Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
The Marriage Minister is a wedding officiant located in Tucson, Arizona that specializes in creating personalized wedding ceremonies that make your special day one-of-a-kind. Whether you're looking for an officiant that is as cotemporary or traditional we have you covered. This dedicated team creates custom wedding experiences that truly reflect each couple's unique love story. Every celebration is written around responses we get from our unique couples questionnaire. This ensures a ceremony that is truly yours.
Owner and minster James Spalten is flexible and works hard to ensure he brings your wedding dreams to life. Your ceremony can be as traditional or as casual as you want, resulting in a celebration that is truly your own. The Marriage Minister serves couples throughout Arizona, crafting ceremonies that range from elegantly formal to charmingly casual. They will provide couples with creative ideas while also ensuring they maintain control over their ceremony content.
The Marriage Minister offers comprehensive ceremony services that include thoughtful consultations, detailed ceremony preparation, continuous communication, wedding rehearsal, professional officiating, and a personalized wedding script. Their service is designed to create a stress-free planning experience, allowing couples to focus on celebrating their love.
Award winning ceremonies are the perfect way to celebrate your love and commitment. With recognition from the Knot and the Wedding Wire, you can trust that your special day will be unforgettable. Let us help you create a ceremony that reflects your unique love story. If you are looking for an officiant to help you with your ceremony for next week or next year, we are here for you. Contact us today to reserve your date.
We are here to help you celebrate "YOU." Give us a call and learn first-hand why The Marriage Minister has earned "Best of Weddings" and "Couples Choice" awards three years in a row.
James is an ordained minister dedicated to creating meaningful and personalized wedding ceremonies. Based in Arizona, he will travel across the state to work closely with couples, crafting ceremonies tailored to their unique stories. He will listen deeply to each couple's wishes, that reflect their values, beliefs, and personalities. His genuine care for each couple makes him a trusted choice for creating unforgettable wedding moments.
Kathy Spalten
Creative Consultant
Kathy Spalten is the creative mind behind The Marriage Ministers award winning ceremonies. Kathy takes her job very serious as she knows the beginning of marriage journey starts with the perfect ceremony script. Although Kathy is a certified officiant, she prefers to stay behind the curtain. As you can see from our updated photo Kathy has taken on a partner to help her craft your perfect wedding.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.0
26 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
James and Kathy, a husband and wife officiant team in Tucson, received glowing reviews for their personalized, well-spoken, and professional ceremony services. Many reviewers highlighted their easy communication, attention to detail, and the beautiful ceremonies they crafted, which left lasting impressions on couples and guests. James was appreciated for tailoring ceremonies to individual preferences, providing supportive counseling, and creating a warm, inclusive atmosphere that contributed to unforgettable wedding experiences. Overall, the couple's exceptional service and care in preparing and delivering ceremonies were highly recommended by those who worked with them.
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
Megan P
Highlighted review.
5.0
2/23/2026
Jim and Kathy were lovely to work with for our October 2025 wedding. They were easy to communicate with throughout the process, and wrote and delivered a beautiful ceremony that h...
ad both personal and religious touches per our request. I highly recommend if you are in search of an officiant in the Tucson area.
Response from The Marriage Minister on 03/04/2026
Megan and Richard. Thank you so much for your wonderful review. It was an honor to officia...
te your wedding in front of God, friends and family. Meeting moms, dads, friends and family made the day special for us. Kathy and I wish you both the best life has to offer. God Bless.
Krystyn P
5.0
11/04/2025
Very professional and easy to work with. Very quick and easy communication and felt the whole process went very smoothly. Would highly recommend to others.
Any questions?
Giselle L
5.0
11/03/2025
We highly recommend the Marriage Minister, him and his wife were wonderful to work with . Jim was a really knowledgeable and well spoken officiant, and his wife Kathy also helped u...
s with the ceremony and our vows. They were very easy to communicate with and created a ceremony that was perfect for us. Our wedding really wouldn't have been the same without their help and guidance.
