Why I Became a Wedding Officiant (And How It Fits Into How I Photograph Love)

A little story about how photographing hundreds of weddings led me right here.

There’s something funny about adding a whole new “job” to your life as a fully formed adult, especially when you already have one you love. But becoming a wedding officiant never felt random for me. It felt like stepping into a moment I’d been circling for years.

After photographing weddings across Durham Region and the GTA for well over a decade, I’ve stood behind the camera for hundreds of ceremonies. I’ve watched couples shake with nerves, cry through their vows, laugh at the wrong moments, and hold hands a little tighter when it all becomes real. Being that close to the heartbeat of a wedding changed me. It made me love the quiet, emotional, unscripted parts far more than any polished detail.

Maybe I’m getting sentimental in my old age, but more than ever, I believe that the ceremony IS the wedding. We love a party, always will, but there’s something incredibly special about promising to choose to love someone forever, in front of the people who have loved YOU forever. (I could cry right now lol).

Over time, I started feeling a pull to step in just a bit closer. Not to replace the magic of photographing a ceremony, but to help create the moment itself. I realized I wanted to offer something more personal and grounded for couples who wanted a calm, warm, meaningful ceremony without the stiffness that so often sneaks in.

So after years of sitting on the idea, I finally did it. I became a CIMM Minister and a licensed Ontario wedding officiant.

It still makes me laugh to say it – Reverend Jen. But it also feels deeply right.

Officiating gives me a new way to honour the stories I already love capturing. Photography tells the story visually. Officiating tells it with presence, intention, and words that feel like the couple. It’s all storytelling, just through a different lens.

If you book me as an officiant, you can expect something simple and personal. No outdated or archaic scripts, no pressure to perform, no uncomfortable directions. I’ll guide you through the legal steps, help you shape a ceremony that fits your style, and create a moment that feels calm and honest. Whether it’s an elopement here in Oshawa, a backyard gathering, or a huge wedding at a venue you love, I’ll hold the space so you can focus on the person in front of you.

And yes, don’t worry – I’m still photographing weddings. That won’t ever change. Officiating simply lets me support couples in a new way on those weekends (or weekdays) when I’m not making photos. I especially can’t wait to support those planning simple weddings or elopements in Durham Region, Oshawa, Whitby, Courtice, or Clarington. Heck, maybe I’d even travel a little further for the right vibe!

If you want to learn more about this new chapter, you can read about my officiating work over on my dedicated website, Gathered Ceremonies. It’s a little home I built for the couples who want a ceremony that feels warm, personal, and grounded.

Here’s to more love stories and more meaningful moments — on both sides of the camera.

Feature image by the talented Frances Beatty