Kauai Marriage Performer, Humanist Minister* and Secular Wedding Officiant
for Simple Elopements, Destination Weddings, and Kama'aina Celebrations, Baby Blessings, Memorials
Aloha! My name is Julie Wirtz. I am a wedding officiant and celebrant on Kauai. The weddings, vow renewals, baby blessings, funerals and memorials I officiate celebrate human values and natural human spirituality. Specializing in non-religious style weddings, the ceremonies I perform are meaningful and legal, but non-theistic in content. My service focusses on you as a couple or family and the values you hold important in your relationship. We celebrate your commitment and devotion as well as honor the moment of transition.
To avoid confusion - I'm a wedding officiant - not a wedding coordinator or planner.
I'm the wedding officiant, the marriage performer, the one that after hearing you say "I do" can sign your marriage certificate, to make it legal. . I'm not a wedding planner or coordinator, though I can help you to coordinate your own wedding easily on Kauai, by offering the contact information for many wedding vendors. (See my Wedding Vendor section.) So for those seeking a simple basic wedding ceremony, but would like to include a wedding photographer, wedding flowers, music, etc., I can help you set that up yourself.
I don't officiate weddings in a church setting, but rather in the pure natural beauty of Kauai, or the indoor location of your choice. If you are seeking a secular (non-religious style) wedding on Kauai, no need to bother a busy Kauai Judge for a "Justice of the Peace" type courthouse wedding, for I can officiate a legal marriage ceremony, similar to a civil ceremony. Plus, I'm likely to be a little softer, warmer, more personal and more flexible regarding location and incorporating unique ideas, since this is what I do for a living, full time. I am available any time of the day and any day of the week to perform your wedding on the beach, in a park or at your hotel or vacation rental on Kauai.
If this sounds good to you, my Kauai Wedding, Kauai Commitment Ceremony, or Kauai Vow Renewal Officiant Services are priced to be reasonably affordable - but there's a catch. I offer a "do-it-yourself" approach to creating your ceremony, so that your vows will reflect your values, feelings and intentions. I make it pretty easy to do this, with sample ceremonies and ideas, but also encourage you to take the time to choose or create your own vows, as they will be what defines your level of devotion and holds your marriage together, along with the love you have for each other.
The ceremonies I perform on Kauai are usually more of the "short and sweet" variety, though I can also adapt my style to more sophisticated ceremonies if you like, as I have years of mainland experience as well, having been a successful wedding officiant in the Seattle area. Please note: I do not sing, chant or perform miracles. I do not suggest that you rely on an outside spiritual source for the success of your marriage, but that you take responsibility for making your marrige work. I feel strongly that the success of your marriage is in your hands, your hearts and your souls. I have a very "mainstream" approach, suitable for the very large slice of our society who are perhaps "spiritual but not religious." Let's face it, 45% of couples getting married want a non-religious wedding, yet there are very few non-religious officiants. That's why I'm so busy!
I'm centrally located on the island of Kauai, making it easy for me to conduct weddings island-wide, including, Hanalei, Princeville, Kilauea, Moloa'a, Anahola, Kapaa, Wailua, Lihue, Poipu, Koloa, Lawai, Kalaheo, Waimea, Kekaha and all points between.
Wedding Officiant, Commitment Ceremony & Vow Renewal Rates:
Here are my current wedding minister / marriage officiant / vow renewal celebrant rates:
$250 for a small event with just the two of you or just a few guests.
$300 for larger events with more than 10 people (wedding party and guests) total.
My rates include the $20 state mandated beach permit fee, whether we use a beach or not.
Please note that this is for the ceremony only. Photography, flowers, toasting beverages, not included.
I help with the creation of your ceremony, perform it at location of your choice, sign and file the certificate.
Kama'aina Discount is available (20%) for weddings, or for signing marriage certificate only (50%). Must live/work on Kauai.
Please e-mail for availablily for your Kauai wedding in 2009.
Note: I am currently not taking any more bookings for August 2009.
I can refer you to another officiant of similar style for dates I'm unavailable.
E-mail is best, due to time differences, but my cell phone is 808-652-9443 .
If the above link doesn't open your e-mail program, my e-mail address is JulieATKauaiOfficiant.com.
