The Officiant

Let's Make It Unforgettable!
5 out of 5 stars and 8 reviews
·
Glens Falls, NY
$145 starting price
See details
Saratoga, Lake George, Albany
Service area

About this vendor

Vendor
Maria Pelton
PROFESSIONAL WEDDING OFFICIANT
Typically responds within 24h
2025 Best of Weddings Winner
AWARD WINNER (1X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Hi! My name is Maria and I'm The Officiant. I'm a non-denominational, non-traditional, professional wedding officiant with over 10 years of experience marrying amazing couples. How do you want to remember your wedding ceremony? This is one of many questions that I ask my couples. Why? Because for me it's a very important one. Your ceremony sets the tone for all that comes next. Your ceremony should speak to you & your partner and tell your story; how it began, what brought you to this moment, and all that's yet to come as you enter into marriage. Your ceremony should also captivate your family & friends; your guests, who are sharing in this intimate moment with you. I want your guests to hang on every word that's spoken, and enter your cocktail hour talking about how your ceremony was so meaningful, so memorable, so you! As a professional wedding officiant I wear many hats; from first connecting with the two of you on a real level in order to the create (from scratch) a ceremony that speaks to you, to making you feel comfortable throughout our time together; and making sure you are present during your ceremony in hopes of easing some of those jitters, to making sure I always have tissues for those moments when a tear may be shed, to drawing your guests in and keeping them engaged. What I want for you is for you and your guests to remember your ceremony long beyond your wedding day. Let's make it unforgettable! **Being newer to The Knot platform my reviews are limited. To read reviews showcasing my work please see my Google Reviews.**
Woman-owned Business
+4 years in business
Speaks English
1 team members

Prices & packages

A Simple Signing
$145 starting price
A Simple Signing
$145 starting price
Contact for hours
Contact for hours
A witness can be provided for an additional $50.
A witness can be provided for an additional $50.
No Ceremony just a simple signing to make it legal
No Ceremony just a simple signing to make it legal
Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
The Elopement Package
$645 starting price
Contact for hours
Contact for hours
A Guaranteed Ceremony Date/Time.
A Guaranteed Ceremony Date/Time.
Guidance on obtaining your marriage license.
Guidance on obtaining your marriage license.
Officiating your special moment.
Officiating your special moment.
Selection of Sample Vows/Help in Writing Vows.
Selection of Sample Vows/Help in Writing Vows.
Creation of a custom elopement ceremony.
Creation of a custom elopement ceremony.
Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
Full Ceremony Package
$945 starting price
Contact for hours
Contact for hours
A Guaranteed Ceremony Date/Time.
A Guaranteed Ceremony Date/Time.
Guidance on obtaining your marriage license.
Guidance on obtaining your marriage license.
Creation of a complete custom wedding ceremony.
Creation of a complete custom wedding ceremony.
Guidance in selecting unique rituals.
Guidance in selecting unique rituals.
Officiating your Wedding.
Officiating your Wedding.
Selection of Sample Vows/Help in Writing Vows.
Selection of Sample Vows/Help in Writing Vows.
Arrival at ceremony 1 hour prior to start time.
Arrival at ceremony 1 hour prior to start time.
Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
  • A Simple Signing
    $145 starting price
    A Simple Signing
    $145 starting price
    Contact for hours
    Contact for hours
    A witness can be provided for an additional $50.
    A witness can be provided for an additional $50.
    No Ceremony just a simple signing to make it legal
    No Ceremony just a simple signing to make it legal
    Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
    Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
  • The Elopement Package
    $645 starting price
    The Elopement Package
    $645 starting price
    Contact for hours
    Contact for hours
    A Guaranteed Ceremony Date/Time.
    A Guaranteed Ceremony Date/Time.
    Guidance on obtaining your marriage license.
    Guidance on obtaining your marriage license.
    Officiating your special moment.
    Officiating your special moment.
    Selection of Sample Vows/Help in Writing Vows.
    Selection of Sample Vows/Help in Writing Vows.
    Creation of a custom elopement ceremony.
    Creation of a custom elopement ceremony.
    Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
    Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
  • Full Ceremony Package
    $945 starting price
    Full Ceremony Package
    $945 starting price
    Contact for hours
    Contact for hours
    A Guaranteed Ceremony Date/Time.
    A Guaranteed Ceremony Date/Time.
    Guidance on obtaining your marriage license.
    Guidance on obtaining your marriage license.
    Creation of a complete custom wedding ceremony.
    Creation of a complete custom wedding ceremony.
    Guidance in selecting unique rituals.
    Guidance in selecting unique rituals.
    Officiating your Wedding.
    Officiating your Wedding.
    Selection of Sample Vows/Help in Writing Vows.
    Selection of Sample Vows/Help in Writing Vows.
    Arrival at ceremony 1 hour prior to start time.
    Arrival at ceremony 1 hour prior to start time.
    Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
    Oversight/Filing of Marriage License.
  • Starting prices may not include all fees a vendor may charge.
  • Couples usually spend $945
Are you interested?
Reach out and share your wedding details.

