Many couples opt for an intimate ceremony at their home, a park, at the beach, or at another beautiful location. Others will want a larger gathering with family and friends at a hotel , chapel or event center. Some will want traditional ceremony wording, many others will opt for a more contemporary approach. It's all good! What matters is that your ceremony is a personal reflection of who you are as a couple.
Please peruse our website to see the many options available to you. You'll see that we do not differentiate our services as being for straight couples verses gay couples. Our philosophy has always been that a wedding is a wedding is a wedding, regardless of the sex of the partners. Subsequently, you will not see separate ceremony listings for commitment ceremonies. All ceremony levels are available to all couples. Please excuse our periodic usage of the words "bride" and "groom." While "Partner A" and "Partner B" works for the marriage license, it's a bit cumbersome to use in our marketing materials!
We'd love to use our experience, creativity and passion to co-create your joyful, unique and memorable ceremony!
We pray that all people of goodwill will find a moment of hope in what we're doing here today. That love does win, that justice does win, that hope does win and that commitment and honor do win." Rabbi Denise Eger, performing one of the first legal lesbian ceremonies in California 6/16/08
Lyssabeth Monterey Wedding Officiants is proud and excited to serve the members of our gay & lesbian community in California by performing same-sex marriages. While the passage of Proposition 8 no longer makes these marriages legal (but we're working on that one!) we nonetheless want to do our best to ensure that all couples have access to unique, joyful and memorable ceremonies love no matter what their gender.
Some gay couples are choosing to exchange their vows publicly and jubilantly in an almost circus-like atmosphere. While we embrace these types of exuberant ceremonies and certainly understand the elation, we want to remind same-sex couples that there are many options available for you once you decide to commit your hearts to one another for life.