Anna R
5.0
10/31/2025
Jim and Kathy were amazing. They made the experience personalized and the ceremony was beautiful. We highly recommend booking them.
Ann H
5.0
10/24/2025
The marriage minister personalized our ceremony perfectly. He was responsive, and added all the details we hoped for. The marriage minister made our day very special
Robert C
5.0
10/05/2025
James and Kathy were wonderful to work with. They were super responsive, wrote a lovely Marriage Ceremony and gave us the opportunity to edit and change to make it a perfect fit. J...
ames travelled up Mt. Lemmon for our ceremony, arriving early for set up and interacted wonderfully with our family and friends. It was an honor to work with James and Kathy, and we highly recommend them to be a part of any wedding!
Response from The Marriage Minister on 10/05/2025
Robert and Deborah thank you so much for your review. The weather, the day, your family an...
d friends made the day perfect. The only thing missing was the smoked salmon..... Thank you for letting us be part of you day and we wish you the best of everything in your future.
Zoe W
5.0
6/04/2025
James was amazing!! I was very happy with his services and the way the script was written. He is very personable and a very kind/sweet man. I loved the services provided and would ...
HIGHLY recommend them to anyone who asked
Blythe M
5.0
4/24/2025
Jim was an amazing officiant. He went out of his way to make sure me and my partner felt at ease throughout the entire preparation and ceremony. His wife Kathy was extremely kind a...
helpful throughout the ceremony. I can’t recommend enough choosing him as your officiant. He is a special and kind person.
Mireya R
5.0
1/11/2025
Jim was amazing! Him and Kathy wrote the most beautiful ceremony for us that captured us as a couple and delivered it perfectly. They really took the time to make sure that they we...
re getting every aspect to our specifications and we could not be more mesmerized by how it turned out. To anyone who is searching for a kind and caring person to officiate your special day, I would 100% recommend Jim!
Audrey Y
5.0
1/09/2025
James was an amazing officiant at our wedding. I appreciated that he tailored the wedding to exactly what we wanted and serves all denominations! He knew exactly what to say and wh...
at to do and kept in touch with me periodically to keep me updated on any developments prior to the ceremony.
I would definitely recommend him for your ceremony!
Jennifer W
5.0
1/06/2025
James is an excellent marriage officiant. His words and kind demeanour contributed hugely to this being the most special day of our lives. We both felt that the ceremony James deli...
vered us was very representative of our values and that whilst it was reflective of the importance of the occasion, it focussed wonderfully on our love and unity without becoming a sobering and boring affair.
Despite it being a small wedding, each of our guests who were present, as well as the rest of our family who watched the wedding video from afar after agreed that this was a truly special ceremony and that James couldn’t have been better.
Communication with James couldn’t have been better as he was always approachable and patient from start to finish. We eloped and planned our wedding in only 3 days (talk about short notice!) but James was able to reply to us instantly, create several customised ceremony templates for us to choose one from, and travel out of town to join us with no issues.
James comes off as such a warm individual and when we met him it really felt like we had known him for years! This ultimately helped us to feel very comfortable and less nervous on our wedding day.
Kathy (James’ partner) did a great job adding the finishing touches to the wedding venue and preparing the altar area.
Thank you so much James and Kathy for your outstanding service and contribution to our special day. We would love to stay in touch in the future!
All the best,
George and Jennifer
Response from The Marriage Minister on 09/30/2025
George and Jennifer. Please forgive the late response, I mean really late response. We hav...
e been very busy. It's reviews like yours that help us as a small business. Your kind words and commentary had us both close to tears. We would love to meet up with you down the road as we love keeping in contact with couples. We are always just a phone call away. Take care of each other and remember the "little things are the big things, like never being too old to hold hands remembering to say I love you at least once a day."