Details

Ceremony Types
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Affiliations
Spiritual
Wedding Activities
Wedding
Ceremony
Awards and Affiliations
2025 Best of Weddings Winner
Circle Message
Any questions?

Meet the team

Vendor
Maria Pelton
Professional Wedding Officiant
Hi! My name is Maria and I am The Officiant. I LOVE being a wedding officiant, and I'd have to say that a big part of that comes from having a love for people, and connecting with them. Since I was young I've thrived on connection, and what better way to do that than when bringing two people together in marriage. A little about me on a personal level...I went to culinary school and own a baking business specializing in custom cakes and cupcakes (unfortunately I don't do wedding cakes). I also have a small obsession with dogs - for the dog lovers out there I know you can relate - they're just SO cute! I love the outdoors, and can often be found walking around my neighborhood. Oh, and lastly...I grew up in a small town in Vermont with a population of roughly 600 people, and attended a one-room school house during my elementary education years. I could go on, but I think for now I'll end here. I look forward to connecting, and learning about you!

Availability

Reviews

5.0

out of 5.0
8 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
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Review Summary

This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Maria consistently receives glowing reviews for her exceptional professionalism, warmth, and ability to craft personalized and heartfelt wedding ceremonies. She is praised for taking the time to understand each couple's story and values, resulting in unique and intimate ceremonies that captivate guests and reflect the couple's bond. Reviewers highlight Maria's excellent communication, organizational skills, and calming presence, noting that she goes above and beyond to ensure a stress-free and memorable experience. From LGBT+ friendly ceremonies to seamless execution on the wedding day, Maria's personalized approach and attention to detail make her highly recommended as an officiant for any couple's special day.
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AvatarA
Highlighted review.
7/16/2024
It’s hard to believe we met Maria in such a short amount of time. Maria desired to get to know my husband and I so well, and it felt like Maria had known us all of our lives. She crafted such a beautiful ceremony and really wanted to be able to capture who we are. All of our guests asked how we have a personal close relationship to her from the way she spoke about us and our love during the ceremony. They thought we had known each other forever! To this day, Maria’s ceremony and words are one of the things that is remembered most fondly from us and most of our guests that people bring up and name as their favorite part of the whole wedding. She is the sweetest person, and is very passionate at what she does. She is extremely organized, very responsive, and flexible as she wanted to ensure our ceremony was absolutely perfect in our eyes. She handles everything down to your marriage license so you don’t have to stress about it on your wedding day. She is very well spoken and has the most calming voice (more feedback directly from our guests!) We HIGHLY recommend having Maria make your big day so memorable and perfect.
response 07/16/2024
Alexa, it was truly beyond memorable being a part of your wedding day. Your words mean so ...
much, and embody what I strive for with all of my couples. It's about getting to know you, and building a relationship, even in a short period of time, so when it comes to your wedding day it's as if we are old friends. You're able to feel calm, comfortable and look back on your ceremony, and have it bring a smile to your face, and hold a special place in your heart. I couldn't be more excited for you & Matt as you step into this next chapter - enjoy every moment. Cheers!
AvatarC
1/28/2025
Maria was a consummate professional from beginning to end. Working with her before the wedding was informative and also hassle-free. Our ceremony was beautifully performed and every bit as intimate as expected. We couldn't recommend Maria enough.
response 01/29/2025
Chaemee, thank you so much for your kind words! It was beyond my pleasure to be a part of ...
