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Marriage License & Certificate
Officiant
Great Planner

About

On WeddingWire since 2011

Joyful Unions provides non-religious wedding officiating in Phoenix, Arizona. Liz O'Brien, the owner, is a non-religious wedding officiant happily serving a diverse array of couples throughout Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, and other parts of the metro area. She has successfully and nonjudgmentally guided hundreds of couples at their wedding altar during her more than 20 years in the business. Liz is a warm, smart, and experienced speaker and offers a grounding yet uplifting presence for you and your guests. She combines your ideas with her best practices to create a personalized and authentic narrative wedding ceremony that you and your community of family and friends will feel and remember.

Services Offered

Joyful Unions provides non-religious officiant services for wedding ceremonies, elopements, and vow renewals. Rehearsals are available if needed. A licensed officiant, Liz can help couples create custom vows, incorporate readings, and participate in cultural rituals such as a wine-box ceremony, wishing stones, unity sand or candle ceremony, a handfasting, or a smashing of the glass. She also provides unlimited email, phone, virtual, and text support prior to the ceremony, files your marriage license afterward, and also sends you a keepsake copy of your ceremony script.

  • Woman-owned

Frequently asked questions

What is the typical price for your wedding services?

$450

What is the starting price for your wedding services?

$375

Does starting price include the ceremony rehearsal?

No

What is the starting price for ceremony rehearsals?

$75

What types of weddings and events do you provide services for?

Non-religious
Interfaith
Ceremony Rehearsal
Vow Renewal
Civil Union

What religious affiliations do you serve?

Agnostic
Earth-Based
Jewish
No Denomination
Pagan
Unitarian

On average, how long are wedding ceremonies you officiate?

Less than 30 mins.

In which states are you licensed?

AZ
CA

What languages do you speak?

English
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Reviews of Joyful Unions

5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
181 Reviews
100% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

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Liz, the wedding officiant, is highly praised by multiple reviewers for her personalized and intimate ceremonies. She takes the time to get to know the couple and creates a ceremony that reflects their love story. Liz is described as professional, calming, and accommodating, making the couple feel at ease on their special day. Reviewers appreciate her attention to detail and the memorable experience she brings to the ceremony. Overall, Liz is highly recommended as an officiant for a personalized and special wedding ceremony.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Liz, the wedding officiant, is highly praised by multiple reviewers for her personalized and intimate ceremonies. She takes the time to get to know the couple and creates a ceremony that reflects their love story. Liz is described as professional, calming, and accommodating, making the couple feel at ease on their special day. Reviewers appreciate her attention to detail and the memorable experience she brings to the ceremony. Overall, Liz is highly recommended as an officiant for a personalized and special wedding ceremony.

F
Florin G. Sent on 04/19/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The most loving, heartfelt ceremony we could have ever imagined!

We met Liz through our party planner, and we immediately hit off over our phone call with her! She was very detailed and laid out the plan for the entire ceremony. She asked us a lot of questions, was accommodating to what we were asking and the stories we wanted to include.
Leading up to the event, she was very communicative over email and we were really confident and no-stress leading up to the wedding.
On the day of our wedding, we met with Liz right before the ceremony! She confirmed all the details, got the marriage license ready, and gave us really great words of advice - be present! Enjoy the ceremony, and allow yourself to feel all the love that is happening. She was incredibly kind, thoughtful, and really helped put our nerves at ease with how comforting she was.
During the ceremony, she gave the most beautiful, and heartwarming speech we’ve ever heard. There was not a dry eye in the venue. Her words were incredibly moving, and it allowed my wife and I to really enjoy being up there on the altar and focus on ourselves being present. Additionally, Liz also included the crowd! Everyone was able to yell, “We do!” to bless our wedding and it was so cute and funny. After the ceremony, we were able to sign the license asap and we were married! Woohoo!
Throughout the evening, we had everyone come up to us telling us that Liz’s speech made them believe in love again. It was the most incredible ceremony they’ve heard.
After our wedding, Liz has continued to stay in contact, wishing us well and updating us on the filing of our license!
Overall, we could not be happier with having Liz officiate our wedding. There are no other words to describe it other than perfect. Thank you so much Liz for a ceremony we’ll never forget!
Katherine
Katherine W. Sent on 02/23/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Liz put together a beautiful ceremony

Liz exceeded our wildest expectations. Leading up to the wedding, Liz was a beacon of calm amongst the various vendors we were working and planning with. She asked some questions right after we hired her with a very clear timeline for when she needed answers by so we knew when we needed to get back to her. Other than that, any time we had questions for her she responded very quickly. Before the ceremony, Liz checked in on each of us to make sure we were ready and to pick up our vow books so she could hold them during the ceremony. The ceremony itself was gorgeous. Liz helped us stay focused and centered on our love and commitment to each other. She also did a wonderful job telling our love story. After the ceremony, several of our friends told us that it was the most touching wedding they had ever attended. A few even asked for her info so they could hire her for their weddings and vow renewals.

Tldr; hire Liz! It will truly be the best money you spend on your wedding :)
L
Lindsey M. Sent on 01/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Liz is amazing!

Liz is so great. She really gets to know you on a personal level. She was very professional but still made a great connection with us and shared our story beautifully!
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Awards

181
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2013 Winner

Pricing

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Team

Liz O'Brien
Liz O'Brien
Owner

It's my genuine honor and pleasure joining beautiful couples on their wedding day. My ceremonies will uplift you and your guests as we reflect on the love the two of you have built and the exciting new step you're taking into marriage. Let's celebrate love!

Away from the altar, you can find me leading student and public tours at Phoenix Art Museum, hiking, skating, biking, or out in Midtown with my hubs, Steve, and our adorable scruffy terrier, Mr. Bingley.

Professional Network & Endorsements

5 Endorsements
Photography by Joshua Killeen Photography by Joshua Killeen Wedding Photographers

Words can't describe the amazing experience that I had working with Joyful Unions! Absolutely professional, and extremely pleasurable to work with from start to finish. Quality vendors that work well together make every single event better for everyone involved (especially the clients), and this collaboration was no exception. Looking forward to future events with Joyful Unions!

Alis Fashion Design Alis Fashion Design Wedding Dresses

Such a wonderful speech Liz gave for one of our brides who we have designed the bridal gowns. We felt as if Liz was the best friend of the bride and groom forever and speech filled with love, care, happiness made us moved. Thank you Liz!

Got You Covered Got You Covered Wedding DJs

Liz at Joyful Unions is awesome! Her ceremony style is innovative and fun. In other words a perfect fit for our clients :)

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