Rev Shari marries them up good on Governor's Island

How fun is Governor's Island? This past weekend was the Jazz Age Lawn Party, where you could go to get your Gatsby on. A and R decided to have a simple ceremony in the shadow of the Castle, with lower Manhattan as their backdrop. What could be more beautiful than that? I took the free ferry across from Atlantic Avenue, and the bridal party took the free ferry from lower Manhattan, right next to the Staten Island ferry.

If you have a small wedding party, it is pretty easy to find a little nook or cranny to get married in with relative privacy anywhere in the city. As soon as people see my "Judge Judy" gown, they realize it is a wedding, and keep a respectful distance. Weddings that occur early or late in the day are most likely to feel private while being out in the open air. It's a great way to get married--especially when you have a bright, sunny day, with a few puffy clouds in a perfectly blue sky.

The ceremony leaned heavily on what the bride and groom requested, and what they told me about how they felt about life, marriage and each other. It took me a while to figure out how to work in a reading from My Personal Penguin, but I did, and it was an excellent touch. Everyone thought the ceremony was spot-on, which of course, makes it all worthwhile for me! I sure love to marry people up good!

There are magazines, TV channels, elderly aunts, and snooty acquaintances who are all ready to tell you the one right way to get married. They will tell you what to wear, what to serve, where to go, down to the last detail. Well, here's the real deal: you can do whatever you like and you need not apologize for it. Why not take advantage of the free or low-price offerings around the city to create the backdrop for your day--it's great fun, and it might be just your style. Make your wedding your own, starting with the venue, and, of course, the officiant--me.

Mazel tov and congrats to A and R, and all the best for their future together.

Marriage Equality arrives in New York!

Reverend Shari will marry you up good, and now, she will marry you up good if you are both "fancy on the outside" or both "fancy on the inside" (as Mr. Rogers said). Special prices in August for you early birds who have been waiting for same sex marriage in New York to become law and are READY to book a date. Let's cook up some great fun weddings, everybody! Woo hoo.

Here's a link to the FAQ about the nuts and bolts of getting a license, etc. Can you get married in NYC if you live elsewhere? YES! Take a look. New York is the best place ever to get married!