It hasn't happened yet, as far as I know, but there's no reason why it shouldn't. Just think about it - no need to worry about catering, or the guest list - or even seating for that matter. And nobody drinking and then driving home to worry about. Music - already there. DJ with a sound system - you know why that's not needed! Oh, and did I mention, an abundance of Police protection at no cost? (Maybe even some distinguished guests will show up - Patti Smith, Pete Seeger, Mayor Bloomberg, etc. Maybe Radiohead will finally come to Occupy Wall Street - for your wedding.

So, anyway, I'm offering my officiating services to free for the first couple of True Occupiers that want to get married at Zuccotti Park (Occupy Wall Street). I know a lot of people are making strong connections, and cementing one's they had already, and that's what made me think of doing this. (I'd also be glad to officiate for you if you want to renew your vows at Liberty Park - the same place.)

You have to be sincere, and you have to be part of the 99%. True Occupiers will definitely be given preference. I can't cook for you, provide tents for those cold nights, or speak in the General Assembly (at least not yet), but I can certainly do for you (at no expense) what I do for other couples all the time (almost 100 times a year!). If you're interested in discussing this with me, please contact me.

I'm an seminary trained, ordained Christian minister who works (primarily) as a wedding officiant. You can easily contact me through my website www.clergyoncallministries.com.  Pastor Bill Britton

I had a great wedding at Arbor View Bed & Breakfast Saturday night. The B& B was very nice (quiet, beautifully decorated, well-run) and it's hosts, Veda and Joseph showed wonderful hospitality to everyone. (They served me and the couple and a few guests dinner afterwards!) I highly recommend this place for smaller groups, and if it's just you and your fiancee. And congratulations Sharlene and Terrence. You make a beautiful couple, and I'm glad I could be part of your wedding day - and! looking forward to the big one next August! We may have started a little later than the plan, but in the end, I think everything was perfect. It was definitely one wedding that I wouldn't have wanted to miss. Thanks for the great dinner (Veda) and the wedding cake (Sharlene). It strenghtened me for the long ride home.  :-)   Pastor Bill

When I met with Marline and Jean Claude, I learned that they are super-connected in the Haitian community and could either recommend me to many friends and associates, or not. I also learned that Jean Claude owns his own successful Entertainment company and has worked as a DJ. Even so, no pressure!

Stewart Manor was prepared for us, and attended to the the bridal party nicely, as they always do. We went over all the last minute details, and then everything came together in the beautiful ceremony room at the Manor - complete with a fire in the fireplace. (It was right behind where I was standing, and if I only could have turned turned around after the ceremomy to roast the other side, I would have been thoroughly cooked.) Here's what the couple had to say:

"First, we want to take this moment to thank you for the beautiful service that you gave us. You made our wedding day very special and very personal with all the attention to details you gave throughout the process. From the first phone call, to the get acquainted lunch meeting, the contract preparation, going over every details of the ceremony and finally to your superb delivery with a very personal touch, we can only say that you are the best.
 
We've only heard praises from our guests about our ceremony. Most of the guests are referring to our wedding as the wedding of the century. So we want to say again "Thank you." We will not hesitate 1 second to recommend your services to anyone."
 
May God bless you. Sincerely, Jean Claude and Rose Marline

Recently I did a wedding and bumped into Harpist Janet King again. Our paths cross periodically, since both of us serve at weddings. I remember the couple from that day emphasizing to me, "Yes, Janet King! She's the best!" Well, I'm hardly a judge of such things, but I can say that her playing is beautiful, and she is a reliable, friendly, professional person to work with. We stood around in the parking lot after talking about quite a number of things - but most interestingly, her "other hat" - running Big River Barn where you can rent horses for a beautiful ride through the woods (yes, in Nassau County!) in any season of the year. I wanted to drop everything and go and do it right then. Finally, Janet is also a New York state licensed massage therapist, specializing in working with people dealing with cancer. Her therapy helps to alleviate symptoms, helps cancer patients to feel good and to affirm life during challenging times." Bottom line, Janet is one cool person to know, and if thinking harps or horses, you really have to give her a call.

When I met Jenny and Julio, I knew it was going to be a special wedding. I find myself telling couples all the time that "Chemistry is what separates an average cermony from a special one.", and the more weddings I perform, the more I see how true this is. Well, in the case of this couple, we had really good chemistry from the beginning - lots of sharing, lots of laughs, lots of good communication about who they were and what they wanted. When time for the wedding came, the time we spent developing this chemistry paid off - in a beautiful, joy-filled, personal ceremony. Villa Russo's was warm and intimate, the DJ did a great job, and the guests were attentive and supportive - everything you could want. It was my honor and pleasure to be involved. Congratulations guys!

