About this vendor
Based in Chicago, IL, The Urban Union provides wedding officiant services. These services include:
• Wedding Officiating:
Our Wedding Officiant service is perfect for couples who want a personalized and heartfelt ceremony. We take the time to get to know you and your love story, ensuring your ceremony is unique and meaningful. Whether you prefer a traditional or modern approach, our experienced officiants will deliver a ceremony that reflects your vision and values.
• Officiant Preparation:
Our Officiant Support service is perfect for couples who have chosen a friend or family member to officiate their wedding. We provide comprehensive resources and coaching to ensure your chosen officiant feels confident and prepared. From helping them craft a memorable speech to guiding them through the ceremony flow, we make sure they have everything they need to deliver a beautiful and meaningful ceremony for your special day.
• Proposal Planning/Design:
This service is perfect for those looking to create a memorable and unique proposal experience. We handle all the details, from selecting the perfect location to coordinating with vendors and capturing the moment. Our goal is to ensure your proposal is a seamless and unforgettable event, allowing you to focus on the excitement of popping the question.
• Day-of Coordination:
Our Day-Of Coordination service is for couples who have done all the planning but want to relax and enjoy their wedding day. We take over the final details and ensure everything runs smoothly, from vendor management to timeline execution. Let us handle the logistics so you can focus on celebrating your special day.
• Month-of Coordination:
This service is ideal if you've planned most of your wedding but want professional assistance to tie up loose ends and manage the final month's details. We step in to coordinate with vendors, finalize timelines, and ensure everything is in place, allowing you to enjoy the lead-up to your wedding stress-free.
• Wedding Planning
Our Partial Wedding Planning is ideal if you've handled most of the planning but need help with the final details. We step in to coordinate vendors and ensure everything runs smoothly. For complete peace of mind, our Full Wedding Planning service covers every aspect of your wedding from start to finish. We design, plan, and execute your dream day, letting you relax and enjoy the process.
• Small/Large Event Planning:
For Celebrations of all sizes, our event planning services cover every aspect of your event, ensuring a spectacular experience for you and your guests. From initial concept to final execution, we handle all logistics, vendor coordination, and design elements. This service is perfect for those who want a stress-free planning process.
Details
Business Attributes
- LGBTQ+-owned Business
Destination Weddings
- Destination Wedding Planning
Planning
- A la Carte Wedding Planning
- Budgeting
- Day-Of Coordination
- Destination Wedding Planning
- Full Service Wedding Planning
- RSVP Tracking
Wedding Activities
- Getting Engaged
- Engagement Party
- Rehearsals & Parties
- Engagement Party
- Rehearsal Dinner
- Wedding
Awards and Affiliations
2025 'Best of Weddings'
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
5
out of 5.012 reviews
Working with JB was truly one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. He was absolutely amazing from start to finish! Not only did he work within our budget, but he went abo...
ve and beyond to create a wedding that felt elegant, personalized, and completely stress-free for us.
On the day of the wedding, he coordinated everything flawlessly — from the ceremony to the reception — ensuring that everything ran smoothly and on time. The venue looked absolutely stunning, the music was perfectly timed, and the food was incredible. He thought of every little detail, including surprising us with custom napkins with our names and wedding date — such a thoughtful and personal touch that made the day even more special!
His taste and style are impeccable, and what really stood out to us was how hands-on and dedicated he was throughout the whole process. He truly wore many hats that day — organizing, photographing, serving, coordinating — doing whatever it took to make sure every detail was perfect.
What impressed us the most was his ability to pull together such a beautiful and unforgettable wedding in just three weeks! That alone speaks volumes about his talent, work ethic, and passion for what he does.
If you’re looking for a wedding planner who will take the stress off your shoulders, has incredible style, and will treat your wedding like it’s his own. He is a miracle worker, a creative visionary, and an absolute joy to work with. We cannot recommend him enough!
Thank you, JB, for making our wedding day more beautiful than we could have ever imagined.
JB was an absolute game-changer for our wedding.
From our very first conversation, we knew JB was the right fit. As a gay couple, we spoke with so many wedding coordinators who cl...
early had little to no experience working with same-sex couples—awkward questions, uncertain phrasing, or just a general sense that they weren't quite sure how to approach our celebration. JB was a breath of fresh air. He was natural, confident, and made us feel genuinely welcomed and understood from day one.
Communication was seamless throughout the entire planning process. I'm very much an "in the weeds" type of person who wants to know every detail, and JB was always responsive, thorough, and patient with my endless questions. He also did a wonderful job coordinating with our families, navigating different personalities and expectations with ease.
But where JB truly shone was on our wedding day. He was attentive, kept everyone on schedule, had all our vendors organized and in sync, and somehow managed to do it all while being genuinely fun to be around. We never felt stressed because we knew JB had everything handled.
If you're looking for a wedding planner who combines professionalism, warmth, and real expertise, look no further. Hire JB—you won't regret it.
