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Website review
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What is Officiant Eric?
Officiant Eric is the website of a wedding officiant serving Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, known as the Malibu Officiant. Its most important current detail is a notice at the top: the officiant is not taking on new clients. The site now functions mainly as a free resource library for couples planning a ceremony, whether or not they hire anyone.
The resources reflect a style built around personalization. Eric describes creating "modern and unique" ceremonies that represent a couple's personality and beliefs, with traditional, creative, and interfaith options. The site lists dozens of ceremony elements couples can mix and match, including:
- Opening words and introduction
- Chuppah ceremony; Seven Blessings
- Handfasting; Veil, cord, and coins; Jumping the broom
- Wine ceremony; Unity candle; Sand ceremony; Unity canvas painting
- Rose/flower ceremony; Mother's rose ceremony
- Ring warming; Blessing of the rings
- Love letter and wine box ceremony
- Readings and poems; prayers and blessings
- Affirmation of the community; pronouncement of marriage
There are also ceremony samples, package information, and testimonials. One testimonial comes from Jen, a wedding coordinator who chose Eric for her own wedding; she notes he tailors the ceremony using a wide range of scripts, prayers, and vows. That is her observation, but it points to a practical strength: a large menu of options is most useful to couples who want a personalized interfaith or blended-tradition ceremony and don't know where to start.
Who it suits: couples planning a wedding in the Malibu, Los Angeles, or Ventura County area who want a customizable, non-rigid ceremony. Because new bookings are closed, the realistic use is as a planning reference—browse the ceremony elements, note which ones fit your background and values, and bring that list to whichever officiant you do hire. If you need an officiant now, look for someone local who offers a similarly broad, flexible script library; the structure of Eric's samples can serve as your checklist when comparing candidates.
How can I find a wedding officiant in Los Angeles or Ventura County now that Eric is not taking new clients?
Eric's site now says he is not taking on new clients, so treat Officiant Eric as a reference library rather than a booking option. His ceremony samples—handfasting, wine box, sand ceremony, interfaith and heritage elements—are still useful for deciding what you want, and you can hand that wish list to whoever you hire.
Where to look next
- County clerk's office. Los Angeles County and Ventura County both issue marriage licenses and maintain lists of officiants and deputies for civil ceremonies. This is the most reliable starting point and avoids directory guesswork.
- Your venue's preferred vendor list. Venues in Malibu, Calabasas, and the Santa Ynez corridor work with officiants constantly and know who shows up prepared. Ask for two or three names, not one.
- Wedding planners. A coordinator sees officiants across dozens of weddings and can tell you who handles interfaith, bilingual, or blended-family ceremonies well.
- Directories and reviews. Use them to build a shortlist, then verify credentials on the officiant's own site.
Screening questions that actually predict fit
- Are you available on our date, and do you officiate at our venue?
- How many ceremonies have you done, and how many like ours?
- Do you provide draft scripts, and how many revisions are included?
- Will you perform a legal ceremony, and who files the license?
- What is your fee, deposit, and travel policy?
Ask for a short video or a recent couple's contact. Tone matters more than credentials here: a warm, unhurried speaker suits a personal ceremony, while a brisk, formal style suits a large traditional one.
A practical path
Draft your ceremony outline first using Eric's sample sections, mark which are essential and which are optional, then interview two or three officiants against that outline. You will get clearer quotes and a better sense of who can deliver the ceremony you actually want.
What ceremony elements and rituals can I choose for a personalized wedding ceremony?
Officiant Eric's site lists a wide menu of ceremony elements you can mix and match, which is useful if you want a ceremony that reflects your heritage, beliefs or sense of humor rather than a standard script. Note that the site currently states Eric is not taking on new clients, so treat the following as a planning resource rather than a booking option.
Ceremony elements listed on the site
The listed options fall into a few practical groups:
- Opening and framing: Opening Words and Introduction; Declaration of Consent ("I Do's"); Affirmation of the Community; Pronouncement of Marriage; Blessing of the Marriage.
- Readings and reflection: Readings and Poems; Prayers and Blessings; Those With Us In Spirit (a way to remember absent loved ones).
- Vows and rings: Introduction to the Exchange of Vows; Exchange of Wedding Vows; Introduction to the Exchange of Rings; Exchange of Wedding Rings; Blessing of the Rings; Ring Warming Ceremony.