The Brooklyn Botanical Garden accomodates couples who want an intimate wedding, or who just love the beauty of the outdoors - and who doesn't enjoy a day when the sun shines down, warming your skin - and you're getting married?! Randy and Azeb weren't able to meet with me ahead of time (which is what I usually do), but even so, we had nearly instant chemistry when we did meet the the Garden, and I really enjoyed my time with them. I also received one of my best compliments from one of their guests who said, "Thank you, that was nice. Not the usual blather." Home run! Anyway, you can see from this great picture the kind of chemistry they had, and the nice "vibe" they radiate. Another great day serving another nice couple.

Katharine and Kevin tied the knot at the historic Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims in Brooklyn. The church has a rich heritage of powerful preachers who spoke out against slavery - most noteably Henry Ward Beecher, and who used the church to hide and protect slaves on the run - “the Underground Railroad.” When you see the physical location of the church property, you’ll understand immediately how stratigic a location it held. The wedding itself was on the grounds outside, in a beautiful spot that many must be unaware of, but which was perfect for an intimate wedding. Afterwards, we were given a guided tour of the church and told some of the history behind it’s ministry there. It was a great day in every way. While I was there, I made a new friend - Sokol, who was playing the cello, which was unique, beautiful, and just the right choice. I wanted to put in a good word for him (pictured), because I know that my couples are often looking for something other than a DJ, band, or even a quartet, etc. I would commend him to you.

So, first, here’s what Katharine and Kevin had to say: “Thanks again for a great wedding.  We thought everything went perfectly, and you were a great part of it.”  And here’s what Sokol had to say, “Hello Rev. Bill, It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday.  Everyone seemed to enjoyed the ceremony. I am going to hold on to your card so that I can refer you in the future.  At the end I discovered that the bride was German. I studied there for 6 years.  :)  I live in Queens, close to Bayside, but I don't mind traveling far for gigs.  I have a string trio/quartet or pianist/singer who I work with. My wife, Kristin, plays violin and viola. The name of our group is Belle Arti Music.  I checked your website and like it a lot, I think ours needs a little work! Looking forward to hearing from you and working together in the future. Best, Sokol Nikaj - cellist (917) 945-4006. (If you look at their website - www.belleartimusic.com - you’ll see what impressive credentials these musicians have - and that they have played all over the world. Only in the New York metro area is such talent taken for granted.)

In 2010 I married a tennis-loving bride and groom at Arthur Ashe Stadium.  A referral from that couple led to a wedding this year at Astoria Manor. Daisy and Alex were easygoing and a pleasure to work with, and they certainly appreciated my help in planning - and on the day of. Here’s how they put it:

“The feedback we are getting from our friends and family about the wedding is beyond positive. Pastor Bill Britton’s flexibility in the way the ceremony is performed makes him a very desirable wedding officiant. Our friends still cannot believe that we were able to include a religious theme in our civil wedding. As Filipinos, it is important that we had a sense of Catholicism in our matrimony; we are truly grateful to Pastor Bill Britton for making that happen. His services are also not limited to the ceremony itself. He guides you from the start to the end and will answer any questions you might have about the whole process. We feel lucky to have found Pastor Bill and honored to have had him as our wedding officiant; his services did not only impress us but also those who attended our wedding. Surely in the future, we will see him again as a pastor for one of our friend’s wedding.”

Thanks Daisy and Alex. It was a pleasure to know and serve you.

Sometimes you want to have something really unique at your wedding. After all, most weddings and receptions follow a certain predictable pattern, and you may want to reward your guests with a bit of a surprise. Mixing it up can challenge even the most creative types though, because many couples are trying to do something different, and after a while it may seem there is nothing novel left to do. Well, never fear, I've found something for you. I believe that saying that the Xylopholks are one of a kind is probably a pretty safe bet. They're great musicians - they're just in costumes - dressed up like animals (e.g., dogs) and fruit (e.g., bananas). You really have to see it to believe it - and to appreciate it. You can find them here: http://www.xylopholks.com

(If you end up using them, please be sure to let me know - and email me a video or some pics!)

Lynbrook, New York – January 25, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce that Clergy On Call ministries (Pastor William Britton) has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Officiants!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Clergy On Call ministries stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Clergy On Call ministries for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Pastor Bill Britton is among the very best Wedding Officiant within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at

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For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.