JB was nothing short of extraordinary to work with! If you are considering a coordinator and/or officiant you will not be disappointed. From the moment I met JB, I knew instantly h...
e was our guy! JB was so thorough throughout every stage of the planning and officiating process. He got to know each of us, and our family and friends, which allowed him to personalize the most beautiful wedding ceremony. I still get guests complimenting how beautiful his words were for officiating our ceremony - it was truly magical. In regards to the planning process, JB never missed a beat. He read through every contract and communicated with all of my vendors effortlessly. A true star and we could not have imagined our day without him!
I recently helped a friend plan their wedding, and they used The Urban Union for both planning and officiating. I can’t say enough good things about their service! They were incred...
ibly detail-oriented, ensuring nothing was overlooked, and even helped with contract negotiations, securing better pricing on key aspects of the day. What stood out most was their ability to create a stunning, queer-affirming, and deeply loving space for both the ceremony and reception. Every detail reflected the couple’s unique story and values. If you want a wedding that’s seamless, beautiful, and meaningful, The Urban Union is the way to go!
We cannot recommend The Urban Union enough! From the moment we first connected with them, we felt heard, valued, and truly celebrated as a couple. Their inclusive and welcoming app...
roach made the entire process feel personal and stress-free.
Planning a wedding can feel overwhelming, but The Urban Union took the time to understand our vision, offering creative suggestions while respecting our ideas. They made every detail feel intentional and reflective of who we are. On the day of, everything flowed seamlessly – from the setup to the ceremony. Our officiant, who was part of their incredible team, delivered a ceremony that was heartfelt, meaningful, and perfectly “us.”
What stood out most was their commitment to creating a safe, affirming space for all couples. No matter your background, identity, or love story, The Urban Union makes you feel like family. If you’re looking for a vendor who will celebrate you wholeheartedly, this is the one.
Thank you, The Urban Union, for making our day unforgettable!
I saw JB officiate my fiance's cousin's wedding and I literally went up to him at the reception and asked him to officiate mine--it was that good. He strikes the perfect balance of...
sentimental/heartfelt with fun and hilarious. You can definietly tell he has a lot of experience public speaking. He makes everyone feel so at ease. For my own wedding, he did all of these amazing interview sessions with me and my fiancee and all of my family members and incorporated all of it into our ceremony--it was so freaking special!!! Our entire wedding was crying. It was so good. I would 15/10 recommend!
If you need a wedding planner look no further! Not only were they professional, easy to work with and had excellent communication, they made my dream wedding become a reality! Hand...
s down the best of the best.
Joe was extremely easy to work with and an amazing human! He was helpful in keeping/getting me organized during the wedding planning process! Would highly recommend, even for a typ...
e A bride! :)
I had the pleasure of working with The Urban Union for my wedding, and I can't recommend them enough. From the very first meeting, Joe, the owner, was incredibly attentive, profess...
ional, and passionate about creating a wedding that reflected our unique style. He took the time to listen to our ideas and vision, then translated them into a cohesive plan that exceeded all of our expectations.
What really stood out about The Urban Union was their ability to personalize our wedding in such a meaningful way. It wasn’t just a standard event; they truly understood our personalities as a couple and incorporated that into the design, atmosphere, and flow of the day. The result was a wedding that felt deeply personal and perfectly us.
On the big day, Joe and his team were there every step of the way, handling everything behind the scenes with grace and efficiency. Thanks to their hard work, our day went off without a hitch, and we were able to relax and enjoy the celebration with our loved ones. Our guests are still talking about how beautiful and well-organized everything was!
If you're looking for a wedding planning company that offers not only professionalism but also creativity and a personal touch, The Urban Union is the way to go. Joe’s dedication to making your day perfect is unmatched, and we’re so grateful to have had them by our side on such a special occasion. Highly recommended!
Joe is truly an amazing event planner. I was completely lost on where to start and reached out to him. He gave me insight on venues, vendors and was just a true delight! I cant rec...
ommend him enough.
Tying the Knot with The Urban Union
Working with JB Herron of The Urban Union was the best part of our wedding planning experience. Not only was JB our officiant, he also brought ...
our ideas to life during the entire planning process. During each meeting and conversation, JB reinforced our trust in him to make our day perfect. At the rehearsal, JB took the reigns and guided us and our family through the process even going above and beyond to assist in decorating the space. The day of the wedding, he worked effortlessly with the other vendors to ensure a smooth execution. He delivered a beautiful ceremony and helped us (literally) tie the knot. We loved working with JB Herron at The Urban Union.
Joe did such an amazing job with our wedding! Having him as our planner took such a huge weight off my shoulders. And when it came to the officiating, Joe did such a great job writ...
ing exactly what we asked for: something short, simple, and sweet. It was perfect! Every engaged couple needs a Joe for their big day.
Contact
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