(Just substitute the AT with the @ sign - Sorry but I get a lot of spam and am trying to reduce that.)
Booking Procedure:
When contacting me about your Kauai wedding, please give me the approximate date you plan to be married, the location you've chosen if known, how many people you expect will attend, and a little bit about what type of ceremony you envision. If I'm available for your date and it seems we would be a good match, we will get down to business.
I will send you my booking contract to return to me with a 50% deposit to hold the date. The deposit goes toward the total fee, and once it's received, I will sign my portion and return a copy to you for your records. The contract is then in effect and we can begin working on your ceremony script. If you are planning far in advance, I suggest perusing the material at your leisure and we can draft up a ceremony at your convenience, finalizing it a week to a month in advance of the event.
I will send you some sample scripts to choose from or to use for inspiration in writing your own. Or if you wish, I can create a custom ceremony for you, though my rates reflect more of a "do-it-yourself" quality. Many couples prefer to have control over the content of the ceremony script. After gleaning a little bit about your personality and what type of ceremony you have in mind, I can perhaps suggest some components for your ceremony, touching on any special circumstances, such as including stepchildren, appreciating those who are not with us for the event, including the participation of your guests, a particular theme, etc.
You are welcome to write your own vows or use the traditional and contemporary vows I supply. I will e-mail you a copy of the ceremony for your input, revisions, additions, deletions, etc. Once you arrive on Kauai, we can meet in person prior to your wedding to go over the details or rehearse if necessary, visit the wedding location, or whatever you need to feel confident that your Kauai wedding will go smoothly.
My "no frills" service includes help with choosing the location and any permit, the ceremony, the signing and filing of the marriage license for recording with the State of Hawaii, and a complimentary keepsake marriage certificate. I leave booking any vendors, such as a photographer, musician, getting flowers, leis, unity ceremony props, and so on, to you. I can direct you to the marriage license agents and can steer you toward some economical vendors for your wedding extras. (See my wedding vendor's Section)
I can put together a "wedding package" on a case-by-case basis, if you'd like to specify what you'd like in the way of flowers, leis, photograpaher, musician, cake, champagne, sparkling cider, etc., but I really find that the couples I work with prefer to have a little control over their event and enjoy choosing the extras on their own. I work well with "do-it-yourself" type couples. My time is often limited, so if you need this help, I might refer you to a wedding coordinator that you can hire, since I prefer to focus only on the ceremony part.
I would be happy to snap a a few photos with my digital camera, or yours, before or after the ceremony, but no guarantees on quality there. I can also refer you to several excellent photographer choices, with various rates and services, to capture memories of your special day.
Note: These are just amateur snapshots. I can sometimes provide an amatueur photographer or if you are looking for a professional photgrapher, florist, leis, musician or other wedding vendors, please check my Kauai wedding vendor links page.
Hawaii Marriage License Procedure on Kauai:
Pre-wedding, I can direct you to one of the licensing agents on Kauai where you'll need to obtain your marriage license before the wedding ceremony. I can e-mail you the list and give you my recommendations for a location near your lodging. The state of Hawaii does not require any witnesses to sign the marriage certificate, however you may have one or two witnesses sign, if you like. Click here to find information about the Hawaii Marriage License and to download and pre-fill the Hawaii marriage license application (except your signatures) to take to the agent and sign in his/her presence. My Hawaii License to Perform Marriages is #05-1071
If you are interested in my Kauai Wedding Minister/ Marriage Officiant services, please e-mail me. Mahalo!
The Importance of Ceremony
Ceremonies and rituals are important in our society. By publicly declaring important milestones in our lives, we give the moment a place of honor. Shared with family and friends, we gain their support as we go through expected changes.
Secular ceremonies are becoming so popular because they cross faith and cultural boundaries and therefore are non-offensive to participants and guests of different faiths. By bringing together the common values of humanity from all belief systems, secular ceremonies allow each of the participants to experience positive feelings special or unique to them.
Ceremonies acknowledge and honor important transitions in our lives. By creating a time and space to publicly declare an event, we declare our readiness to honor what has gone before and to embrace a new path. By inviting our friends and loved ones to mark the occasion with us, we allow them to offer us their love and support, which strengthens our bonds with them.
