About this vendor
Tim Greathouse
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (5X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
What’s the right wedding ceremony for a religiously independent couple? A courthouse ceremony is cold, impersonal, and over in a flash. A church ceremony is usually just a long sermon to which your actual ceremony is a sideshow. Pick your poison - a quick, dry affair with no heart, or a long, tedious slog that flies in the face of your worldview.
Or... chuck that poison and grab the champagne. I got you, boo!
Most wedding ceremonies are religious, and thus focus overwhelmingly on religious themes. But your ceremony will instead focus on thoughtful, bold insights on love and commitment, and personal stories and details about your relationship.
With 17 years in the business and over 800 ceremonies officiated, I bring the eloquence to deliver a deeply moving yet lighthearted ceremony, a relaxed demeanor that will keep you calm and centered, and unparalleled expertise in wedding ceremony craft and theory. You'll fill out a detailed survey that puts you in full control of every aspect of your ceremony, and you'll answer insightful personal questions so that I can share some highlights of your romance with your family and friends.
Here are six ways your ceremony will be better than the rest:
1. Your ceremony follow a familiar three-act structure, examining only three subjects: love, commitment, and how much and why you love each other. I do not read religious scripture or pray - it's all 100% secular.
2. Your ceremony has been workshopped *hundreds* of times. There are two types of officiants: those who recite and those who engage. Reciting is strictly a one-way affair. I engage by paying attention to what lands—the intended chuckle, the groan at a terrible pun, or the misty eyes during a delicate reflection. Over hundreds of ceremonies, I’ve kept what worked, refined what almost worked, and scrapped what didn't.
3. Your ceremony will be judicious in its use of metaphor, surgical in its use of humor, and devoid of cliché. Metaphor is employed purposefully. Humor frames the moment rather than turning it into a stand-up routine. Cliché is the enemy of attention—I use gripping, thoughtful, clever ways to say what must be said.
4. Your ceremony will draw heavily on your personal experiences. After a ceremony, guests often ask if I'm an old friend. That's because I tell anecdotes, speak expertly about why you love each other, and highlight the unique aspects of your romance.
5. Your ceremony will be completely original and carefully cited. The content consists almost entirely of my own musings. When I quote, paraphrase, or read a formal piece, I attribute it squarely to its original author. I never, EVER use AI.
6. Need a chill pill? I have the script! I've developed a set of perfectly timed statements, quiet asides, and cheeky observations to manage your nerves. I anticipate which specific moments will make you the most anxious, and use techniques to either avoid or mitigate them.
Details
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Religious Affiliations
Baha'i Faith
Buddhist
Christian
Catholic
Mormon
Orthodox
Protestant
Quaker
Hindu
Interfaith
Jewish
Conservative
Orthodox
Reform
Muslim
Pagan
Secular
Sikh
Spiritual
Unitarian
Wiccan
Wedding Activities
Wedding
Ceremony
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Tim Greathouse
Owner
I could get into all of that classic bio stuff - schooling, work history, favorite pastimes - but here's what's worth knowing about me as your possible officiant.
1. I stumbled into my career as an officiant. In my youth, as my friends began to get married, every ceremony felt the same: deeply religious affairs for my deeply heathen friends, where the couple took a backseat to a sermon. There was no heart, no personal touch, and no effort to connect. On a whim, I became licensed in 2009. Demand soon grew high enough for me to quit my day job and officiate full-time.
2. I L-O-V-E my job. The privilege isn't lost on me—especially compared to the tedious office work of my past. Officiating is the only work I've ever been genuinely eager to do and the only job I would do for free if I had to. (Don't get your hopes up—you still have to pay me!)
3. I do my job a LOT! Since 2010, I have performed over 800 ceremonies. This wealth of experience brings a specific energy to the ceremony: calm, confidence, and reassurance. Inexperienced officiants bring an energy, too—you can guess how it contrasts with mine.
4. Public speaking is my JAM! While glossophobia is a common fear, I have none of it. My knack for speaking developed at summer camp and was sharpened during an eight-year career in public radio. I believe the spoken word, when delivered with passion and purpose, takes the audience on a deeply rewarding emotional journey.
5. I am a nonbeliever with no agenda. As a secular humanist, my life is shaped by science and reason rather than dogma. However, my worldview has no place in your wedding. I stick to three topics: love, commitment, and the couple. A wedding is not the time to espouse religious or political beliefs, even if we happen to share them.
Other interests: PC gaming, vintage glass, Minneapolis underground rap, astrophysics, neuroscience, the Dyatlov Pass incident, poetry, Guy Garvey, cats
Service area & Contact info
Travel area: No travel restrictions
Additional charges may apply
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Tim Greathouse, Ohio Wedding Officiant
Tim Greathouse
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Owner
Typically responds within 24h
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