Charlotte Officiants + Premarital Counseling

Washburn Weddings

A personalized ceremony for your special day!

North and South Carolina

Travel area: Within 100 miles See details

5.0

Praised by couples for:

Great Planner

Officiant

Seasoned Professional

We are SO glad we had Derek marry us! Our biggest hope was that our ceremony would feel genuine and personal to us, and that’s exactly what he gave us. Nothing felt stiff, rehearsed, or like we were just going through the motions. He made us laugh, gave us moments to really take everything in, and made the whole ceremony feel incredibly special. We had so many people tell us afterward how much they enjoyed the ceremony, which says everything. Derek was such an important part of our day, and we’ll always be grateful that he was the person who officially got to marry us!!

Elizabeth P.

5.0

Derek was fantastic, really easy to work with & he had a bunch of ideas for the ceremony. He was prompt & the right amount of funny during the ceremony. Thank you Derek!

Morgan M.

5.0

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Derek Washburn

OWNER/OFFICIANT

Typically responds within 24h

AWARD WINNER

Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot

Derek Washburn is a professional wedding officiant out of Charlotte, NC. Personable and professional on every occasion, he will dedicate himself to making your dream come true during the ceremony experience. Both from his experience in Christian ministry and as a committed family man, Derek understands just how important your special day is to you. Whether you desire a small gathering with friends and family or a party to celebrate your union, he will provide you with peace of mind from your very first call. Derek officiates weddings throughout North and South Carolina, including the Charlotte metropolitan area (Gastonia, Monroe, Concord, Huntersville, Rock Hill, Lancaster, etc.), the Winston-Salem area, and the Asheville and Blowing Rock/Boone areas. With his leadership and positive attitude, he will guide you through every step of the way, from your initial consultation to signing of your marriage license.

4+ years in business

Speaks English

Just me

Details

Ceremony Types

Civil Union

Commitment Ceremony

Elopement

Interfaith Ceremony

Non-Religious Ceremony

Religious Ceremony

Second Wedding

Vow Renewal Ceremony

Religious Affiliations

Christian

Protestant

Spiritual

Wedding Activities

After The Wedding

Newlywed Life

Getting Engaged

Premarital Counseling

Wedding

Ceremony

Awards and Affiliations

2026 'Best of Weddings'

Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding

Meet the team

Derek Washburn

Owner/Officiant

I am an ordained minister in the Charlotte area with over 10 years working with the Young Life Ministry. I have been helping couples plan and facilitate their wedding ceremonies, in grand or intimate venues as an officiant since 2022. I'm originally from Texas and graduated from Texas A&M University. I've been married since 2001 to my wife, Erin and we have two boys: William and Davis. I have been working in education for over 25 year and have a strong passion for helping couples create their perfect wedding ceremony.

5.0

out of 5.0

12 reviews

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Review Summary

This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.

The officiant delivered a heartfelt, personalized, and flawlessly executed ceremony that exceeded expectations. He was responsive, flexible (even on short notice), punctual, and helpful throughout planning. Guests and family praised the emotional impact and highly recommend him.

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Madison H

Highlighted review.

I wish I could give Derek even more than 5 stars! He was an incredible officiant for our wedding and we feel so lucky that we were able to find him. After our initial plans were no...

t coming together, we needed to pivot in a hurry and we found Derek via The Knot. He was able to marry us on a holiday on short notice and we are so incredibly grateful. He was prompt, timely, kind, and was considerate of our requests. We spoke several times and our ceremony went exactly as we had planned. Our guests are still talking about how fantastic he was and I have given out his name for anyone to use in the future! We could not be happier with Derek as our officiant and I can not recommend him enough!

Response from Washburn Weddings

Madison, It was truly a pleasure to be able to participate in your special day! Thanks for...

letting me be a part of it!

Elizabeth P

We are SO glad we had Derek marry us! Our biggest hope was that our ceremony would feel genuine and personal to us, and that’s exactly what he gave us. Nothing felt stiff, rehearse...

d, or like we were just going through the motions. He made us laugh, gave us moments to really take everything in, and made the whole ceremony feel incredibly special. We had so many people tell us afterward how much they enjoyed the ceremony, which says everything. Derek was such an important part of our day, and we’ll always be grateful that he was the person who officially got to marry us!!