The function of ceremony is to bring people together for love and support during transitions into new beginnings. Ceremony allows us to join and bond when we are bringing two families together, celebrating new life, or paying tribute to a life well lived.
As a Humanist Minister and Celebrant*, I help people address the human needs and goals required for healthy transitions. My clients include humanists, agnotics, freethinkers, atheists, rationalists, as well as mixed faith families and even some devoutly religious folks who don't want to impose a religious service on their guests or simply want a more meaningful and personal ceremony than what their church can provide.
* Humanism is a philosophy of life inspired by humanity and guided by reason. It provides the basis for a fulfilling and ethical life without dependance on theistic religion.
If you're interested in reading a little more about what I do, there was an article written about me recently, in the Hawaii Reporter:
Celebrant Sprinkles Spirituality on Weddings and Funerals in Hawaii.
Other Services
Kauai Memorial and Funeral Celebrant Service
When a loved one dies, it's important to have a ceremony that respects the spiritual values of the deceased as well as the survivors. In mixed faith families, or for families with no religious affiliation, a "Celebration of Life" or "Life Tribute" with a secular (non-religious) memorial service is an excellent choice.
Secular Funeral & Memorial Services, whether a Celebration of Life or Humanist Ceremony, honor the life of the deceased and address the grief of survivors, without imposing a religious worship service onto the mourners who may be of various spiritual backgrounds.
A Celebrant seeks to meet the needs of survivors, by creating and conducting funeral and memorial services that are personalized to reflect the lifestyle of the deceased.
Secular or Humanist Funeral Celebrant Services are often more personal and more satisfying in aiding the grief process than a worship service can be, because celebrant services address human needs and values.
If you are in need of a funeral or memorial service celebrant after the death of a loved one, I can help you create a ceremony that reflects the personality of the deceased, as well as the survivors, in a way that embraces the grief necessary for healthy passage to life without the loved one. Click here Kauai Funeral Celebrant Services.
Family Ceremonies, Adoption, Baby Naming, Rites of Passage
The special event of bringing a child into your family can be enhanced and punctuated with a ceremony with friends and family. In the case of adoption, an Adoption Ceremony is especially important to introduce the child to your relatives and friends, ceremoniously giving the child a family and safe reliance network.
If a family doesn't wish to christen their child in a traditional religion or church setting, a A Family Dedication Ceremony, also called such names as Appellation Ceremony, Baby Naming Ceremony or Child Dedication or Baby Blessing can be a meaningful alternative for the family and friends and later for the child with the keepsake copy of the ceremony. Not only is the family announcing the arrival of the child into the world, but also assigning a name, defining or outlining the family's values, and appointing a support network for your child. Those invited to share in the ceremony become part of the child's network of mentors and guardians. Chosen adults can be named to take a special interest in the child's future, sometimes called guide-parents or god-parents. Adding a new family member is a good time to begin enshrining a family's values as a guideline as to how they will be raising the child.
The transition from childhood to young adulthood is an important milestone to mark commonly called Coming of Age and celebrated with a Rite of Passage. Guiding the control of the child's life from parental control/responsibility toward self-control/responsibility, we can create a generation of positive contributors to society. Note: This is a seldom done rite. It's loss from our culture is often blamed for the misdirected energy of our youth.
Civil, Secular, Spiritual, Non-religious -vs- Non-denominational
As a Humanist Minister, the ceremonies I officiate are similar to a civil ceremony, but with more emphasis on human values and the family's sense of morality and fulfillment. A secular Ceremony, like a civil ceremony, is not tied to religious worship, but is usually very uplifting to the human spirit, focussing on the values important to the family. The term non-denominational usually means cross-denominational, which means they are worship services, but do not focus on one particular denomination. The ceremonies I officiate are secular or non-religious in the traditional sense and therefore can be enjoyed by all people, regardless of religious background. They are human celebrations!
Feedback from Couples:
"Thanks Julie. You made the whole event work wonderfully. It took 30 years for us to decide to formalize our relationship, and I'm happy that we found you to share it with. It ended up being the perfect way to celebrate our lives together so far, and provide a meaningul foundation for continued happiness."
Mark and Geri, married March 3, 2009
Julie, We want you to know how special we thought the ceremony was...much was thanks to you. Everyone in attendance has commented on your warmth and the sentimentality that radiates from your delivery. We echo those views. Thank you so very much! It couldn't have been a more special day for us!