your & Nicholas' wedding day - how beautifully intimate it was. And to have the opportunity to connect with your family and some of your closets friends - it was an experience I couldn't possible ever forget. Sending you wishes for a lifetime of happiness. Cheers! Maria
Circle Message
Any questions?
AvatarJ
11/13/2024
We are so grateful to have had Maria officiate our wedding! From the moment we met, she was professional, warm, and truly invested in making our ceremony meaningful and unique to us. The entire experience felt so personal, as she took the time to get to know us as a couple—our story, values, and what we wanted our ceremony to reflect. On the big day, Maria delivered a beautiful, heartfelt ceremony that was perfectly tailored to our relationship. It was clear that she had put thought and care into crafting something that felt truly ours, which made the moment even more special. She was calm, poised, and engaging, which helped ease any pre-ceremony nerves and set the perfect tone for our celebration. We received so many compliments from our guests about how meaningful and personal the ceremony was. People commented on how well it captured our personalities and how it felt like a genuine reflection of our bond. We couldn't be happier with how it turned out!
response 11/13/2024
Jacquelyn, let me start off by saying that I'm so grateful to have had the pleasure of mee...
ting you & Nick, connecting with you, and having the opportunity to go on such a beautiful journey together. The process of getting to know the two of you was so great on its own, but then having it all come together on your wedding day...it was truly beyond words can describe. Thank you for everything, and enjoy every moment! Cheers! Maria
AvatarC
11/12/2024
My wife and I had been to 6 weddings in the year we were married (2024) ours was the last one of the year to attend, We had been to a few before that as well and we noticed a trend with alot of ceremonies. They were very cookie cutter, all very similar, and saying the same things (our 2nd and 3rd wedding of the year had the EXACT same ceremonies). We were very excited to hear that Maria wrote her own ceremonies for each couple! She got to know us over a couple of meetings, and gave us some homework to do in order to create the best ceremony possible. Boy did Maria deliver, it was amazing and had many people in tears (which was the goal). She was incredibly professional in every way, she had amazing communication back and forth. She had us read though our ceremony before hand to change anything, and there was a couple things to add and change and she was delighted to do so. She took care of sending in our marriage certificate, she printed our vows so we didn't read off a phone during our unplugged ceremony (which she beautifully told our guests to keep their phones away for as well). Everything we could have wished for and more was brought to us by Maria and we couldn't be happier
response 11/12/2024
Crystal & Ryan, I can't thank you enough for allowing me to enter your "world", to get to ...
know you on a deeper level, and be part of what truly was such an intimate moment in your lives as you came together in marriage. Your words mean so much to me, and it was beyond my pleasure to be a part of your wedding day - it was truly amazing! Sending you wishes for endless happiness, and who knows we may run into each other :) Cheers! Maria aka The Officiant
AvatarI
10/22/2024
From the moment we met Maria on a Zoom call after seeing her on The Knot we knew she would be the perfect officiant for our wedding! We were looking for an LGBT+ friendly officiant that could help us execute a beautiful and non-religious ceremony that wouldn’t bore our guests and Maria DEFINITELY executed. We had multiple people tell us it was the best ceremony they had ever been to and I have to agree. They asked, “where did you find her!!” From a short zoom call, an easy couples questionnaire, and a short meeting at a local coffee shop, Maria wrote a beautiful personalized ceremony script that we were able to read before the big day. 10/10 definitely recommend :)
response 10/22/2024
Ingrid, It was so great getting to know you & Brittany, and being a part of your wedding d...
