Hello, Lovebirds! I'm Jim McFarlin from WhollyMatrimony4U, an ordained lay minister based in Champaign, IL. In addition to being a wedding officiant I am an award-winning professional writer, experienced public speaker, and former standup comedian, making marriages memorable since 2007!
I've performed hundreds of ceremonies over that span, and while I don't mean to brag (clearing my throat here), my many awards suggest that I'm pretty good at it. My goal is to create an experience that exceeds your expectations while leaving a lasting memory for you, your relatives and friends.
I'm happy to perform secular as well as religious and interfaith ceremonies, and will incorporate unity candles, sand or wine blending rituals, tree plantings and other unique elements upon request. I once spent a week learning about the Hispanic custom of the "lazo," or wedding lasso, to accommodate one couple's desire!
I'm willing to do the homework and consult with you to ensure that your ceremony is personalized and customized precisely to your wishes. (And BTW, from years of experience, the ideal wedding lasts no more than 22:30.)
I also perform vow renewals. Though based in central Illinois, I'm a Michigan native and work across a six-state region that includes Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin and Missouri. Everything I do is designed to fulfill my company's name: it really is wholly matrimony…4 YOU!
State licenses in IL, MI, OH, IN, MO, and WI
Black-owned Business
Prices & packages
Couples usually spend $500
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Reviews
5.0
out of 5.0
10 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Jim is highly praised by multiple reviewers for his exceptional work as a wedding officiant. Couples appreciated his personalized and entertaining ceremonies, with many receiving compliments from guests on his performance. Jim's warm, friendly demeanor and attention to detail in crafting unique ceremonies based on couples' love stories were especially highlighted. Reviewers noted that Jim went above and beyond to create memorable experiences and keep the atmosphere light and entertaining during the ceremonies. Overall, Jim is described as a skilled, compassionate, and highly recommended officiant for creating special wedding moments.
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Adrianna T
Highlighted review.
5.0
10/23/2024
You will not get a better officiant. He got to know our story and truly made our ceremony so special. He is funny at the right times and professional and so easy and fun to work with. I've received so many compliments from guests about how he was the best officiant they had ever seen at a wedding. He is worth every penny and will make your day special.
Joe H
5.0
9/01/2024
Jim was fantastic to work with, and helped make our ceremony a memorable one. He also really came in clutch for our rehearsal and helped us get everyone familiar with their roles. We're still getting compliments about the ceremony!
Any questions?
Cody F
5.0
5/04/2024
Jim went above and beyond with meeting our expectations.
Hannah P
5.0
4/28/2024
Jim did an AMAZING job with the ceremony! He has a great sense of humor and had all of our guests laughing. He is very professional and knows how to keep a crowd entertained. We highly recommend him to officiate!
Mackenzie R
5.0
11/03/2023
We had the pleasure of working with Jim as our wedding officiant, and we couldn't be happier with the beautiful ceremony he created. Jim took the time to get to know us as a couple, and it showed in the ceremony he put together. Jim's warm and friendly demeanor put everyone at ease on the wedding day. Jim made our wedding day unforgettable. He is a genuine, compassionate, and skilled officiant who will work with you to create a ceremony that perfectly reflects your love story. We highly recommend Jim if you are looking for an officiant.
Katelyn B
5.0
10/24/2023
HIRE THIS MAN IMMEDIATELY. We received so many compliments on our ceremony. Everyone was so impressed with Jim’s knowledge of us, his storytelling, and his performance. All our guests thought we had been friends with Jim for years!
He helped my husband with his vows, took a lot of time and effort to get to know us, and incorporated all the small details I requested into the ceremony.
Jim also helped calm this anxious brides nerves and made sure everything went smoothly.
He is AMAZING!
Jamie V
5.0
9/16/2022
Jim gave us the most beautiful, personal, touching wedding ceremony I’ve ever witnessed, and many of our guests agreed! Jim deeply learned about our relationship and then used our own words to marry us, which was such a gift. We both opted out of sharing our own vows aloud and it was wonderful to still have our thoughts and sentiments shared in our ceremony. Jim is so warm and kind and is a natural entertainer - we highly recommend him!
Mary Kate K
5.0
9/12/2022
From our first email interaction to the wedding day itself everything about our experience with Jim went better than we could have ever expected. He was responsive, charismatic, and an all around pleasure to work with. Jim made our ceremony personal and thoughtful while still keeping the atmosphere light to help us keep going when moments were emotional. Jim completely exceeded our expectations and we are truly honored that he was a part of our big day.
Antonella O
5.0
8/22/2021
Jim was amazing at our wedding! He created a very personalized ceremony that felt unique to us. It was sweet and funny and exactly what we wanted and envisioned. His delivery was top-notch and had all of our guests entertained. We had a couple of snafus during the ceremony (some misplaced readings and items) and he absolutely smoothed things out and rolled with it. He had helpful insight at our rehearsal and was all-around friendly and professional. Jim had some knee issues right before our wedding and yet he stuck with us and delivered an amazing ceremony. So many of our guests remarked on how great he was. They came up to us that day and even mentioned later that he was so funny and a fantastic officiant. Some of our out-of-state guests even said they wish he was closer because they’d hire him in a minute! Jim was thorough in his communication with us at all times. We cannot recommend him enough.
Gilesa
5.0
6/29/2021
Jim did an amazing job at our wedding on 6/27/21. After our first conversation, I knew I wanted him as an officiant. His communication was amazing, and he goes above and beyond to make sure your day is perfect. Though there were some hiccups with our venue, Jim was able to be very flexible with changes. He even stayed to bless our dinner. Thank you Jim!
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