Tim and Irene, married February 20, 2009
"Julie, we cannot thank you enough for all the help you've given us to truly make our Special Day exceptional! Thank you!"
Jerry and Sandi, married February 17, 2009
"Hi Julie, It was such a perfect low-key ceremony and we're sitting here basking in the glow of it before heading out to dinner. We were able to stay perfectly present for it."
Arthur and Leah, married December 17, 2008
"Hi Julie, Gary and I wanted to thank you for helping us make our perfect wedding a reality. We would have never been able to do it without you. Keiki Cove was amazingly beautiful. Without you and your expertise, we would have never found it. Your calm and gentle demeanor was a breath of fresh air during a time I was ready to stress out. Thank you so much for all you did to make our wedding in paradise just that and more. With love always,"
Gary & Valerie, married December 8, 2008
"Dear Julie, Thank you for marrying us. You did a great job with the ceremony - all our firends said we made a good choice as you were very "elegant". You made it very easy and comfortable for us and we appreciate that."
John and Janine, married November 8, 2008
"Julie, It was a wonderful day, a day we shall not forget. Perfection could be the word to describe it. We'll be sure to pass on your info to anyone we come across wishing to marry in Hawaii. Again thanks for the professionalism and warm feelings you gave us with this great day of ours. Take care and lots of love from..."
Horatio and Brigitte, married October 19, 2008
"Julie, Thanks again for the fantastic service last week on Kauai. We kept talking about how great the service was, and wanted to tell you how much we appreciated the part you had in our fantastic wedding. The location was ideal!"
Nete and Sten, married October 15, 2008
"Julie, We just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your wonderful grace and presence at our blessed ceremony. We could not imagine anyone better than you to perform the sacred service of our ceremony. We will never forget you and wish you the most prosperous and blessed future in all that you do! Feel free to contact us anytime. Love, Ronnie and Leighsa"
Leighsa and Ronnie, married April 22, 2008
"You were a highlight of our trip, Julie. We felt so lucky and blessed that you were the one that married us. You did a wonderful job and you made it very special for us. I can't say that I have met many wedding officiants but I have to believe you are the best! "
Jackie and Anthony, married February 26, 2008
"Thanks again we were totally happy with the ceremony it was just what we were hoping for give or take a few rain drops. After you both left we enjoyed the sunset and some champagne under the big tree with the swing. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day."
Jamie and Dalton, Married December 19, 2007
"Hello Julie, This is long overdue, but I wanted to write to thank you for the beautiful ceremony you conducted for us. It was lovely, and special, which it could have very easily not been, given the short nature of the day. So, thank you, for helping making it so special for us. I also wanted to thank you for getting the marriage certificate in the mail to us so quickly. That was a HUGE help getting me covered by insurance. And, was really above and beyond. Thanks again and all the best to you."
Heather and Todd, married September 15, 2007
" Dear Julie, We wanted to send you a note to let you know we truly enjoyed the wedding ceremony for Carl and Amber. Your words were so heartfelt, and that was projected very articulately. We received many nice comments regarding you and the ceremony, and we wanted to share that with you! It was a pleasure meeting you and should the occasion arise, we will recommend your services. Thank you and Mahalo! Craig and Sherry"
(Carl and Amber) married August 11, 2007
"Julie, Thank you for officating the ceremony for my brother Bart. I appreciate your sensitivity to my family at such a difficult time. If you ever need a referral don't hesitate to contact me. Regards, Lisa"
Funeral Service conducted in August 2007
"Dear Julie, We thought this was a great photo of you at the beginning of our ceremony. It was such a beautiful day and memory. Thank you again for playing such an important part and making it perfect. We certainly will never forget you and will always tell people about you if they are looking for someone thoughtful and genuine to marry them. Best wishes to you always. Aloha! "
Dawn & Jeremy, married July 18, 2007
"Julie, Thank you so much for being a part of our special day. I believe we cross paths in this life with certain people for reasons. You have been so wonderful. May you be blessed always, Love,
Ron and Kim, renewed vows on June 22, 2007
(Most of my feedback is verbal - but these are just a few in notes I received after the events.)