ay. It wasn't only easy to see the connection that the two of you have, but the connection that you have with your friends & family (it was so great meeting them)...the energy was simply beautiful. I don't think there was a dry-eye present as the two of you came together in marriage. I can't thank you enough for your heartfelt words, and for having me be a part of such an unforgettable moment for the two of you. The words; THANK YOU, I don't feel are enough in saying what a pleasure it was, but I think you get my point ;) CONGRATULATIONS!!! Maria aka The Officiant
AvatarR
8/19/2024
My husband Nick and I had a difficult time deciding to hire someone who we didn’t know for our wedding ceremony. It was hard to picture someone we didn’t know being able to understand our relationship in such a short amount of time. However, Maria went above and beyond anything we could have anticipated. By the time we got to the ceremony we had no doubt that it would be anything but perfect. I can’t tell you how many of our friends and family members complimented the ceremony by the end of the day. Being both professional and organized, Maria was able to minimize any stress that we had leading up to the wedding and on the day of. If you are looking for someone to officiate your big day we would recommend Maria every time.
response 08/20/2024
Rebecca, thank you so much for these kind words! Having the opportunity to get to know you...
& Nicholas; and as you said, in such a short period of time is what I love about being a professional wedding officiant. It's about connecting in a way that just feels so comfortable; not only for you, but for your families and friends who are celebrating the two of you on your wedding day. I couldn't have wished for anything more beautiful for the two of you, and am sending cheers of joy as you start this next chapter in your lives. Hey, this is Fair Season...are you & Nicholas going? ;) Cheers!
AvatarS
7/10/2024
As the mother of the bride, I was tasked with finding an officiant. As soon as I spoke to Maria, I knew I found the one. She is so friendly, well spoken and calming. My daughter and son in law absolutely loved her as well. She got to know them on a personal level and learned their “story”. The ceremony was captivating to all who were in attendance. So many guests commented how wonderful Maria was. And we agree! Thank you Maria! We will never forget you!
response 07/10/2024
Shari, it was such a pleasure meeting you, your family, and having the opportunity to be p...
art of such a beautiful moment for Alexa & Matt. It was so much fun getting to know them; as it was all of you. Thank you again for choosing me to be a part of a brief, but truly memorable moment in your lives. Cheers! Maria aka The Officiant
AvatarA
5/17/2024
My wife and I had Maria as the officiant for our wedding last month and she was absolutely terrific! She was so communicative and easy to work with throughout the whole process leading up to the wedding. On the day of she of course delivered a beautiful and personalized ceremony. She was very well prepared and made sure everyone was on the same page about how things were going to go, so that even without a rehearsal we were able to have the whole ceremony proceed flawlessly. She was also really good about seeking out our input and feedback on everything to make sure we were ultimately getting the exact wedding ceremony we wanted. I would definitely recommend!
response 05/17/2024
Austin, it was such a pleasure being a part of your wedding day. Celebrating such a specia...
l moment with you, Gianna and your closest family - what a beautiful moment to witness. Thank you so much for the kind words, and for being such an amazing couple to work with - from our first meeting through your wedding day our interactions, connection just flowed, and I'm happy to hear that you felt the same. Congratulations again to you & Gianna, and I hope you had a fabulous honeymoon celebration in Cancun!

Service area

PO Box 930, Glens Falls, NY
PO Box 930, Glens Falls, NY
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Saratoga, Lake George, Albany
Service area

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The Officiant
Maria Pelton
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Professional Wedding Officiant
Typically responds within 24h
My wedding date is flexible
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