- Cultural and religious traditions: Chuppah Ceremony; Seven Blessings; Blessing to the Four Directions; Handfasting Ceremony; Veil, Cord, Coins; Jumping the Broom; Quaich Ceremony.
- Unity and blending rituals: Unity Candle Ceremony; Sand Ceremony; Unity Canvas Painting Ceremony; Wine Ceremony; Love Letter and Wine Box Ceremony; Rose/Flower Ceremony; Mother's Rose Ceremony; Family Medallion Ceremony.
- Closing gestures: Bride and Groom Thank You; Ribbons, Doves.
How to choose without overloading the ceremony
A common mistake is stacking five or six rituals into one ceremony. Most couples are better served by one symbolic centerpiece plus one or two personal touches. A useful test: for each element, ask who it is for and what it says about you as a couple. If you cannot answer both, it is probably decoration rather than meaning.
A concrete scenario: a couple with one Jewish and one secular family might use a chuppah and Seven Blessings for the religious side, then a ring warming so every guest physically participates, and skip the unity candle entirely. A couple blending two households with children might instead choose a sand ceremony or family medallion, which visibly includes the kids.
Where to see how it actually sounds
The site also offers ceremony samples and testimonials, and describes Eric as the "Malibu Officiant" with experience at Southern California venues such as Adamson House, Calamigos Ranch, Saddlerock Ranch and Malibu Rocky Oaks — helpful if you are planning a coastal or vineyard wedding and want wording that suits the setting.
One reviewer, Jen, identifies herself as a wedding coordinator who hired Eric for her own wedding. She notes he tailors the ceremony using a range of scripts, prayers and vows, and that the day ran smoothly. My practical read: a coordinator's endorsement carries weight on logistics and reliability, but it says less about whether his style matches your voice, so read the sample ceremonies yourself and mark the passages that sound like you.
Next step
Pull up the ceremony samples and copy the two or three sections you would actually want spoken aloud. Bring that shortlist to whichever officiant you hire, and ask them to draft a full run-through with timings, so you can see whether the ceremony still feels personal once the rituals are stitched together.
For broader planning help, The Knot and WeddingWire maintain directories of officiants and ritual explanations.
How do I write wedding vows that reflect our personality and beliefs?
Start by deciding what your vows need to do: satisfy the legal requirement (usually a declaration of consent and a promise), and say something true about the two of you. Everything else is optional. Officiant Eric's page is a useful reference for structure because it lists ceremony elements—opening words, declaration of consent ("I Do's"), exchange of vows, ring exchange, unity ceremonies, and closing blessings—so you can see where vows sit in the larger ceremony and borrow a format that fits.
A practical way to write them
- Choose a frame. Traditional (repeat after the officiant), semi-scripted (you write, officiant prompts), or fully personal. Traditional is easiest for nervous speakers; personal is better if your story is the point.
- Pick 3–5 promises. Each should be specific enough that only you could say it. "I promise to keep Sunday mornings for us" beats "I promise to always be there."
- Add one belief or value. Faith, heritage, family, service, humor, or a shared ethic. If you're interfaith or secular, say what you both actually hold in common rather than borrowing language you don't mean.
- Include one concrete memory or image. A first date, a hard year, a habit you love. It grounds abstract promises.
- Close with a commitment, not a summary. End on something you'll do, not a feeling.
Match the tone to the ceremony
| If your ceremony is… | Write vows that… | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional or religious | Use familiar promise language, keep length even | Don't mix in jokes that undercut the moment |
| Interfaith or blended | Name both traditions lightly; focus on shared values | Avoid implying one tradition is the "real" one |
| Modern and personal | Use plain speech, specific details, light humor | Inside jokes that exclude guests |
| Short and legal-only | One sentence of consent, one promise | Skipping the declaration the officiant needs |
Practical checks
- Read them aloud, timed. Aim for 45–90 seconds each unless you're both comfortable going longer.
- Keep them roughly equal in length and seriousness so neither person feels outmatched.
- Give the officiant a copy in advance; if you're writing your own, ask how they'll cue you and whether they'll hold the text.
- Decide who hears them. Private vows exchanged earlier, or in front of guests, changes what you can say.
