We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jimmie Berguin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jimmie below.

Jimmie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

I never saw myself officianting for anyone! As a Recovering Catholic, my ideas of what a wedding ceremony was, were very askew. Then one day, I was asked by two friends of mine to officiate their ceremony. The bride gave me a boost of confidence when she informed me (her being a wedding photographer) had seen countless ceremonies and told me I was, “perfect for the job”. So taking what I knew about weddings, my insatiable urge to people please, and passion for writing; I crafted my version of a wedding ceremony.
The entire experience, from inception to final execution, was so addicting and gratifying. I immediately took to Instagram to create a page for my “business” to see who might be interested in booking an officiant who looked different than what the PNW tended to offer.

I have previous experience with social media usage, SEO, and branding having worked for the marketing side of Dutch Bros. in Eugene, OR as the Social Experience Coordinator. Figuring out how to present myself, what my messaging was, and how I wanted people to find me came rather quickly. I messaged many vendors within my area letting them know who I was and what I offered. Asking that if they had a couple who asked about an officiant, maybe they could recommend me. To my surprise, many were quick to share with me their couples because an officiant who was able to travel miles off the grid and could hike was much needed! I figured out quickly that couples had no idea most of the time what they truly wanted for their ceremony. They just wanted to have a memorable experience, get married to the love of their life, and entrust the stressors of the wedding process with a professional who would honor their love story.

As the years went on, my reputation grew and grew. Photographers knew me as the officiant who could hike to some picturesque out there places. My future couples came to me knowing that I would craft a wedding ceremony that aligned with their wants, needs, and beliefs. Having started this journey 7 years ago, I could have never predicted the heights this journey would take me to. Whether it being interviewed by the New York Times on Weddings during the pandemic, American Marriage Ministries flying me all over the country to be one of their featured speakers at their Officiant Accelerators, or meeting some of the most incredible humans from every part of this beautiful world of ours. To be an officiant is to be a humanist by nature. And being able to champion on behalf everyone I meet (religious beliefs, sexual orientation, cultural background, etc.) is one of my biggest passions for doing what I do.

Jimmie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Jimmie Berguin, also known as Officiant Jimmie. My role is to be the person who can craft a wedding or elopement ceremony for all my couples getting married. Regardless of religious beliefs, sexual orientation, walks of life- my goal is to leave everyone in attendance thinking “that was SO them!”. I do so by getting to know my couples on an intimate level. Learning about their backstory, how did they meet, what they want in their ceremony, what they love most about one another.
Having attended enough boring or just plain bad wedding ceremonies, my life’s mission is to be the opposite of that! People have this expectation that the couple is to be married, then the fun begins! With my ceremonies, the fun begins with the couple as they are getting married, and we get to spend the next 15 minutes recollecting cherished memories and heartwarming laughter on how this all came to be.

I believe in being a hype-man for all my couples getting married. Being the man who can answer their off-kilter questions or curiosities they might have in traditions/rituals so they can figure out how to make the big day “their big day”. Communicating them in a way that feels like they’re talking to an old friend with the spirit of go-getter who gets it done for them no matter what. Making everyone who sees one of my ceremonies reassess their expectations on what fun a couple getting married could look like/even be.

There are 2 things I do for my couples that are very unique and are always a hit:
1. Seal It With A Shot. During most of my ceremonies, near the end before the big kiss, I’ll invite my couples to partake with me in a celebratory toast to the next chapter of their love. I clear this with the couple ahead of time. Asking them if they feel comfortable with doing so during the ceremony, if they’d rather do it at the license signing in private after, or refrain from it altogether. When we do the shot during the ceremony, it’s always a hoot to see the crowd get rowdy over this fun and special moment. It’s also a great photo op!
2. Ring Pops. At the marriage license signing, I always gift my couple a ring pop to rock on their fingers as they sign and officially become newly married. It’s a moment that always earns big genuine laughs, and makes the magic even more enchanted. Also makes for a terrific photo op as well!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I was raised with the philosophy that a successful business meant making as much money as possible. Earning, growing, improving, expanding. So when I first entered the wedding industry, I had this idea that if I wasn’t working 24/7, I wasn’t doing it right. As time went along, as I started to understand the importance of my role, my mind shifted. Being Officiant Jimmie wasn’t the same as running a business. I’m a person who believes in supporting those in LGBTQIA+ spaces, who was a firm believer in Black Lives Matter, who loves all humans and wants to stand up against racism and bigotry and hate. I didn’t need to be mindful of what I shared online whether it be philosophical or ideological beliefs, because it’s not my job to serve everyone. I am there to be the most authentic version of myself so my couples could feel comfortable being the most authentic version of themselves. Be the support that I would look for if I was in the position of getting married and be that for those looking.
Once I adopted my mindset, my inner peace grew exponentially. And grasp on what my “business” was, became a lot more enriching.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Networking. Being able to be who I am irl to who I was on social media made all the difference in the world. My main source of work and leads comes from Instagram. On my page @officiantjimmie I made sure that whatever I said, posted, shared aligned with my message and my outlook on life. I make it a point to either strike up conversation or become a familiar face/name with all those in my area in the wedding world. Give them that “oh hey buddy!” Feeling when they meet me in the flesh for the first time While I may not be everyone’s cup of tea, that lets everyone know up front that what you see is what you get. Once other wedding vendors realized that I was an officiant who could write a good ceremony, knows how to fill out the paperwork, and be a team player helping out wherever I can? They recommended me to every couple who asked for officiant recommendations.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @officiantjimmie
• Facebook: Officiant Jimmie
• Other: [email protected] (email)

Image Credits

@laurenmilesphoto
@henrysdiary
@hannah.aspen
@thefoxes
@thefoxes
@seancarrphotography
@marissasoliniphoto
@lizastandishphotography