Warmest regards,
Jim and Kathy Spalten
Madisen K
5.0
12/19/2024
James and his wife Kathy were an absolutely wonderful vendor team! From the first meeting to the wedding ceremony, they were there for my husband and I every step of the way! They ...
were extremely kind, attentive, and professional. James and Kathy wrote our ceremony and it told our love story so beautifully. We got so many compliments from guests how clear and concise James was during the ceremony and how sweet and personable the ceremony itself was. Overall, my husband and I would 11/10 recommend James and Kathy to tell your love story at your wedding ceremony!
Sierah P
5.0
7/27/2024
James & Kathy helped make our wedding absolutely magical! They created a ceremony that truly embodied our love story. I would definitely recommend them to anyone!
Response from The Marriage Minister on 07/30/2024
Thank you so much for the kind words. We're try to make every ceremony as special as the c...
ouple. You have a beautiful future together.
Mozel Tov!
James and Kathy Spalten
Alexis A
5.0
6/13/2024
James and Kathy were the best! They made the whole process so easy and were very communicative as well! We cannot thank you enough for getting us married!! 10/10 recommend.
Response from The Marriage Minister on 06/13/2024
Alexis and Shane thank you for taking the time for your review. It was great meeting your ...
family and friends as well. We wish you both the best life has to offer.
James and Kathy Spalten
Fabien F
5.0
5/27/2024
They were great super professional, time
ly with responses, and made our wedding ceremony something we will never forget! Thank you for officainting our wedding!
Celeste H
5.0
4/17/2024
James and Kathy were absolutely amazing to work with. They were very communicative throughout the whole process, and worked with us to create a ceremony that was special to us. We ...
had many compliments from our guest about how professional and fun our officiant (James) was. I would highly recommend The Marriage Minister!
Response from The Marriage Minister on 04/17/2024
Celeste and Bryce, thank you for kind review. Kathy and I enjoyed the time we got to spend...
with you both and hopefully you will get in touch with us when you come back to Tucson to visit. We can hit up Cheddars again, I really liked that place. Look forward to seeing your honeymoon pictures. Speaking of pictures thank you for sharing the ones you posted. We all looked good that day.....despite the wind. Take care of each other.
James and Kathy Spalten
Christine W
5.0
4/14/2024
From the beginning I knew Jim Spalten was the right choice. When he called for the first time we felt very comfortable and as if he already knew us. He kept in contact periodically...
from the beginning to the big day. He was very professional but not in a stuffy kind of way. The price was quite reasonable especially since he had to travel a small ways from Tucson. Jims wife was lovely and a great part of the service. Thank you to the Marriage Minister! aka Jim and Kathy Spalten definetly 5 stars
Lauren K
5.0
4/13/2024
James and Kathy were incredible. They are so friendly and accommodating to your wants and needs in your ceremony. They communicated well and felt like a part of the family by the e...
nd of the ceremony. I highly recommend them and their services because you won't be disappointed.
Response from The Marriage Minister on 04/13/2024
Lauren, thank you for your review. It means everything. It was great to meet both the fami...
lies. Their kindness and generosity will not be forgotten. We wish nothing but the best for you and Justin. Please keep in touch.
Warmest regards,
James and Kathy Spalten
Maricela R
5.0
3/25/2024
100% RECOMMEND! James recently officiated our February ceremony and the love and care he put into writing our ceremony script was heartwarming. He took time to get to know us and o...
ur story and added those special details into our ceremony.
Our wedding vision changed from elopement to a smaller ceremony of about 40 guests- and he was very accommodating and supportive of us through the changes. He checked in with us often in the time leading up to the event, and we were able to build a genuine and comfortable relationship. He also offers counseling, which I think is super awesome.
James is truly the kindest officiant and in knowing him it felt like family at the wedding. I truly could not have asked for better!
Response from The Marriage Minister on 03/25/2024
Thank you so much for your kind words. You and Brandon are very near and dear to my heart....