If you want samples to react to rather than a blank page, Officiant Eric's ceremony samples page is a reasonable starting point Officiant Eric. Note that the site states he is not taking on new clients, so treat it as a resource, not a booking. For broader wording ideas, The Knot and A Practical Wedding publish vow examples and prompts; read several, then steal only the sentence shapes, not the sentiments.
What should I ask a wedding officiant before booking them for our ceremony?
Ask about availability first, then ceremony fit, then logistics and cost. The most useful questions are the ones that reveal whether the officiant can deliver the ceremony you actually want, not just whether they are free on your date.
Start with availability and legal basics
- Are you available on our date, time and location?
- Do you handle the marriage license and filing requirements for our county?
- What do you need from us before the ceremony?
Then ceremony fit
- How much of the ceremony is pre-written versus customized?
- Can we include religious, cultural or interfaith elements — and which ones?
- Can we review and edit the script before the day?
- How do you handle readings, vows and any rituals we want to add?
Then logistics and money
- How early do you arrive, and how long do you stay?
- Do you travel to our venue, and is travel included?
- What is the total fee, what does it cover, and what is the deposit and cancellation policy?
- Will you attend a rehearsal, and is that extra?
Then the intangibles
- How many weddings have you officiated, and at venues like ours?
- Can we speak to a recent couple?
- What happens if you are sick or unavailable on the day?
A practical way to decide: rank your top three priorities — for example, a highly personalized interfaith ceremony, a very short legal ceremony, or a large venue with complex timing — and pick the officiant whose answers match those three, not the one with the longest list of extras.
One concrete option in the Los Angeles and Ventura County area is Officiant Eric, whose page describes traditional, creative and interfaith ceremonies and a menu of ceremony elements such as handfasting, sand and unity candle rituals. Note that the page currently states he is not taking on new clients, so treat it as a resource for ceremony wording and structure rather than a booking lead.
How can I include interfaith or cultural traditions in a wedding ceremony?
You can include interfaith or cultural traditions by treating them as modular parts of the ceremony rather than one blended script. Choose the moment, the meaning, and who leads it—then slot it into the overall flow.
Officiant Eric's site lists a wide range of ceremony sections that can be mixed and matched, including Chuppah Ceremony, Seven Blessings, Handfasting, Blessing to the Four Directions, Veil/Cord/Coins, Jumping the Broom, Wine Ceremony, Unity Candle, Sand Ceremony, Rose/Flower Ceremony, Quaich Ceremony, and Love Letter and Wine Box Ceremony. That is a practical menu: a couple can pick one or two elements from each heritage and explain them to guests.
How to decide what to include
- Meaning first: Ask what each tradition represents—honoring ancestors, sealing a bond, welcoming community, or asking for blessing.
- Guest experience: A short spoken explanation before each element prevents confusion and lets guests participate rather than watch.
- Time and flow: Two or three traditions usually feel rich; too many can make the ceremony long and disjointed.
- Who leads: Some elements fit the officiant, some fit a family elder, and some fit the couple together.
- Logistics: Items like a chuppah, handfasting cords, a quaich, or a unity candle need a table, a stand, or advance setup.
| Tradition example | Common ceremony moment | Practical consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Chuppah and Seven Blessings | Opening or blessing section | Needs a structure and space; blessings can be shared by guests |
| Handfasting | After vows or declaration | Cords can be kept as a keepsake |
| Veil, Cord, Coins | After exchange of vows | Coins and cord need a tray or table |
| Jumping the Broom | Closing or recessional | Needs floor space and a broom |
| Wine or Quaich Ceremony | After vows or before pronouncement | Cups and liquid need handling; consider non-alcoholic options |
| Sand or Unity Candle | After vows | Weather and venue rules matter for open flames |
If you are working with a professional officiant, bring a list of the traditions that matter to you and ask which ones fit naturally into their existing ceremony structure. Officiant Eric's page notes that he is not taking on new clients, but it also offers ceremony samples and resources that couples can use for their own wedding planning. For broader planning, you can compare officiant styles and ceremony resources through Officiant Eric and similar wedding planning sites.
A useful next step: write one sentence for each tradition explaining why it matters, then place it in the ceremony where it creates the strongest emotional transition—usually right after the vows or just before the pronouncement.
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