Any questions?

Morgan M

Derek was fantastic, really easy to work with & he had a bunch of ideas for the ceremony. He was prompt & the right amount of funny during the ceremony. Thank you Derek!

Cass M

I never understood the importance of having a good and experienced officiant until our wedding, but Derek was absolutely incredible and exceeded our expectations in every way. Fr...

om our first contact with him, Derek was kind, responsive, and very patient with answering all my questions. He really got to know us both as a couple but also as individuals too, through calls and a questionnaire. We chose to have a non-religious ceremony and even though Derek is an ordained Christian minister, he respected our wishes and put together an absolutely beautiful ceremony. It was beyond words and felt like he had known us and our relationship for years. It still makes me emotional to think about all of the beautiful things he said, and how wonderfully our ceremony flowed. He even worked with my now husband to help co-ordinate a surprise song/moment for me at the end of the ceremony. My husband’s uncle, who is also an ordained minister who has preformed many ceremonies said it was one of the most beautiful ceremonies he has ever heard. I remember reading his other reviews and thinking “what would be so amazing about an officiant” - well now I know. We recently got our wedding video back and it was so wonderful to hear the ceremony all over again. Derek, we want to thank you again for everything. Thank you for marrying us and for everything you did to make our wedding day as special as it was. We recommend Derek so so highly!!!

Ava H

Derek did such an amazing job with our ceremony. We talked on the phone a couple times before, and he really took the time to get to know us. The ceremony he put together was so pe...

rfect, very personable to us, and seamless. We received so many compliments on him and how he conducted the ceremony! I would recommend him over and over. I wouldn’t have changed a thing! Super kind and caring man.

Response from Washburn Weddings

Thanks so much, Ava! You and Logan were great to work with! So happy for y'all!

Kaylynne F

We’re so grateful Derek was able to be our officiant for our civil ceremony here in Charlotte! He was very flexible and was able to help us find the right location and plan the per...

fect ceremony for us. We would highly recommend him to any couple looking for an officiant in the Charlotte area!

Response from Washburn Weddings

Kaylynne, Thanks for letting me be a part of your new future! Cheers to you and Ethan!

Loegan W

Derek was absolutely amazing!! I highly recommend him for any future wedding needs. He was very professional but also very personable. We love Derek and consider him apart of our f...

amily now! Thank you Derek for everything !!!

Response from Washburn Weddings

Loegan, It was truly my pleasure! You and Sergei have a super bright future ahead!!!

Pam L

Derek was punctual, thoughtful and very professional through the planning process and ceremony! I can’t recommend him enough!

Response from Washburn Weddings

Thanks Pam! I was so happy to be able to help out!

Frances M

Watching my first grandchild get married was a dream come true. Derek did such a wonderful job leading the ceremony. It was so special!

Response from Washburn Weddings

Frances, I'm very happy that you left me such a great review! It means a lot when the gran...

dparents are happy too! :-)

Lindsey K

Derek did an exceptional job making our day special. He was very personable and was instrumental in making our wedding day memorable.

Response from Washburn Weddings

Lindsey, It was so much fun getting to be a part of your special day!

Henry W

Too bad I only plan on getting married once, because I would use Derek to officiate my wedding every time!

Response from Washburn Weddings

Henry! Your review makes me laugh out loud!!! It was so much fun, but let's not plan on do...

ing it again! Cheers!

Kori D

We worked with Derek and I highly recommend him! He was super responsive to my initial inquiry about his service. He called and we discussed our wishes and he was able to accommoda...

te us. He showed up on time, was respectful, and made sure everything ran smoothly. If you’re looking for someone reliable and easy to work with, I’d most definitely recommend Derek he was a great choice!

Service area & Contact info

Travel area: Within 100 miles

Additional charges may apply

(980) 202-0899

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Washburn Weddings

Derek Washburn

Owner/Officiant

Typically responds within 24h

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Washburn Weddings

About this vendor

Review Summary

Service area & Contact info

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