She also created a lovely program and had everything prepared in a folder for us to review. She really thought of everything, including the forms and envelopes to get certified copies of the wedding certificate.
I strongly recommend her services. She will not disappoint and will probably pleasantly surprise you!
Response from the Vendor on 07/14/2012
I was waiting to reply to this one, because I wanted to see the pictures from your public event and ask about your father. I hope all went well. And thank you so much for the review and inviting me to be part of something very special (your f...
irst wedding).
Rev. Burns is an absolute professional with a witty sense of humor and an amazing ceremony delivery style. Her ability to perform a simple, sophisticated ceremony that wasn't the typical canned presentation was sincerely appreciated not onl...
y by the bride & groom but our guests as well.
Thank you for adding to the joyful spirit of our event with your presence and your amazing talent. And thank you for giving us a lasting memory of your kindness and generosity.
Sincerely,
Elisha & Ka-el
My husband and I selected Rev Burns to perform our marriage ceremony after talking to a few others. The most important thing to us was that we and our family and friends were comfortable with her. Within minutes of meeting, she expressed her ...
belief in equality for gay and lesbian people and her frustration with other religious leaders who oppose equality. I enjoyed using her guidebook to write our ceremony, although she will do it for you if you don't want to. I think the revisions she made to my version were helpful. Rev Burns was gracious to our families and friends and several people remarked that they enjoyed talking to her at the rehearsal, reheasal dinner, and reception. The ceremony went off perfectly. I would certainly recommend Rev Burns for a wedding whether gay or straight.
Response from the Vendor on 10/07/2011
Andy and Greg, your words mean a lot to me especially since one mega Christian church in my area is now reaching out to partner with other ministries in an effort to help each other. My prayer is that they embrace the work I do in the LGBT co...
mmunity. Thanks again for the wine, can't wait to open it on Christmas.
She was the best officiant and I would recommend her for anyone!! She was extremely nice and I am so happy that I had her do our ceremony!! We had a problem with the original officiant we had and Rev. S.J. Burns was available last minute and wa...
s the best choice!
Rev.Burns was beyond exceptional. We had to travel to DC to be married and she made it so easy to make arrangements. We did not even have to be there anytime before the wedding. On the day of the wedding she was early and the cermony was beau...
tiful. She never stumbled over any words and it just flowed. The cermony I have to say was the most beautiful that I have ever seen performed and I'm not just saying that because it was my day. She can be trusted to get your liscenes and with your personal information. If you are planning to marry you should consider Rev.Burns. She will not disappoint you.
Response from the Vendor on 10/08/2011
Your wedding will always be remembered. I enjoy it when couples use my recommendations. And your wedding pictures were beautiful. You were such a great couple to work with. Asking God for more like you.
Rev. Burns was absolutey amazing! She had everything ready and really calmed our nerves. She did an awesome job.
Response from the Vendor on 10/08/2011
Pretty, pretty ladies. The food was great. Thanks Erin for inviting me to break bread with you and your family and eating all that meat. I thought they would never stop bringing food.
Rev. Burns was straight to the point, she doesn't play around! She is about making sure you're taken care of and your wish is her desire if it is in the means of officiating you to become S/O. Choosing Rev. Burns and you will not be disappointe...
d. :)
When my wife and I chose Rev. Burns for our ceremony we were sure she would do a wonderful job because of her experience and her understanding. She knew what we wanted and delivered it greater than we had hoped for. On our wedding day Rev. Bu...
rns touched each person with her words. I feel blessed to have experienced her as my officiant.
Response from the Vendor on 10/08/2011
Thanks for the kind words. You know I will never forget the two of you. Your wedding clothes were beautiful. So share your album.
Rev. Burns officiated our (same-sex) wedding two weeks ago (01/09/11) and did a great job. She was very well organized before the ceremony, willing to meet with us via Skype (we are from out of town) and easy to reach with questions and change...
s. Her ceremony was tailored to our preferences and we had say in exactly what was included. During the ceremony she was great and everyone had nothing but praise. We contacted her about 6 weeks before our ceremony and she had no problems getting everything together for the big day. Overall, a great experience.
We want to thank Rev. Burns in helping us plan our sepcial day. We traveld from Houston, TX to exchange our wedding vows in DC. Without the exceptional guidance, help, and professionalisum from Rev. Burns this would have been impossible to do...
. We would recommend Rev. Burns to all the couples who's choosing the DC area as a destination wedding place.
Reverend Burns officiated our wedding at the beautiful Intown Uptown Inn. Words cannot describe how beautiful the ceremony was on our special day. We could not have asked for a more perfect day with out her assistance, guidance and professional...
recommendations. On our first meeting, she gave us a Wedding Workbook which was of great use. She has a warm and gentle spirit which allowed us to embrace every second of the ceremony. We will never forget her kind calming personal touch when the moment of emotions overwhelmed my partner on our special day. We appreciate it more than she will ever know. The ceremony turned out perfect in every way, we couldn't have asked for anything more touching. Our guests expressed how engaging, articulate and professional she was. Thanks for including a souvenir certificate and copy of the ceremony. Thankful we found Rev. Burns. Excellent –Excellent-Excellent
FIVE STARS FOR: Communication, Professionalism, Wedding Workbook (Great TIPS), Helpfulness
Open to our Suggestion, Response to emails, Her Attire, Punctually, Fee, and Overall Service
Rev Burns was very professional and perfect for us. She was able to incorporate subtle humor into the ceremony. This really helped to ease our nerves. We had many of our guests come to us afterwards and say they loved how unique the ceremony...
was and how perfect all of the script was. It truly was perfect. It was really nice to be able to add our own touch to the ceremony and it was great having the opportunity to meet with Rev Burns twice before our wedding to go over details and build the perfect ceremony. She was very patient with us. She facilitated the flow of the entire ceremony and everything went off without a hitch. Thank you so much for being so professional and making our day perfect.
We were very pleased with Rev Burns as our celebrant. We live in Arizona and were married in D.C. Rev Burns is an excellent and timely communicator and our ceremony was just the way we wanted it to be. I wholeheartedly recommend her!
Rev. Burns was key to helping us plan our wedding! We did it on our own with out the use of a wedding planner and were truly at a loss for how the ceremony would go.
She gave us a detailed packet to assist us in creating our own ceremony with...
many different choices. There were also helpful parts of the packet outside of the standard ceremony that we were not aware of. Such as the wedding party, their process down the aisle and different ideas to help you along the way. She allowed us to include all of our family in the ceremony and made it a huge success that people are still talking about today.
What we liked most about Rev. Burns is that we did not feel we were paying for services. We were in fact but throughout the process it was a choice for both of us to do this together. From our initial meeting and discussions to get to know one another we knew that it was going to be a match.
I would highly recommend her to anyone who is looking for an officiant to marry you as this can be a ceremony of your own creation and is all about your union as a couple which is the most important.
Response from the Vendor on 10/08/2011
Wow! I never read this review until today 10/8/11 (a little more than a year later). Thank you so much for your kind words.
Rev Burns Was a life saver. We had no idea where to start but when we found Chapel of Love Ceremonies by Rev S.J. Burns everthing just came together .She Was open to our ideas ,we did not want a cookie cutter ceremony because we are not your ...
everyday couple and She help us take our Vision and make what was the best day of our lives. From locations to venders in the md ,va, dc area she has it all. We could not be happier with our services . We have already given her info to other family and friends who are planing their special day.
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