Please know that I will always be here for you both. Live life to it's fullest and please let us know what adventures you encounter along the way.
Warmest regards,
James and Kathy Spalten
Christina G
5.0
12/28/2023
Jim was the perfect minister for us on our special day! We decided to elope while in Oro Valley AZ this year as we have been together for 7 years! He asked us if we wanted to add i...
n our love story or any religious readings, which was very thoughtful! He also was kind enough to ask us if we wanted him dressed casual or formal. We would definitely recommend The Wedding Minister for your special day!
Response from The Marriage Minister on 12/29/2023
Thank you for the kind review. It was really great meeting you both. Best of everything in...
your future. Arizona sun will be here for you next year.
Regards,
James and Kathy Spalten
Monica D
5.0
12/11/2023
James and Kathy were both great to work! They came in clutch at the last minute and wrote a beautiful ceremony for us that embodied our love, sense of humor and creativity. It was ...
the perfect mix of darkness and beauty. I'm so thankful we came across them and even more grateful they agreed to work with us! 10 out of 10, highly recommend
Response from The Marriage Minister on 12/12/2023
Thank you Monica. Meeting you and Derrick was really fun. It's rare to meet people who enj...
oy the dark mixed with beauty. It can be beautiful. Kathy got some nice photos as well, be happy to share them with you guys let us know. You've got my cell number. Just text me yours and I'll send some over to you. Once again thank you for taking the time to review us.
Glory P
5.0
11/19/2023
Jim and Kathy were truly God sent! They took the time to get to know us as a couple and tailored our ceremony to our values and faith. It was a pleasure getting to know them both. ...
Would highly recommend as an officiant. 100% happy customer!
Response from The Marriage Minister on 11/19/2023
Glory, thank you for your review. You and Martíne are amazing. You've got your hands full ...
with that guy. Like they say opposite attract. God bless you both. Have a Happy Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. All the best,
Jim and Kathy Spalten
Corrina N
5.0
8/02/2023
My Dear James🥰 BEST MINISTER TO MARRY YOU & YOUR LOVED ONE. He has a heart of gold and he will fulfill all your wedding wish. Please book for you special day. He’s PERFECT
Madison M
5.0
7/17/2023
Jim was nothing short of awesome! He was polite, considerate and professional. By the end of the ceremony, he was like family! I would definitely recommend Jim to anyone for their ...
special day if you want someone who will go above and beyond!
Response from The Marriage Minister on 07/18/2023
Thank you so much for the positive review. I will give nothing but my very best.
Joy M
5.0
6/16/2023
Jim had arrived well before the ceremony to prepare. He delivered the ceremony with a calm and caring demeanor and took his time. Very well spoken and thought out. Appropriately dr...
essed according to the weddings dress code. I highly recommend Jim for your ceremony no matter how traditional or non traditional you are trying to go!
Response from The Marriage Minister on 06/16/2023
Hello Joy. Thank you so much for taking the time to review my work. It was as special for ...
me as it was for everyone in attendance. I will always give my best when it comes to bringing people together. Love my job. Hope we meet again.
Sincerely.
Jim
The Marriage Minister.
Charisse W
5.0
5/21/2023
We recently had the pleasure of having my father-in-law, James Tijerina-Spalten, officiate our wedding ceremony in December 2022.
James brought an incredible sense of warmth, si...
ncerity, and professionalism to our special day. His ability to create a meaningful and heartfelt ceremony truly exceeded our expectations.
His delivery was flawless, capturing the attention of everyone present and leaving a lasting impression on us and the rest of our family. He created an atmosphere that was both intimate and inclusive, making everyone feel a part of the celebration.
In conclusion, we cannot recommend my father-in-law, James, enough for anyone looking for a marriage officiant. He brought an unmatched level of warmth, and love to our ceremony, making it an unforgettable experience. Our wedding day was made even more special and meaningful because of him. We cannot thank him enough for being a part of our journey and for creating memories that will last a lifetime.
